Documenting Experiences of Black Aluminum Smelting Workers in West Badin, North Carolina: A Community-Engaged Survey Approach.

Between 1917 and 2007, Alcoa operated an aluminum smelting plant in Badin, North Carolina, resulting in hazardous occupational and environmental exposures in West Badin, a predominantly Black community. We partnered with the Concerned Citizens of West Badin Community to document the experiences of prior employees and their families. We used a community-engaged survey approach to summarize residents' workplace and community-level experiences. Fourteen interviews were coded for recurring themes. Potroom work was the most frequently reported job. Occupational exposures included asbestos, extreme heat, and dust inhalation. Additional workplace stressors included take-home exposures and racism. Most participants expressed concerns about environmental exposures as well. Health conditions most frequently reported included cancer, heart disease, and lung disease. Badin residents experience cumulative impacts of occupational and environmental hazards resulting from Alcoa's operations. This survey served as a tool for documenting their experiences, identifying ongoing environmental concerns, supporting community organizing, and highlighting the resilience of the West Badin community.