Mississippi residents sue british energy giant drax over toxic emissions from wood pellet plant

What was promised as economic salvation for the small town of Gloster, Mississippi, has turned into a public health nightmare, according to residents now taking legal action against British energy company Drax. The Amite Bioenergy mill, which has operated since 2014, was initially welcomed as a source of jobs and prosperity for the rural community.

However, residents like Helen Reed say the reality has been far different. The facility, which produces wood pellets exported to the UK and Europe for supposedly “green” energy, has been emitting dangerous air pollutants including methanol, acrolein, and formaldehyde—chemicals linked to cancer and other serious health conditions. Some of these emissions have exceeded legal limits, adding regulatory violations to the community’s growing list of concerns.

“When I go out, I can’t hardly catch my breath,” Reed told reporters. “Everything is worse since Drax came here.” Her experience reflects a broader pattern affecting Gloster residents, who are now pursuing legal action against the company they once hoped would revitalize their town.

The lawsuit highlights a troubling contradiction in the global renewable energy transition: while wood pellets are marketed as a clean alternative to fossil fuels in Europe, their production is creating serious environmental justice issues in rural American communities. Drax maintains that it is working to reduce emissions, but for residents of Gloster, the damage to their health and quality of life has already been done. The case underscores the complex challenges of ensuring that the shift to renewable energy doesn’t simply export pollution to vulnerable communities.