The Air Toxics Screening Assessment model relies on emissions data from state and local government agencies, and those agencies rely on self-reported emissions estimates from industrial facilities. So it's not exactly surprising that researchers from Johns Hopkins University, equipped with cutting-edge air monitoring technology, were able to capture much more accurate, real-time data.

After collecting data on 17 carcinogens across four parishes, the research team reached a shocking conclusion—that cancer risks in "Cancer Alley" are up to 11 times greater than what previous estimates have said.