TRASHED

Landfills are an out-of-sight, out-of-mind part of everyday life in America, but in Alabama, they have long been a case for noxious odors, air and water pollution, and a lax regulatory environment that leaves communities vulnerable to environmental and health hazards. In the aftermath of a 2022 landfill fire near Birmingham that raged for months, suffocating multiple counties in smoke and odor, nearby residents demanded answers. They questioned how this was allowed to happen, why this company was not held accountable for years of violations, and what could be done to demand more from the Alabama Department of Environmental Management. This film holds ADEM’s feet to the fire, as non-profit organizations like Cahaba Riverkeeper, Gasp and Friends of Pinchgut Creek lead the charge to protect the water and air for nearby residents.

To learn more about Cahaba Riverkeeper, click here.

To learn more about Gasp, click here.

To learn more about Friends of Pinchgut Creek, click here.

Landfills are a necessary evil of our modern, disposable society. As individuals, we can ensure that we implement reduce, reuse, recycle practices in our everyday lives, but we must also demand that the Alabama Department of Environmental Management properly regulate and enforce regulations around landfills. Visit www.AlabamaRivers.org/Trashed to report illegal or unregulated landfills.