Chester Environmental Justice Factsheetsize=+1>
Environment
- 90% of all toxic chemical and criteria air pollutants released in Delaware County are from
Chester area sources - 100% of all municipal solid waste in Delaware Country is burned at the Westinghouse
incinerator in Chester - 90% of all sewage in Delaware County is treated at the Delcora sewage plant in Chester
(as well as wastewater from industries) - Sewage sludge from Delcora and three other County sewage plants is burned at the Delcora
incinerator in Chester - Medical waste from several states is treated at the Thermal Pure autoclave facility in Chester
Public Health
- Chester has the highest infant mortality rate in the state, more than double the rate for
Delaware County - Chester has the highest percentage of low-weight births in the state, nearly double the
percentage for Delaware County - Chester has a mortality rate and a lung cancer mortality rate about 60% higher than the rates
for Delaware County
Population
- The population of Chester is 65% African-American, the highest percentage in the state and ten
times higher than in Delaware County - Median family income in Chester is 45% lower than in Delaware County
- The poverty rate in Chester is 25%, more than 3 times the rate in Delaware County
Return to the Environmental Racism in Chester Homepage
Last modified: 13 April 1996
http://www.ejnet.org/chester/factsheet.html