Residents of Detroit's Cadillac Heights neighborhood gathered Friday to demand the immediate shutdown of a nearby concrete plant.
The Kronos Concrete mixing plant has been operational for the past two years, during which residents said they have had continual complaints about dust, noise, truck traffic, and adverse health conditions.
Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, a former Wayne County public health director and current Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, and State Senator Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit) were among the prominent figures who attended a Friday news conference to support the residents' cause.
Speakers at the event called for the city to take action. They emphasized that pollution from the plant could result in detrimental health effects, including migraines, asthma, and difficulty breathing.
One resident, Diana Tucker Morris, who said she has lived in the neighborhood for 50 years, spoke about breathing difficulties and the noise from the plant, which she said operates six days a week, 12 hours a day .
"I am currently experiencing breathing problems that have increased even more," she explains. "The dust from the plant is deadly."
El-Sayed also spoke at the press conference and highlighted the specific health dangers.
He stated that breathing in the fine concrete dust can lead to severe health consequences:
"You would think the bigger stuff would be a problem, but your body actually is pretty good at being able to cough up the bigger ones," El-Sayed said. "It's the smaller ones that's a problem. Those smaller ones, when you breathe them in your body can't cough them up. They get stuck in your lungs. For babies and children, that means that their lungs are constantly working against the added pressure of the gunk that is inside of them increases the probability of asthma and chronic lung disease later in life."
He also said data collected from air quality monitors in the area showed that nearly half of the days did not meet good air quality criteria.
Advocates called for the "immediate shutdown" of the Kronos facility, owned by Crown Enterprises, and the downzoning of the land for "beneficial neighborhood use" to restore the neighborhood.
Officials for Kronos assert the plant operates legally and follows all zoning and safety rules — a point city officials affirmed. They also emphasized its economic benefit, noting the facility employs more than 40 local workers.
