In South Florida, ‘black snow’ makes breathing difficult for some Black and Latino residents

The ash winds up everywhere — it’s in the laundry, on cars and blankets vegetation in backyard gardens.

Sugar farming is big business in South Florida, employing more than 14,000 people, generating about $800 million in revenues annually, according to. Environmental activists say the power of “Big Sugar” makes some people hesitate to criticize the burnings. Katherine Pruitt, national senior director of policy at the American Lung Association, said the organization does not “support agricultural burning; we believe it has negative health and air impact. But for a community fighting an industry like this, they need more data. It’s a challenge when it’s your story versus mine.”

“We are not seeing an intensity of exposure in those communities because we cannot capture it if there is not a monitor there,” Pruitt said. Mitchell says the cost of transporting the trash to the deep sea is nominal compared to the current path of burning or other alternatives that require expensive equipment.

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In South Florida, ‘black snow’ makes breathing difficult for some Black and Latino residentsAfter Florida State University published a study about the effects of burning sugar cane on marginalized communities, residents say it’s time to stop the practice.
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