The case that coined the term "environmental racism", Warren County, NC is an example of how NIMBY-ism ("Not In My Back Yard") often causes environmental contaminants to be stored, dumped, or ignored in poor, rural areas populated by people of color. In 1982, tons of PCB-contaminated soil from an illegal dumping operation were ultimately disposed of in a new landfill located in Warren County, NC despite widespread controversy and protests. Because residents of Warren County were primarily African American and poor, and this was a factor in choosing the location of the landfill, the case became a defining example of environmental racism. The landfill was not fully decontaminated until 2004.
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