Satellite data exposes a shocking link between e-commerce and air pollution. Warehouses, once invisible contributors to air quality issues, are now under scrutiny.
The rapid growth of e-commerce has led to a surge in warehouse construction, often in close proximity to residential neighborhoods.
The first nationwide study of its kind linked truck traffic from warehouses to an increase in air pollution and furthermore it encompasses:
- Warehouse Explosion: Nearly 150,000 large warehouses across the US (117% increase since 2010).
- Bigger, Busier Warehouses: Newer facilities have more loading docks and parking spaces, leading to increased traffic and pollution.
- Community Impact: Disproportionately located in areas with higher Asian and Hispanic populations, exacerbating air quality issues resulting with respiratory diseases and further complications.
- California Hotspot: Just 10 counties in California, Texas, Illinois, Florida, Arizona, and Ohio account for 20% of all warehouses.
- Pollution Surge: Increased truck traffic and NO2 emissions linked to warehouse activity.
A big breakthrough in satellite remote sensing revealed a clear link between warehouse traffic and air pollution. By analyzing nitrogen dioxide levels from ESA’s satellite, it uncovered a surge in pollution near warehouses, particularly in communities of color. However, the accuracy is limited by daily afternoon readings, as warehouse activity and NO2 emission peaks in the morning.
NASA’s new satellite, offering hourly readings, promises to provide a more complete picture.
Neighborhood activists are fighting back against the warehouse expansion, pushing for stricter regulations and a shift to electric vehicles. While warehouses themselves aren’t the direct polluters, their role in attracting increased truck traffic is now impossible to ignore.
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