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Trash incinerators disproportionately harm Black and Hispanic people

Incinerators emit pollutants such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and fine particulate matter, which have been associated with heart disease, respiratory problems, and cancer.

Smoke rises from a municipal trash incinerator
A February 2023 fire at a municipal trash incinerator in Miami-Dade County, Florida, burned for nearly three weeks, releasing smoke and pollution into the surrounding community. County leaders are planning a new incinerator — billed as the nation’s largest, capable of burning 4,000 tons of trash daily — but have faced opposition from communities concerned about the facility’s potential harm to their property values, the environment and their health. (Miami-Dade Fire Rescue/TNS)
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Studies have found that neighborhoods with more low-income and minority residents tend to have higher exposure to cancer-causing pollutants. Communities with large numbers of industrial facilities also have stark racial disparities in health outcomes.

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