How Toxic Pollution Linked to Violent Crime in Seattle’s Past

The connection between industrial pollution and violent crime in the Seattle area during the 1970s has been brought to light by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Caroline Fraser in her new book, Murderland. Fraser examines how the highly polluted environment may have contributed to the emergence of infamous serial killers, including Ted Bundy and Gary Ridgway, against the backdrop of a significant rise in violent crime.

Fraser grew up in a prosperous neighborhood near Tacoma, which was heavily industrialized due to its proximity to Commencement Bay. In an interview with RNZ’s Nine to Noon, she described how the area became home to numerous industries, including pulp mills and refineries. Most notably, the American Smelting and Refining Company (ASARCO) operated a smelter that emitted toxic pollutants. “They were making metals out of the dirtiest kinds of ores and producing a lot of lead and arsenic particulates,” she stated.

The residents living near the smelter were exposed to high levels of these pollutants. During the early 1970s, as crime rates surged, the region was marked by the presence of multiple serial killers. Fraser noted, “The sheer number of these guys in the 1970s, and particularly in the Northwest, really did attract a lot of attention.” In 1974 alone, the murder rate in the Seattle region increased by more than 30 percent, nearly six times the national average.

The role of environmental factors in this wave of violence started to gain attention in later decades. By the mid-1980s, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began implementing stricter regulations on lead pollution. The phasing out of leaded petrol and the closure of outdated smelters led to a significant decrease in atmospheric lead levels. Fraser explained, “And that’s when the rate of violent crime really fell off a cliff.” This decline in crime rates occurred alongside the reduction of lead exposure in the population, leading some to draw connections between the two phenomena.

Fraser argues that while various factors contributed to the drop in violent crime, the link between lead exposure and psychopathology is particularly compelling. “Study after study shows that the more lead you are exposed to, the higher your rate of all kinds of difficulties, including psychopathology, become later in your life,” she stated. Ridgway, known as the Green River Killer, exemplifies this troubling connection. He pleaded guilty to 48 counts of first-degree aggravated murder and had significant exposure to pollution throughout his life.

Fraser pointed out that Ridgway lived in close proximity to the Tacoma smelter and major highways, where leaded fuels were used extensively. The legacy of industrial pollution did not only affect individuals like Ridgway but also extends to the broader community. “By the 1970s, the guys that are running these smelters had spent decades lying to the public,” she said, referring to the claims of safety made by polluting companies while evidence of health impacts mounted.

Despite advancements in regulation, the effects of lead pollution linger. Fraser emphasized, “We still have leaded pipes, lead paint, lead in our soil.” Many cities in the United States and around the world continue to grapple with the toxic legacy left behind by industrial practices of the past. The patterns observed in the Seattle area serve as a cautionary tale about the intertwining of environmental health and societal safety.

As Fraser’s work illustrates, understanding these historical connections can help inform current discussions about public health and crime prevention strategies, highlighting the need for continued vigilance against pollution and its far-reaching consequences.