by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman
August 11, 2024
Longer commute times and more frequent transfers have left Black and Hispanic riders the most vulnerable to toxic subway air.
A new study has revealed that toxic subway air in New York City is disproportionately harming Black and Hispanic subway riders.
New York University researchers detailed their findings on Aug. 7, as reported by Gothamist. They found that longer commute times and more train transfers contribute to Black and Hispanic riders suffering the most. According to their numbers, Black riders remain the most severely impacted, experiencing 35% more polluted air. Hispanic riders are also at risk by 23%, with both groups compared to their White and Asian counterparts.
The trains hold particles of polluted air, leaving riders no choice but to breath the fumes in during their trips. According to the research, the air quality in the transit system is 15 times more potent than allowed by the World Health Organization.
One of the researchers, Masoud Ghandehari, explained how the underground trains trap toxic pollutants, leaving riders of color vulnerable to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
“When the train comes by, all the metal in the bottom of the tunnel gets turned up,” Ghandehari said. “Every time the door opens, concentrations in the train go up because the outdoor environment, the platforms, are higher in concentration.”
As for Ghadehari’s solution? A substantial dusting of the subways should do the trick.
He shared, “All that dust needs to be cleaned up. It’s all settled in the bottom of the tunnel. So that’s why when a train comes up [to a station], the concentrations shoot up in the air. It churns up everything that’s under.”
However, not all in the city are affirming Ghadehari, a professor of civil and urban engineering, and his research. In response, the NYC’s MTA Communications Director, Tim Minton, referred to the data as “debunked.”
“This recycled ‘study’ based on years-old ‘data’ has long since been debunked,” wrote Minton in a statement. “Every serious person knows transit is the antidote to climate change, the one reason NYC is the greenest city around, and an engine of equity for people of all communities who need an affordable, safe way to get to jobs, schools, and opportunities of every kind.”
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