Nearly half of US schools are near environmental hazard sites within a distance that researchers say deserves greater attention, with more than 3 million children attending pre-K–12 schools located within a quarter mile of an environmental hazard site tracked by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. A new Brown University study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that 8% of U.S. schools are within a quarter mile of sites such as Superfund locations, brownfields and Toxics Release Inventory facilities.

The share rises to approximately 44% within one mile, a distance at which previous research has documented potential effects on health and academic achievement.

Environmental Risks Affect Thousands of Schools

The study examined the proximity of schools to environmental hazard sites using locations tracked by the EPA. The researchers found that the issue extends across communities and states rather than being concentrated in a small number of areas.

Matthew Kraft, a professor of education and economics at Brown University and coauthor of the study, said researchers were surprised by how frequently schools were located close to toxic sites and industrial pollution.

For families, proximity does not automatically mean that students are being harmed. However, the researchers argue that the findings identify schools where closer monitoring and further investigation may be warranted.

Students Face Unequal Exposure

The study also identified significant differences in exposure between student groups.

• Native students were 124% more likely to attend schools within a quarter mile of a hazardous site, compared with the reference population used in the analysis.
• The corresponding figures were 86% for Black students, 43% for Hispanic students and 40% for low-income students.

Researchers linked these differences to the historical placement of industrial facilities in communities with less political and economic power to oppose them.

The findings add an environmental dimension to existing inequalities in education, particularly for students who already face economic and social disadvantages.

Also Read: France Faces Severe Water Shortage as Drought Dries Up Hundreds of Rivers

Cities Show the Highest Potential Exposure

Location also played an important role. Schools in cities had the highest rate of proximity to environmental hazard sites, with 12.7% located within a quarter mile. Schools in towns followed at 10.3%.

The Northeast and Midwest recorded higher levels of school proximity to environmental sites than the West and South. The geographic variation suggests that local industrial history, land use and patterns of urban development may influence where schools are located in relation to potentially contaminated or polluting sites.

Also Read: Pennsylvania Residents Fear Exposure After Pipeline Leak Contaminates Water

What Can Be Done?

The researchers said identifying schools near environmental sites can help authorities focus resources where they may have the greatest effect. Potential responses include monitoring air, soil and water quality, expanding remediation work and upgrading school buildings and ventilation systems.

Better communication could also help families and school employees understand potential environmental risks and what measures are being taken to address them.

Also Read: Comparison of Smart Thermostats: Features and Costs

Final Words

The researchers stressed that the study is primarily descriptive rather than an assessment of health outcomes at individual schools. Being close to a listed site does not establish that children have been exposed to harmful pollution or that a particular health condition was caused by the nearby facility.

Still, the scale of the findings makes the issue difficult to overlook. Nearly half of US schools are near environmental hazard sites, reflecting a nationwide pattern that researchers say warrants closer attention from education officials, environmental agencies and policymakers.

For school leaders, the research provides a starting point for identifying potential risks around their campuses. For policymakers, it offers a map of where environmental monitoring, remediation and investment in healthier school facilities could be prioritised.

Also Read: Comparison of Green Building Rating Systems: LEED vs BREEAM vs DGNB vs Passivhaus