Proximity of Urban Farms to Hazards With and Without Heavy Metal Contamination in Baltimore, Maryland

Previous studies have cited the sociocultural and environmental benefits of urban farming that acts as an effective strategy to address food disparities and sustainability. However, environmental justice advocates have raised concerns regarding the harmful effects that heavy metals from neighboring environmental hazard facilities may have on urban farms. This study utilized geographic information system mapping to track environmental hazards and urban farm locations, spatial analyses to assess proximity of urban farms to sites that emit heavy metals and other pollutants, and statistical analysis to determine the likelihood of urban farms and hazardous sites to collocate with communities of color and low socioeconomic status populations. Analyses indicated that contamination of urban farms in Baltimore City is a possibility due to proximity considerations: more environmental hazards were found in census tracts featuring an urban farm than those that did not, low-income communities of color featured environmental hazards sited in proximity to an urban farm, and a higher concentration of environmental hazards with heavy metal or unknown contamination was found in historically industrial areas. This study indicates that urban planning should consider proximity to current environmental hazards, sociodemographics of the community, and the history of sites before implementing urban farming.

Automated summary

This study utilized GIS mapping, spatial analyses, and statistical analysis to show that urban farms in Baltimore City may be contaminated due to proximity to environmental hazards, especially in low-income communities of color and historically industrial areas. Urban planning should consider current environmental hazards, sociodemographics, and site history before implementing urban farming.