Using CBPR to Promote Environmental Justice in Wilmington CA
Creators: name: University Of California Office Of The President
Publisher: name: University of California Office of the President
publisherIdentifier: https://ror.org/00dmfq477
publisherIdentifierScheme: ROR
Year: 2024

description: Low-income communities and communities of color disproportionately bear health and environmental burdens resulting from development patterns. Wilmington, a district of Los Angeles with industry as its primary economic activity, is a prime example of such a community. It is the only environmental justice community in the State of California that is surrounded by four major oil refineries, bordered by two major international trade ports (Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach) and three major freeways among other toxic industries and freight transportation corridors. Wilmington is primarily a low income, high poverty, high secondary school drop-out rate and predominantly Spanish-speaking community. The population of about 55,000 is over 85% Latino. The community is concerned about benzene emissions from oil refineries. Benzene has been shown to cause mammary gland tumors in animal studies and is classified as a human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. The Coalition For A Safe Environment (CFASE), a community based non-profit environmental justice, public health, and public safety advocacy organization in Wilmington, and the Center for Cancer Prevention and Control Research at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) have joined forces to launch a research program with two long-term goals: (1) to study the effect of benzene on the incidence of breast cancer; and (2) to promote environmental justice in Wilmington, California. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Questions or hypotheses: 
 
 
 
 The pilot CRC represents one of the first research projects in a vulnerable community with a focus on breast health and environmental justice. We will test assessment protocols, community trainings, and strategies to disseminate our findings for future large scale studies. We will collect pilot data on benzene exposure in Wilmington that can be compared to density maps of breast cancer cases from the Los Angeles Cancer Registry and/or compared to benzene exposure in other communities in future studies. We will collect pilot data on how to train community members so they can advocate for their community. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 General methodology: 
 
 
 
 CFASE and UCLA will train community members on breast cancer and its risk factors, including lifestyle and environmental factors, how to assess benzene in their community, and how to advocate for their community. Trained community members will measure benzene in the vicinity of one oil refinery. This will provide pilot data on the effect of weather conditions on benzene levels at various locations and on the dispersion of benzene with increasing distance to emission sources, and the reliability of measures from trained community volunteers. It will also provide data on local benzene exposures that can be used to advocate for policies, programs, and progress. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Innovative elements: 
 
 
 
 Innovative aspects of this proposal are (1) the focus on an environmental risk factor for breast cancer that is understudied; (2) the strong focus on capacity building in a vulnerable community; (3) our dual approach that could serve as a case study for other communities: The study advances science by characterizing benzene exposure and by evaluating training programs designed for community members. At the same time, the community benefits from training to measure chemicals in the air using scientifically rigorous methods and from gaining a better understanding of breast cancer risk factors. Community members also receive coaching on how to advocate for limiting or mitigating exposure to benzene, using the data they collected. The emphasis on social justice and advocacy for policy changes adds value to this project. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Community involvement: 
 
 
 
 The proposal was jointly developed by CFASE and UCLA. The community will stay involved and informed about the project through updates at quarterly community meetings, through participation in trainings, and by measuring benzene at various locations. An Advisory Committee will review all study protocols and assessment forms, advise on all activities throughout the study, and assist in interpretation and dissemination of the findings. CFASE is planning to use the benzene data that will be collected to advocate for policies, programs, and progress. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Future Plans: 
 
 
 
 Future research may focus on mapping breast cancer cases from the California Cancer Registry and comparing breast cancer density maps in Wilmington to benzene exposure maps; on establishing long-term benzene monitoring stations in Wilmington and comparison communities that will provide exposure data for future studies; and/or on systematically evaluating strategies to train and activate community members to advocate for environmental justice.