Environmental Justice Victory? Waste Colonialism and the Afterlife of Lead Water Pipes

Abstract

For centuries, lead (Pb) pipes have been used to convey water for public consumption, resulting in widespread negative health impacts caused by lead-contaminated water. In 2022, after years of urging by environmental justice advocates, the U.S. federal government announced a plan to replace all lead service lines via the Biden-Harris Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan (LPPAP) funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and American Rescue Plan. This announcement was celebrated as a massive victory for environmental justice advocates and the thousands of communities impacted by aging lead service lines. However, it also raises a critical question—what will become of the lead pipes after removal? In this article, we connect the lead service line removal initiative with the concept of “waste colonialism,” asking: How does critical environmental justice provide a lens to complicate our understanding of the LPPAP? Drawing on initial findings from research conducted in the city of Pittsburgh, PA, and insights from critical environmental justice scholarship, we critique the notion of environmental justice ending at national borders and argue that it is imperative that government programs adopt a comprehensive approach to environmental justice, one that considers global impacts—as well as equity—in the implementation of remediation efforts.