An Investigation of Environmental Inequality in a Metropolitan Area

Introduction: Inequalities in urban environment are of significant concern, where socioeconomic status plays an important role. Inequality in environmental hazards is recognized as potential determinants of health disparities. Materials and Methods: In this study, we used individual and cumulative environmental hazard inequality indices to compare inequalities among 379 neighborhoods in Tehran. Inequality indices were calculated based on unequal shares of environmental hazards for socioeconomic status (SES). The hazards include ambient concentrations of PM10 and NO2 in 2011. We computed two individual inequality indices for NO2 and PM10 and then the CEHII for the two criteria pollutants by the multiplicative and additive approaches. Results: Results revealed that inequalities from cumulative hazards (additive and multiplicative) and individual PM10 in different education rates were significant (P < 0.001). However, there was no significant relation between inequalities in distribution of the pollutants and the variable of unemployment rate (P > 0.05). Conclusion: These results confirm CEHII using multiplicative approach had higher value than the additive approach. Findings are useful for policymakers and city managers to investigate environmental inequities particularly in mega cities.