Double Jeopardy in Houston

The report identifies a 'double jeopardy' for residents of Harrisburg/Manchester and Galena Park in east Houston, who face both higher daily exposure to toxic air pollutants and greater proximity to high-risk chemical facilities than residents of West Oaks/Eldridge and Bellaire in west Houston. This disparity results in significantly higher cancer and respiratory illness risks for east Houston residents, exacerbated by a lack of comprehensive zoning laws and socioeconomic determinants.

• Residents of east Houston communities Harrisburg/Manchester and Galena Park are exposed to significantly higher levels of toxic air pollution and face greater health risks than those in west Houston communities West Oaks/Eldridge and Bellaire, as well as the broader Houston urban area.
• There is a stark disparity in the proximity of residents to dangerous chemical facilities; 90% of the population in Harrisburg/Manchester and nearly 40% in Galena Park live within one mile of such facilities, whereas less than 15% of residents in Bellaire and West Oaks/Eldridge do.
• Concentrations of the carcinogen 1,3-butadiene are vastly higher in east Houston; levels in Harrisburg/Manchester are 174 times higher than in West Oaks/Eldridge and 29 times higher than in Bellaire, while Galena Park levels are 228 and 38 times higher, respectively.
• Overall toxicity levels from chemical exposures are substantially higher in east Houston, with Harrisburg/Manchester being 12 times higher than West Oaks/Eldridge and 3 times higher than Bellaire, and Galena Park being 17 times higher than West Oaks/Eldridge and nearly 5 times higher than Bellaire.
• Chronic exposure to toxic air pollution correlates with higher health risks in east Houston, where cancer risks are 24% to 36% higher and the potential for respiratory illnesses is 24% to 43% higher compared to the west Houston communities.
• The report attributes these disparities to a lack of comprehensive zoning laws in Houston and notes that the health impacts are amplified by socioeconomic factors including lack of healthcare, public transportation, healthy foods, and political representation.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2016). Double Jeopardy in Houston. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2016/10/ucs-double-jeopardy-summary-eng-2016.pdf

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. Double Jeopardy in Houston. 2016. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2016/10/ucs-double-jeopardy-summary-eng-2016.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=Double Jeopardy in Houston |date=October 2016 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2016/10/ucs-double-jeopardy-summary-eng-2016.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2016double, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{Double Jeopardy in Houston}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2016}, month = oct, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2016/10/ucs-double-jeopardy-summary-eng-2016.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }