Map: How Bad Is Long Beach Pollution, and Where?

How at risk are Long Beach residents from pollution compared to those in other California cities? Those on the west side are among those with the highest risk, according to state officials, while those on the east side -- while still at risk -- are much less so.

Based on new state figures released this week, large portions of Long Beach rank among the most at risk. (Click on the ZIP Code areas in the interactive map for details on each zone.) Those in ZIP Codes 90810, 90813 and 90805 are in the top 1 to 5 percent for potential health risk from pollution of all sorts. Those in the 90803 and 90814 zones, while hardly pollution free, are on the opposite end of the pollution spectrum. For example, the "pollution burden score" in the 90803 ZIP is 4.9 (on a scale of 0 to 8.8, with 0 being best) while 90805 is at 7.7. 

Bixby Knolls, and the immediate downtown area have scores of 6.6 and 6.3, respectively, while the 90815 ZIP Code, which includes Stearns Park, Stearns Park and the southern part of El Dorado Park has a score of 6.4.

See a map of the data for every town in the state here

The figures come from a new state report issued by the California Environmental Protection Agency and the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment that compiles health risks based on 11 types of pollution and factors in seven categories of population and demographic factors, including poverty and education levels.

The purpose of the report is to identify communities that are eligible for grants from the state's Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, according to Sam Delson, an OEHHA spokesman. The law governing that fund mandates certain percentages be spent on disadvantaged communities, making it necessary to include economic factors in the state report.

The state has a map of those communities that are eligible on the report website.

Only towns in the lowest 10 percent qualify.

The map above shows scores from each of those categories as well as overall rankings for every ZIP Code in California with a Patch publication. Simply click on any town to see the full report card for each zip code.

You can see a similar map showing every zip code in the state here, and see more details of the report on the state's website.

Other findings in the study, such as low birth weight and incidence of asthma, show a similar divide between Long Beach's east and west zones. With, again, high scores being undesirable, 90813 is the worst in the city and ranks among the worst in the state, with a low birth weight percentile of 84.24 and asthma percentile of 96.68. Its poverty percentile is 95.54 and education percentile is 92.94. 

The area that includes Naples and Belmont Shore has a low birth weight percentile of only 22.23 and asthma percentile of 15.38. Its poverty percentile is 21.54 and education percentile of 6.63 are the best in the city.