How You Can Report On The Toxic Hot Spots Near You

By Ava Kofman and Lylla Younes, ProPublica

November 12, 2021

Is the community you cover located in or near a hot spot of cancer-causing industrial air pollution?

The ProPublica reporters who built the most detailed map of toxic hot spots have created this guide to help journalists across the country illuminate the risks readers face and the remedies they might have to hold government and industry accountable. (For more background, you can learn more about air toxics and read our national overview story.)

As part of our effort to empower journalists to use this new tool, ProPublica is also hosting a virtual event geared toward journalists where our reporters can answer questions about the map, the underlying data and the shoe-leather reporting techniques they’ve employed.

This event will be held on Monday, Nov. 22, 2021, at 3 p.m. Eastern time. Register here. (There will be a separate virtual event for the general public.)

ProPublica’s original analysis of five years of modeled Environmental Protection Agency data identified more than 1,000 toxic hot spots across the country. There are hundreds of stories waiting to be told. We’re sharing our “recipe” for how you can investigate the hot spots near you and uncover the impact local air pollution is having on communities.

1. Dig Into the Emissions Data.

2. Understand How This Pollution Is Handled by State and Local Regulators.

3. Get to Know the People Who Live and Work in the Areas You’re Covering.

4. Gather Documents.

5. Learn About the Chemicals and the Science.

Looking for Tips in Your Area?

We have solicited tips about local air pollution problems from readers across the country through this form. We are working on implementing a way to share relevant tips we receive with outlets based in these hot spots. If you are interested in being part of this effort, let us know by emailing us with the subject line “Interested in Tips” at toxmaps@propublica.org.

Additional Resources.

To keep learning about the places shown on our map, check out these resources for additional information on industrial facilities, the toxic air pollution they release, and their estimated health risks:

Maya Miller, Lisa Song, Max Blau, Al Shaw, Ken Ward Jr. and Kiah Collier contributed reporting.

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