No Escape: Exposure to Toxic Coal Waste at State Correctional Institution Fayette
No Escape: Exposure to Toxic Coal Waste at State Correctional Institution Fayette (2014) represents the preliminary findings of a year-long investigation launched by ALC, The Human Rights Coalition, and The Center for Coalfield Justice. The prison, SCI-Fayette, was constructed on and surrounded by “about 40 million tons of waste, two coal slurry ponds, and millions of cubic yards of coal combustion waste.” This report examines the detrimental health impacts of the prisoners’ proximity to the massive toxic dump: overlapping symptoms and diseases, including chronic sore throats, extreme throat swelling, shortness of breath, headaches, dizziness, vision problems, stomach pain, and sores, cysts, and tumors of the mouth, nose, and throat, and high rates of thyroid disorders or cancers among incarcerated community members. The report’s findings raise important legal questions surrounding the Constitutionality of the prison location and its direct relationship to harm caused by toxic pollutants.
Date of Publication: September 2, 2014
Lead Authors / Contributors: Dustin McDaniel, Bret Grote, Ben Fiorillo, Devon Cohen, Quinn Cozzens