Short abstract:

The Drax wood pellet plant in rural Mississippi exacerbates environmental injustice, emitting harmful pollutants under the guise of green energy. We share stories of living in chemically altered worlds and explore avenues for intervention.

Long abstract:

The establishment of the Drax Amite Bioenergy facility, a biomass wood pellets production operation in Gloster, Mississippi, USA, has exacerbated local environmental justice challenges impacting low-income, working-class Black residents throughout the American South. In particular, those living closest to the Drax facility in Gloster face significant environmental burdens. The production of wood pellets emits harmful pollutants, including aldehydes, methanol, volatile organic compounds, particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, and carbon monoxide, leading to acute and chronic health issues.

Operated by Drax Global Group, one of the UK's largest energy companies, the facility exports wood pellets to the UK for energy production, benefiting from substantial tax subsidies and credits under the guise of green and sustainable energy practices. Recent efforts by Gloster residents have involved collaboration with the media, environmental and legal nonprofits, and government agencies to address the public health concerns, including respiratory illnesses, endocrine issues, and cancers experienced by individuals living near the Drax facility.

This paper draws on oral histories from affected residents, alongside archival and scientific data, to provide preliminary findings that engage critically and methodologically with chemical exposures. These stories underscore challenges for people living in chemically altered worlds, as well as avenues for intervening in transnational ‘chemical violence’. By exploring the intricate interplay between production processes, environmental justice, and social dynamics, we emphasize the need for tracing everyday ‘toxic decisions’ within contemporary environmental issues. This is particularly crucial within the context of capitalist production, fostering a deeper materialist understanding of nature-society interactions.