Environmental Justice addesses a wide range of health and environmental concerns of low-income people and people of color. Their communities have been disproportionately exposed to environmental hazards, and neglected in environmental regulation enforcement. Their communities have also been neglected by mainstream environmental protection efforts, which usually focus on pristine ecosystems, regulations, or the science and technology of pollution control.

Environmental Justice links concern for living conditions to public involvement and local self-determination. Affected communities need a greater voice in determing which environmental risks can be prevented, and which are acceptable. Environmental Justice has not been served by so-called scientific studies and technical risk assessments, in part because these have not incorporated a meaningful role for affected communities.