In this episode: In west-central Florida, a bit inland from Tampa Bay, The Mosaic Co. makes billions of dollars every year scraping phosphate rock out of the ground and turning it into fertilizer at chemical factories. But in doing so, the Fortune 500 mining giant generates millions of tons in toxic waste. Now, Mosaic wants new laws and taxpayer subsidies that could let the company turn its toxic waste into profit. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is helping — and cashing Mosaic’s campaign checks.
Further reading:
Tampa Bay Times: Radioactive roads? Tampa fertilizer giant Mosaic wants to start testing it.
Tampa Bay Times: Piney Point pollution spread farther than first thought, new study shows
Tampa Bay Times: Florida lawmaker sponsored ‘radioactive roads’ bill. Mosaic threw him a fundraiser.
The Price of Plenty: Chemical fertilizers help feed the world — at increasingly steep costs to people and the planet.
The Price of Plenty: Florida’s Hidden Backbone: Abundant phosphate reserves made the Sunshine State a key player in the global fertilizer industry — leading to both riches and sacrifices.
The Price of Plenty: Rare Finds: Scientists say Florida phosphates are significant sources of rare earth elements, highly sought for everything from cell phones to EVs. Is a new era ahead for the state’s phosphate industry?
The Price of Plenty: Seeding Research: Critics warn against industry-driven environmental research agendas in Florida
The Price of Plenty: When the Storm Hits: How vulnerable are the southeast’s phosphate plants, mines and mountains of waste to stronger rains and hurricanes?
The Price of Plenty: Beneath the surface Florida’s old phosphate mines have been turned into housing developments, parks, bass lakes, golf courses and restored habitat. Does “reclaiming” live up to the claims?
Orlando Sentinel: 2 big companies poised to benefit from new tax law
Orlando Sentinel: Florida’s tax break often helps companies do already-planned work
Contact: Garcia.JasonR@gmail.com
A mining company gave lots of money to Ron DeSantis. Now DeSantis is helping the company turn toxic waste into profit.