Residents of Miami-Dade County are opposing plans to build the nation’s largest trash incinerator near majority-Black and -Hispanic communities, citing environmental and health concerns.
Daniel Chang reports for KFF Health News and Grist.
In short:
- Miami-Dade County officials are debating where to build a $1.5 billion trash incinerator to replace one destroyed by fire in 2023.
- All proposed sites are in or near communities of color, raising accusations of environmental racism and health risks from pollution.
- Florida burns more trash than any other state, and officials argue incineration is necessary due to limited landfill capacity.
Key quote:
“All the places that they would consider putting something no one wants are in communities of color.”
— Mike Ewall, director of Energy Justice Network
Why this matters:
Trash incinerators emit harmful pollutants linked to health problems like asthma and cancer. The concentration of such facilities in communities of color reflects long-standing environmental and racial inequities. Solutions that reduce waste rather than rely on incineration could alleviate these impacts.
Related: Study links incinerator pollution to toxics in breast milk
