Trash piled up and toxic chemicals emitted into the air from waste imported from all over the country—just an average day in Chester, Penn.
In his documentary, “Trash and Burn,” director and former student at the University of Connecticut, Bilal Motley, explores the fight against the nation’s largest incinerator, Covanta, located in his hometown, Chester.
“We put up a mirror to America,” said Motely. “You decide and you see.”
“Trash and Burn” was screened on Earth Day at UConn with a talk from Motely to spread awareness for the city, which is impacted by environmental racism.
Chester is located in Delaware County, Penn., a mostly white county. However, Chester is a predominantly Black town with many residents who do not have the financial means to fight against the incarcerator.
“Trash and Burn” exposes the harsh realities that residents of Chester face every day.
The film debuted in 2024 and was highly recognized, winning an award at the BlackStar Film Fest. Motely chooses to seek justice through film as a medium because of its ability to reach desired audiences.
“Chester is being killed,” said Motley. “We need help.”
“Trash and Burn” features local community members of the city presenting their trials and testimonies to the toxicity of the air they breathe. Many children are diagnosed with asthma in Chester and people die prematurely of health issues in their city.
“There is no place in Pennsylvania that has a worse environmental burden than Chester,” said Kristen Motely, a pharmacist and Bilal’s wife.
Kristen Motley explained that the rate that respiratory conditions are diagnosed at in Chester is extremely high and abnormal. This factor impacts children’s abilities to get an education, people’s ability to work and their capacity to step outside and live a normal life.
Residents in the film reflected on life before Covanta was dumped in Chester in 1991, remembering a past when they could spend time outside with their friends. However, this is no longer a safe thing to do in their hometown.
The film highlights activist, Zulene Mayfield, a woman of Chester who has been fighting against environmental harm in her community since the 1990s.
Mayfield is the leader of the movement against Covanta and wants to provide her community with the resources to win the fight before her time is up. She explains that she does not want to leave this as a problem for future generations to solve.
Politicians have not done much to help, however. They left the incarcerator, as well as other highly toxic facilities, in Chester. This would never happen in a rich town, like Greenwich, Conn. They would raise hell, Motley said. However, a recent House Bill has been proposed to consider what already exists in a town like Chester before continuing to build or expand.
The fight is far from over, but it is people like the Motley Family and Mayfield that are creating change.
Motely closed the talk by encouraging the audience to pursue their passions and fight for justice.
“Don’t wait for anybody to tell you to do it,” said Motely. “Go do it.”