The community of Bayview-Hunters Point has faced poverty and industrial pollution for decades. Originally established in 1870 as a commercial shipyard, it was later purchased in 1937 by the US Navy to build naval ships, which emits black carbon and may release oil, lead, and mercury. This led to the exposure of harmful chemicals and pollutants to the residents of the neighborhood, according to kqed.org
During the Second Great Migration from 1940-1970, African Americans were promised jobs in Bayview and many came from all over the United States. As more and more arrived, the area seemed to be transitioning into a predominantly Black neighborhood.
Following WWII, the area was used as a place to decommission hazardous and radioactive ships. Some of the radionuclides that were a part of the contamination were identified years later as plutonium-239, strontium-90, and cesium-137. Other contaminants include mercury and lead.
AP Environmental Science teacher Michael O’Brien stated, “Being exposed to any kind of harmful radioactivity, you are at the risk of at least skin cancer, if not other cellular abnormalities and cancers.”
O’Brien continued, “If the radioactive material is buried in the ground, depending on how deeply, we are relatively safe. But again, if that radioactive material comes in contact with any kind of water distribution, we could have issues with that.”
In 1989, the Bayview shipyard was appointed as a “superfund” site. To this day, the US Navy is still in the process of fulfilling a cleanup, despite the chemicals lingering in the area for decades already.
According to the Urban Institute, “Environmental racism in the San Francisco Bay Area has disproportionately harmed residents of color for decades. In all of San Francisco, the Bayview Hunters Point community has the highest mortality rates, the lowest life expectancies, and above-average rates of ER visits, hospitalizations, cancer, and asthma.”
“The problem with environmental racism is that nobody is taking action towards it,” said English teacher Michael Vezzali-Pascual ’88, who attends church at St. Paul of the Shipwreck in the Bayview.
Many residents have concerns for their community and environment of Bayview. The number of asthma cases in Bayview is much higher compared to other neighborhoods in San Francisco. The pollution is not only affecting humans, but also the animals that live in the area, such as dogs. This pollution is detrimental to their health and can cause illnesses to occur.
According to the California Air Resources Board, “Residents of this community have lower life expectancies and higher mortality rates from lung diseases, which can be partially attributed to constant exposure to air pollution. This community has a higher rate of asthma-related emergency room visits and cardiovascular disease than most of California.”
Bayview resident Derrill Floyd ’27 said, “I am concerned for my health sometimes and also that a lot of the animals eat the trash that is left behind.”
After three decades of suffering, officials have recently announced a new plan to start an underwater cleanup focusing mainly on disposing of lead, mercury, copper, and polychlorinated biphenyls. However, this $30 million plan cannot take place until 2027 because the US Navy is still deciding how to initiate this. They are also unsure of where to dispose of the waste.
Residents of Bayview-Hunters Point hope to someday live in a clean and safe environment.
