Cadmium, mercury, lead, soot, dioxins—these are not things we want in the air our families breathe.
Yet, in many parts of the country—including in my own community—household waste is sent to incinerators for burning, instead of to the landfill. Trash incinerators spew these harmful pollutants, and many more.
The good news is EPA is proposing to tighten its weak and outdated air pollution protections for large municipal trash incinerators. The agency needs to hear that we support the strongest possible rules for these facilities.
Pollution from incinerators is known to cause cancer, birth defects, and other serious health harms.
I live within a mile of an incinerator outside Washington, DC. It is located next to an elementary school, a daycare center, a public park, and multiple athletic facilities.
I worry daily about what children in my neighborhood are breathing when they are walking to school or playing outdoors.
EPA’s proposed protections for incinerators are long overdue. Nearly 20 years have gone by since this rule was last strengthened. Our trash has become significantly more toxic in that time, largely because of the concentration of plastic in the waste stream.
Plastic waste is on track to triple by 2050. That means much more plastic will be sent to incinerators. More than 13,000 chemicals are used in plastics production, yet EPA regulates waste incinerators for only 9 air pollutants.
Many incinerators are operating with long-outdated, heavily polluting technology, and some are illegally burning medical and industrial waste in addition to municipal trash.
All this must change! Join Moms in urging EPA to finalize the strongest possible protections to safeguard us from the deadly chemicals released by burning plastics and other wastes.
LEARN MORE IN OUR SOLID WASTE INCINERATORS 101 FACT SHEET.
Learn more about Moms’ work on waste incineration.
TELL EPA: PROTECT OUR FAMILIES FROM TRASH INCINERATION AIR POLLUTION