When the Air You Breathe Is Toxic
1A - A podcast by NPR
Nestled near the small town of Institute in West Virginia is the Union Carbide chemical manufacturing plant. And while it's been a source for jobs in the area for decades, many residents of Institute associate the plant with chemical leaks and fires.Last year, a West Virginia state health department report found that Institute is seeing a spike in cancer related to ethylene oxide, a chemical produced at the plant. We talk to the reporter behind an investigation into the toxic air pollution in the town and explore how Institute compares to other Black communities in the country that face disproportionate health risks from air pollution.Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.
