Cities and towns along the Gulf Coast are most at risk of health-damaging air pollution from the petrochemical industry, though parts of the Midwest, Appalachia, and East Coast also bear the brunt of pollution, according to a recent map.
The Petrochemical Air Pollution Map by Environmental Defense Fund released earlier this year shows the area around petrochemical facilities, especially along the coast in Texas and Louisiana, that bear high amounts of pollution from a variety of chemicals that can cause cancer and other health problems.
Users can enter their addresses to see if their areas are at risk for air pollution and, if so, which facilities are responsible.
The map also shows nearby monitoring stations that measure air quality. It shows that many pollution hotspots around the country do not have adequate air monitoring nearby.