Exclusionary housing policies concentrate housing inequities, disproportionately exposing Black communities to environmental pollutants, and isolating them from essential health resources (Dimick et al. 2013). For this study, a literature review was conducted to explore how environmental racism has contaminated Black lives and to understand the policy failures that have perpetuated these inequities. Using case study methodology, this paper highlights three specific events to illustrate the contamination of Black lives: toxic wells in Dickinson County, Tennessee; coke plants in North Birmingham, Alabama; and the water crisis in Flint, Michigan. The central policy failures in these cases were delayed response, misinformation, weak enforcement of regulations, and inadequate solutions provided by environmental health officials. Future research should focus on the intersection of environmental hazards, community trust, and the effectiveness of prevention strategies in Black communities. Environmental health officials should focus on transparency, accountability, and equal protection for all lives.

排他性住房政策集中了住房不平等现象，使黑人社区过度暴露于环境污染物中，并将其与基本卫生资源隔离开来（Dimick等，2013）。对于本研究，进行了文献综述，以探讨环境种族主义如何污染了黑人的生活，并了解了导致这些不平等现象长期存在的政策失灵。本文使用案例研究方法，重点介绍了三个具体事件来说明黑人生命的污染：田纳西州迪金森县的有毒井；阿拉巴马州北伯明翰的焦炭厂；以及密歇根州弗林特市的水危机。在这些情况下，中央政策失灵是反应迟钝，信息错误，法规执行不力以及环境卫生官员提供的解决方案不足。未来的研究应关注环境危害，社区信任以及黑人社区预防策略的有效性的交叉点。环境卫生官员应注重透明度，问责制和对所有人的平等保护。