UES 150 Fall 2020

1. The factories responsible for the highest volume of pollution in these two areas include the ABC Coke Plant and the Walter Coke Plant. The chemicals burned at these factories produce harmful pollutants that greatly exceed safe levels for nearby residents. In addition to these pollutants, rain-water run-off causes the excess to flood lower areas of elevation. The final factor is coke produced at the aforementioned factories, which is a way of making coal that produces dark ash.

2. There is clearly not enough being done for these residents. The documentary shows convincing anecdotal evidence from first-hand accounts and physical, or 'real', evidence of residents wiping the ash off their homes. Additionally, it shows pollution measurements done by the city showing excess levels of certain chemicals known to be carcinogenic. 

3. There is likely a large variety of reasons why families and individuals in these areas can not leave, but I will address the two most obvious. First, their property values have plummeted due to local pollution. This prevents many families or individuals from seeking better alternatives by trapping them financially. Other families or individuals may be able to afford to move; however, many of their relatives or close friends may not. This will keep many people from moving out of the area.

4. I absolutely believe the air pollution in Birmingham affects myself and others at 'Southern. As a student and athlete, it was very disheartening to hear that our campus is subjected to so many industrial pollutants that are often left unchecked. It is also likely that some of these chemicals run-offs into our water supply. We are still much better off than those who are living in the aforementioned areas who grow up or permanently reside in these areas. I believe these individuals deserve justice as American citizens. 

1.    Who/what are the main contributors to Birmingham's air pollution issues (include a definition of coke)? 

Drummond Co., Walter Coke, U.S. Pipe, Alagasco, and KMAC. ABC Coke is the worst toxic air pollution in the county. They are a significant problem. 

2.   Do you think there is enough being done to protect these neighborhoods or help with clean up? Explain.

No, specifically ABC Coke is not doing their part in cleaning up their messes and containing their pollution. Many people are losing their lives because of this pollution in north Birmingham. 

3.   What prevents these families from moving? 

Appraisers are telling these people that their homes aren’t worth anything therefore they wouldn’t be able to go buy another home. This is because of the pollution that the steel plant is creating. No one wants to live there now because of the air quality. They aren’t allowed to have gardens because of the air quality. 

4.   Do you think that Birmingham air pollution issues affect you? Why/how (or why not)? 

It probably has affected me but not noticeably so yet. Maybe in my older age I will start to see the effects of the air in Birmingham. 

1.    Who/what are the main contributors to Birmingham's air pollution issues (include a definition of coke)? 

a.   Steel industry and manufacturing facilities are contributing to the air pollution. The industrial areas are spilling out emissions from stacks and exhaust of the facilities. Coke is a fuel that is created by heating oil and coal without the presence of air.

2.   Do you think there is enough being done to protect these neighborhoods or help with clean up? Explain.

a.   There is no way that enough is being done to combat this issue. The fact that these people have been living in the area for years have seen the same issues and studies done on contamination. Each time there is still the same number of contaminants found years later after testing. It took Walter Energy 20 years to address environmental issues to act on the contamination enforced by the EPA. Self-reporting of the industries is also an issue because the plants are unwilling to keep up.

3.   What prevents these families from moving? 

a.   The property value decreases because of the pollutants in the area. These people are losing tens of thousands of dollars off of their property value due to the contamination found on the properties. They are still feeling the effects of life before the Civil Rights Movement.

4.   Do you think that Birmingham air pollution issues affect you? Why/how (or why not)? 

a.   I believe that it does. Looking out from my apartment I can see the quarry operation going on behind the football field from here. If you go out at night or on cloudy days, you can notice and see what appears to be some kind of fog hanging over. I also notice with having asthma that I do feel the air pollution to a small degree compared to when I am at home. We are in close proximity to those areas that are so greatly affected so that combined with personal experience and what I have seen definitely tell me that the air pollution affects us where we are going to school.

The main contributors to Birmingham's air pollution are the ABC coke plants that burn fuel that emits toxins into the surrounding communities' air and soil. Coke is used to convert iron ore into metallic iron, but a byproduct of this is a deadly toxin, carbon monoxide (sciencedirect.com). This, and other pollutants, are emitted into the air on a 24/7 basis, coating the surrounding area in a thick layer of soot.

There is not enough being done to protect these families or mitigate the risk in any way. This issue has been ongoing for about a hundred years, with proven evidence of knowledge of the issue dating back to 20 years prior to the video. The company has swept their violations under the rug and officials simply do not want to pay the money to assess the risk and take the necessary measures to eliminate the risk. They've done close to nothing to make this neighborhood livable for its inhabitants. 

The families can't move because the pollution has greatly diminished their property value. Despite the attractive low-cost of purchasing the home, families are not looking to move into the area because no one wants to move toward the toxicity. Their homes are virtually unsellable, and due to financial circumstances, they can't move out of the toxic area without selling their current home.

I don't think the pollution affects me nearly as much as it does the families living in those neighborhoods. However, it has to affect me in some ways due to the natural flow of wind and the runoff from rain. That has to make it into our water system in some way. The pollution may be in higher concentration in Collegeville and neighboring areas, but it is physically impossible to isolate the pollution risk to those neighborhoods alone. So, yes. I think it does affect me in some capacity.

ABC Coke is the main contributor. The pollution has occurred for 100 years due to steel manufacturing and contaminated soil. Now, the pollutants being blown into the air by the Walter Coke Plant and the ABC Coke plants are affecting neighborhoods such as Fairmont, Collegeville, and Harriman Park. Coke is grey, hard, and porous fuel with high carbon content. It is used for fuel for smelting iron or in a blast furnace.  Stockpiles blow dust into the air while stormwater runoff and substances from the facilities being filled into low areas also affect residents. The EPA and the county health department are also to blame, for not taking the initiative to clean up these sites in the past. Chemicals like benzene, arsenic, and lead are released into the air and cause a number of health issues for anyone exposed to them. 

The pollution has been occurring for over 100 years from the steel industry and related groups. There are two types of pollution occurring, legacy soil contamination and air pollution. Many of these groups, such as Walter Coke Energy for example, knew there were contaminants from their facilities reaching into surrounding communities but chose to do nothing about it.

I don’t think enough is being done for these communities. Between the EPA doing the bare minimum, only requiring self-reporting for companies that are giving off most of the pollution, studies being done to look into the pollution being put to a halt, and more, it seems like very little is actually being done to help these communities. Additionally, the Jefferson County Department of Health has the ability to help lessen this pollution by creating regulations, but they have not done this.

The plants in the area that are giving off pollutants make the value of their homes constantly go down, so many people are already having to take out loans to pay for their homes, but they don’t have a high enough value for them to be able to sell their homes.  As said by a community member in the video, “there is no value in this area.”

I have no doubt the air pollution affects me and other students at BSC. We live not far from College Hills and the plants that surround it. When driving around Birmingham you can constantly see different plants in the area. This affects the overall air quality in the city, and the areas surrounding BSC especially. Additionally, outside of affecting me, I have distant family that lives in the Tarrant area, or did at one point in their life, and they have had multiple health problems due to this that I have been told about my whole life.