In February 2025, I witnessed something I can’t forget.
A massive plume of thick black smoke was pouring out of a plastic waste burning facility in Licking County, about 40 minutes east of Columbus, Ohio. The smoke was so dense it could be seen from miles away.
As I sat in my car near the facility, I began to feel sick. Nausea set in first, followed by dizziness and a sharp, burning headache. The symptoms came on quickly, and before long, I realized I needed to leave…