"Study: Non-Whites More Exposed To Environmental Hazards"

"BERKELEY, Calif. -- According to a new study, published in the American Journal of Public Health, African Americans and Hispanics are more exposed to health risks like air pollution, toxic waste and a lack of green space.

The study -- a tag-team effort between researchers at the University of California, Berkeley and the California Environmental Protection Agency -- used a new online tool that maps environmental health hazards.

The tool, called CalEnviroScreen, amalgamates 11 different hazards, including exposure to particle pollution, ozone and pesticides, traffic congestion and proximity to toxic waste sites. These risks are combined with socioeconomic factors, like age, health, wealth and education, to get a single numerical score. The higher the score, the higher the risk exposure."

Brooks Hays reports for UPI September 17, 2015.