Many manufacturing facilities emit harmful pollution through smokestacks or water discharges. Incinerators can also emit harmful fumes when wastes are burned. Industrial pollution impacts people of color and lower-income communities disproportionately. Once you find out what is going on in your community you can get involved in local community groups working for a healthy environment. And if none exist, you can start your own. The following resources will help you get started:

Community Toolbox for Children’s Environmental Health has resources to help address industrial pollution and provides technical assistance and capacity building services.

Global Community Monitor Environmental sampling techniques

Health Care Without Harm wrote a toolkit on how to shut down an incinerator.

Scorecard is an interactive database that documents pollution levels throughout the United States.

Toxic Wastes and Race at Twenty: 1987-2007

Women’s Voices for the Earth provides technical assistance to local groups organizing for a healthier environment