Abstract
Millions of people live on the U.S.-Mexico border, drawn by employment opportunities from industry and agriculture, and booming growth is expected to continue in the coming decades. But the influx of people has long outstripped the capacity of border towns and cities to provide for their citizens, and a large percentage of the population lives in sprawling, underserviced shantytowns. Although investment in environmental infrastructure on both sides has led to improvements, shortages among necessities such as drinking water, wastewater treatment, and solid waste disposal are at crisis levels. In addition, a host of diseases including gastrointestinal infections, asthma, tuberculosis, multiple myeloma, systemic lupus erythematosus, hepatitis A, neural tube defects, and lead poisoning have been linked to environmental conditions on the border. Ongoing binational studies are attempting to define the breadth of the public and environmental health crisis and find ways to help make the border a healthier place.