Evaluating the Environmental Justice Dimensions of Odor in Denver, Colorado
Priyanka N. deSouza, Amanda Rees, Emilia Oscilowicz, Brendan Lawlor,, William Obermann, Katherine Dickinson, Lisa M. McKenzie, Sheryl Magzamen,, Shelly Miller, Michelle L. Bell

TL;DR
This study examines environmental justice disparities related to odors in Denver, analyzing the distribution of malodorous facilities and complaints across neighborhoods with different socioeconomic characteristics.
Contribution
It uniquely compares residential and workplace socioeconomic factors and their association with odor complaints and facility locations in an urban setting.
Findings
Malodorous facilities are disproportionately located in less privileged neighborhoods.
Disparities exist in workplace socioeconomic variables related to odor exposure.
Odor complaints are more frequent in gentrified neighborhoods.
Abstract
Background Odors are a documented environmental justice challenge in Denver, Colorado. Complaints are an important modality through which residents express their concerns. Objective We investigated disparities in environmental justice related-variables based on home and workplace census block groups (race/ethnicity, education-levels, renter-occupied housing, median income and median home values, gentrification) based on locations of odor complaints as well as that of potentially malodorous facilities. We report key themes identified in complaints. Methods We obtained odor complaints for 2014-2023, and the locations of facilities required to submit odor management plans as of 2023 from the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment. We downloaded residential census block group-level socioeconomic data from the 2016-2020 American Community Survey; and workplace-based socioeconomic…
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Taxonomy
TopicsEnvironmental Education and Sustainability · Odor and Emission Control Technologies · Environmental Justice and Health Disparities
