Chester is Rising

David confronts the incinerator and the state of Pennsylvania. In analyzing their responses, he begins to learn the true nature of modern-day environmental injustice. The series ends with a focus on personal, environmental, and political avenues which aid cities like Chester across the country.

Zulene returns to Chester to find the city moving in the opposite direction CRCQL intended. As she rebuilds CRCQL, David investigates the city's tight-knit relationship with the incinerator.

We take a break from Zulene's story and investigate the US global waste management system. David begins to learn the insidious way America handles waste.

As the incinerator opens its doors in the 90's, nearby neighborhoods grow increasingly concerned about the smoke and smells coming from the facility. With help from filmmaker Robert Bahar's 1997 documentary "Laid to Waste," we explore Chester's birth into the US environmental justice movement.

We go back in time to dive deep into Chester's history. The seed that germinated Chester's environmental problems was sowed long before the incinerator opened its doors. Part 1 explores the corrupt political machine that sold Chester's air in perpetuity.

David drives to Chester for the first time and interviews grassroots legend Zulene Mayfield. They sit under a beautiful tree with one of the country's largest trash incinerators towering above them.

When will you join the story?