14. Stop the Burning of Waste in Baltimore

14. Stop the Burning of Waste in Baltimore

Author: Jenn Galler July 22, 2022 Duration: 29:10

Steph Compton is a Baltimore Organizer for Energy Justice Network, she has been working on Environmental justice issues since 2012 and she is currently working on all things pertaining to zero waste.


Baltimore currently has a large waste incinerator in the middle of the city that burns not only Baltimore’s trash but surrounding states and counties trash. This makes for some of the most dangerous air to breathe in the nation. MIT researchers showed that Baltimore City had the deadliest air in the nation in 2005. According to the EPA, in 2014, Baltimore was the 81st most air polluted locality in the nation (out of over 9,000) and is the most polluted city in Maryland. In 2018, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America ranked Baltimore as the 33rd worst asthma capital in the nation. This law we’ve been working on would force the city’s largest air polluter (the Wheelabrator Baltimore trash incinerator) and the nation’s largest medical waste incinerator (Curtis Bay Energy) to abide by the nation’s strictest standards or shut down.


With Steph we talk about how she’s going about tackling this incinerator, zero waste and recycling, organizing in Baltimore, politics of the city, deconstruction, and what she’s looking forward to in the future.

Contact and connect with Steph: Steph@energyjustice.net


Clean Air Baltimore: https://www.cleanairbmore.org/


Baltimore Waste Incinerator: http://www.energyjustice.net/md/moco


Hosted by Jenn Galler, In Our Backyard Podcast is the voice of the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, bringing urgent local stories to the forefront. This isn't about abstract global debates; it's a grounded conversation focused on the very real industrial pressures facing specific towns and neighborhoods. Each episode examines a particular threat, from active coal plants and fracking operations to the routing of new pipelines, unpacking the complex realities behind the headlines. You'll hear directly from the residents and organizers who are living these fights, sharing their personal struggles and strategies for safeguarding both community health and the local environment. The discussions are detailed and thoughtful, prioritizing the experiences of those on the ground. Tuning into this podcast means connecting with the persistent, often overlooked work of environmental justice, understanding that the most critical battles for planetary protection frequently begin just outside our own doors.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

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