Partnership with RISE St. James
About the Project
Our lab is partnering with the environmental justice nonprofit, Rise St. James, a faith-based grassroots organization fighting the expansion of petrochemical industries in St. James Parish, Louisiana. With 12 different large industries in a 10-mile radius along the Mississippi River, St. James has been coined “Cancer-Alley” by its residents and the public for their abnormally high cancer rates due to high emissions of various hazardous air pollutants. Our lab is going to begin weekly air sampling with collaboration from local community members to determine the composition and concentration of volatile organic compounds in the air as well as the associated human health and cancer risks.
Goals of Project:
- Collaborate with local community members to participate in air sampling
- Determine the levels of air toxics in St. James Parish, especially in residential areas
- Determine the associated health risks
- Determine the potential sources