U.S. Schools’ Proximity to Environmental Hazard Sites: A National Analysis

January 2026

We conduct a nationwide assessment of U.S. PreK-12 public and private schools’ proximity to known environmental hazard sites tracked by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Superfund sites, Brownfields, and Toxics Release Inventory facilities. Prior research documents a range of negative health and academic consequences for youth exposed to pollution and legacy contaminants released by these sites. Nearly 10,000 schools (8%), enrolling 3.36 million students and employing 480,000 teachers and staff, are located within a quarter mile (~400 meters) of a hazardous site where exposure risk is most acute. Approximately 44% of schools are located within one mile – a distance where negative exposure effects are well documented. Risks are borne disproportionately by Native, Black, Hispanic, and low-income students who are 124%, 86%, 43%, and 40% more likely to attend schools within a quarter mile of a hazardous site. Differential proximity to multiple hazards and higher-risk sites is also highly inequitable.

Keywords

Education, Environment, Pollution, Hazards, Toxins, Inequality, Inequity

Education level

K-12 Education

Topics

Student Well-Being