The Health Fallout: Analyzing the Medical Consequences of Sugarcane Burn Ash in Florida's Surrounding Counties

In Florida, incineration of sugarcane fields is a method employed to strip foliage, simplifying the harvest of the mature stalks. This practice, while aiding in sugar production, has implications for the surrounding communities.

The ash residue from sugarcane burning, known as bagasse ash, contains a mix of minerals like aluminum and chromium, alongside elements such as lead and total phenolic compounds.

Exposure to the ash from sugarcane burns has been linked to chronic kidney ailments, potentially playing a role in a baffling renal disease affecting farmhands in agricultural zones.