In small towns across Mississippi and Louisiana, residents report worsening health issues from air pollution emitted by wood pellet mills owned by British company Drax. These mills produce fuel touted as sustainable biomass for European power plants, but local communities face toxic emissions and noise. Federal data shows elevated rates of cancer, asthma, and heart disease in areas like Gloster, Mississippi.
The Amite Bioenergy mill in Gloster, Mississippi, opened in 2014, followed by facilities in Urania and Bastrop, Louisiana, in 2017. Operated by Drax, these plants convert southern pine into pellets to fuel the UK's electricity grid, replacing coal with what the company calls sustainable biomass. However, the mills have released excessive volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and hazardous air pollutants, including methanol, acrolein, and formaldehyde.
In 2019, Drax disclosed that the Gloster mill emitted 796 tons of VOCs annually—over three times its permitted limit—leading to a $2.5 million fine from Mississippi regulators in 2020. Similar violations occurred in Louisiana: the Bastrop mill released about 1,100 tons of VOCs per year, resulting in a $3.2 million settlement in 2022. Despite upgrades like a thermal oxidizer installed in Gloster in 2021, the company faced another $225,000 fine in late 2024 for exceeding hazardous pollutant limits.
Residents in these predominantly poor, Black communities describe severe impacts. Robert Weatherspoon, 67, from Gloster, struggles with breathing issues, saying, “I thought I was dying last night.” Carmella Wren-Causey, diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, blames the mill: “We’re being poisoned slowly, right before our eyes.” Glen Henderson in Urania laments the loss of peace: “This noise and dust—what are the long-term effects?”
Environmental Protection Agency data indicates Gloster faces higher particulate matter and toxic air releases than most U.S. areas, with cancer, asthma, and heart disease rates above national averages. Drax spokesperson Michelli Martin stated, “The safety of our people and the communities is our priority.” Yet, fines totaling about $6 million pale against the company's $1 billion-plus annual profits.
In April 2025, Mississippi denied Drax's request to increase emissions, but reversed it in October, prompting a federal lawsuit from Gloster residents alleging unlawful exposure to toxins. Researcher Erika Walker at Brown University, leading a $5.8 million study on the Gloster mill, found noise levels rival urban areas and higher nighttime pollution spikes. She noted, “The noise pollution in Gloster rivals my neighborhood by an interstate.”
Experts like Aisha Dickerson from Johns Hopkins highlight formaldehyde's risks: “It’s mutagenic and neurodegenerative.” Pellet mills often locate in vulnerable Southern communities, with 50% in high-poverty, nonwhite areas per a 2018 study. Drax denies targeting such sites, citing factors like wood supply proximity.