[1] Starting with the assertion that every human has the right to a healthy environment, the book documents the journey of five American communities of color as they rally to safeguard their health and homes from the lethal effects of pollution.

In the third chapter, Bullard examines five case studies from diverse settings (Houston, Dallas, Virginia, Louisiana, and Alabama) to highlight the conflicts and unfairness surrounding "unwanted land uses."

Bullard commences the fourth chapter by revealing a gap in the existing literature—while studies underlining how unwanted land uses disproportionately jeopardize poor or minority communities are burgeoning, information regarding how victims cope with such ecological threats is limited.

[11] Finally, Daniel Suman's review in Ecology Law Quarterly ascertains that Bullard's Dumping in Dixie "is an important contribution" to the burgeoning field of environmental equity and racism.

"[13] Akin, Robert Collin's review published in the Journal of the American Planning Association maintains that Bullard's book presents "both original research and good descriptive data" regarding "an important land-use issue.

"[14] However, Collin also warns that "although Dumping in Dixie is successful in targeting a general audience, planners will find themselves with unanswered questions" by dint of the book's lack of specificity.

"[15] Besides, Wade commends the book's "lucid" writing style and "logical" organization, further adding that Bullard's commentary "provides valuable insight into the different processes that foster social protest.

"[15] Lawrence Hamilton's review in Social Forces denounces Dumping in Dixie's "narrow" solutions imbued by the NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) ideology to the waste management problem.