Mulch Cancer Information and Community Guide

A Comprehensive Community Guide

Mulch Cancer is a community-led effort to shed light on the growing health, environmental, and quality-of-life hazards posed by industrial mulch operations—especially when they operate close to homes, schools, and neighborhoods without proper controls.

The term “Mulch Cancer” is not a medical diagnosis. It is a phrase to point out the cancer risks due to the spread, persistence, and harm caused by uncontrolled foul emissions, airborne dust, and pollutants from large-scale mulch processing.

Pollutants and Health Symptoms

When mulch facilities grind, shred, store, and move large organic stockpiles, they can release pollutants that drift into nearby communities day and night.

Released Pollutants:

• Fine particulate matter
• Mold spores
• Organic dust
• Strong odors
• Persistent, fugitive emissions

Reported Symptoms and Issues:

• Chronic coughing
• Eye and throat irritation
• Asthma aggravation
• Difficulty breathing
• Headaches and nausea
• Dust on cars, windowsills, and porches
• Reduced ability to enjoy outdoor spaces

Emission Causes and Vulnerable Populations

Continuous emissions are generated by large mulch piles and mechanical grinding activities. Emissions escape uncontrolled into the air when:

• Piles are too large
• Equipment overloads
• Operators skip moisture control
• Stockpiles are left exposed
• Grinding occurs during strong winds

Emissions can continue even when machinery is off due to mulch decomposition, especially in heat, humidity, or rain.

The most vulnerable residents often live closest to the operation:

• Children
• Seniors
• People with asthma
• Pregnant women
• Immunocompromised individuals

What Residents Should Watch For

Even one sign can indicate a lack of proper controls. Residents should watch for:

• Wind-blown dust visible from the road
• Strong, nauseating odors even indoors
• Trucks tracking debris into streets
• Piles exceeding recommended sizes
• Nighttime operations or lights
• Ash-like residue on outdoor surfaces
• Increased respiratory symptoms in the household

Taking Community Action and Advocacy

Mulch Cancer provides the tools, knowledge, and structure for communities to take action. Effective steps include documentation:

Evidence to Document (Photos, Videos, Logs, Dates):

• Dust leaving the property
• Odors crossing residential boundaries
• Traffic, noise, and debris
• Pile size and grinder activity

Community-Focused Checklist Items for Consistent Reporting:

• Visual emissions
• Smells or irritants
• Wind direction
• Weather conditions
• Operator behavior

Documentation strengthens cases brought to:

• Environmental health departments
• Air quality regulators
• City councils
• Code enforcement offices
• Public health agencies

The more residents document symptoms, events, and patterns, the harder the problem becomes to dismiss.

Regulation and Mitigation

Many jurisdictions lack specific, enforceable standards for mulch emissions, leading to inconsistent enforcement. Mulch Cancer advocates for:

• Clearer rules
• Community protection
• Transparency
• Stronger oversight
• Health-centered policy changes

While proper zoning and regulation is the ideal solution, some controls can reduce emissions:

• Regular moisture application
• Wind barriers or vegetative buffers
• Covered storage
• Smaller, safer pile sizes
• Grinding during low-wind periods
• Reduced nighttime activity

Responsible operators already use these techniques; the problem arises when others cut corners.

Empowerment and Vision

Mulch Cancer empowers residents with:

• Knowledge
• Documentation tools
• Fact-based guidance
• A clear way to explain the problem
• Support for community-led advocacy
• A platform to raise awareness

The organization helps communities “connect the dots” between what they see, smell, breathe, how they feel, and what their environment is telling them.

The vision for a better world includes:

• Industrial mulch operations are responsibly managed
• Nearby residents are not exposed to avoidable health hazards
• Communities can live without fear of unseen airborne pollutants
• Regulators take complaints seriously
• Public health is prioritized over convenience and profit

Mulch Cancer provides guidance for : identifying hazards , logging symptoms , recording environmental evidence , using local laws and health standards , organizing community response , and seeking environmental justice.

You are not alone. Your experience matters. Your voice is powerful.