Photos
There are four main categories of photos: photos from home visits, aerial photos, documentation of air monitoring, and event documentation.
Home Visits
Coal dust has a distinctively sticky, crystalline quality that appears as a dingy coating on the surfaces of cars and buildings. The hallmark presence of coal dust is made clearer in closeup photographs. Residents demonstrate where the coal dust collects in their homes, and the impact it has had.
East End Newport News
Lambert’s Point, Norfolk
Aerial
Tiny coal dust particles come from gargantuan piles of coal that sit on the ground or are carried by railcar. The vastness of the piles is best visible from a birdseye view.
Lambert’s Point, Norfolk
East End Newport News
Monitoring
Repair Lab
Starting in 2024, The Repair Lab deployed dozens of air monitors in Hampton Roads to test specifically for coal dust.
DEQ
Documentation of PurpleAir sensor installation by Virginia DEQ at Pray First Mission Ministry in East End Newport News.
Repair Lab Events
The Repair Lab co-hosted a series of events from 2023-2025 to promote awareness of coal dust and stimulate conversation around actionable solutions.
February 2024: Kickoff Event
April 2024: The Air We Breathe
September 2024: The Air We Breathe