Residents of America’s “Cancer Alley” Face Health Threats from Chemical Pollution

September 2025 Update: Since the 1950s, chemical companies have built refineries and plants between New Orleans and Baton Rouge in Louisiana, an area dubbed “Cancer Alley.” The petrochemical industry drove white residents away, leaving predominantly Black communities behind, many of whom suffer from severe illnesses. Louisiana ranks among the top three U.S. states for cancer incidence, with local residents facing a cancer risk ten times higher than the national average.