Good People: Muncie not Mercury

In the summer of 2019, a violinist stood up at a city council meeting in Muncie, Indiana, and expressed concern over a factory that was coming to town. A local reporter wrote a story about the meeting. That story was passed around to concerned citizens who started asking questions. A few weeks later more than 1,000 people showed up at the courthouse protesting the Waelz Sustainable Products factory. A factory that would likely be the #1 polluter of airborne Mercury in the nation. Ultimately the billion-dollar corporation left town.

Kelsey talks with Josh Arthur, a local pastor, and Bryan Preston, a county employee, who were both in early on the action.

Part 1

Part 2

Get the Facts event

In 2019 the citizens of Muncie stood up against Waelz Sustainable Products which sought to build an electric arc kiln furnace factory. The company discontinued its plans in our community. In an effort to help other communities face the threat of such a factory presents, we are sharing resources. This event features doctors, scientists, community planners, and activists all talking about the impact the factory would have on our community. A few hours before this event took place, Waelz announced they would not be coming to our community, which means they might be coming to yours.

News Coverage

The Muncie Star Press covered our fight extensively. Here’s a collection of all of their stories.

Resources

8-page factsheet with links to studies, stories, and permits