13-06-2025
'Hero' mom's quick thinking catches corporation releasing toxic pollution: 'Never underestimate how much power you have'
Ohio mom Amanda Rowoldt could have just driven away when she saw black smoke billowing from a plant in the distance, but she didn't. She took a video of the plume, which became a catalyst for change against dangerous pollution in her community.
Her story was highlighted in the Environmental Defense Fund's Vital Signs newsletter, which explained that upon cracking her window to take the video, Rowoldt became nauseated and dizzy and developed a headache. She thought about just returning home to her children but couldn't ignore the pollution.
Rowoldt ultimately showed her video to a local official, which led to an Ohio EPA investigation into Freepoint Eco-Systems. EDF explained that the company — which is now under scrutiny for releasing a number of known carcinogens, including styrene, dioxins, and furans, into the air — is an "advanced recycling facility," which essentially means it burns plastic.
"Environmental experts say it's not recycling at all and produces dangerous air pollution," the organization said.
In addition to cancer, the chemicals that Freepoint Eco-Systems released can lead to many other health issues. For instance, dioxins are highly toxic and can cause reproductive and developmental problems as well as damage to the immune system, and they can interfere with hormones, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Rowoldt isn't the only mom taking a stand for her community when it comes to pollution. For instance, a Michigan mom is cleaning up trash and encouraging others to keep their neighborhoods clean by dressing like a clown. Lois Gibbs, another mom, became an activist for public health amid toxic pollution in her Niagara Falls, New York, neighborhood in the late 1970s and 1980s. Parents across the country, including Rowoldt, are coming together via the Moms Clean Air Force, a 1.5-million-strong coalition fighting against pollution, toxic chemicals, and global warming.
You can find even more good news stories, including articles on global warming solutions, news, and actions you can take, in the Vital Signs newsletter.
Rowoldt encouraged others to take action if they see pollution.
"Never underestimate how much power you have," she told EDF.
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