About
The primary goal of the Toxic Twins Campaign is the expeditious amortization (removal) of GAF and TAMKO, two asphalt shingle manufacturing plants located in the West Dallas and Joppa neighborhoods. These facilities are identified as major polluters in communities experiencing significant environmental harm within the City of Dallas.
Downwinders supports the organizing goals of our two community partners, Justice for Joppa and Singleton United, in the quest to remove these harmful polluters.
We call for the:
- Use City ordinances to closeGAF & TAMKO now.
- Levy a local shingles production tax on GAF & TAMKO with proceeds going to the impacted neighborhoods.
- Declare West Dallas and Joppa as NO INDUSTRY ZONES.
- Prohibit GAF and TAMKO shingles on the City of Dallas projects.
The Research
- Check out our white papers with that fuels the campaign
- Here is a Trailer of the Toxic Twins Documentary
Current Advocacy Goals
- Currently the City of Dallas City Council has agreed to procure a consultant to determine the appraised value of both GAF and TAMKO
- Once the consultant appraised both values City Council will decide if there is enough funding to eliminate each of these facilities
Organizing Wins
Dallas Earth Day Action 2024
Residents in Joppa and West Dallas teamed up with allied organizations across the City to highlight GAF and TAMKO, two major polluters in both of their communities, as the“Toxic Twins.” The effort manifested in three days of programs and activities including teach in, rally and, civil disobedience
Environmental Justice Teach-In (Saturday)
The environmental justice teach-in, “Tools for Neighborhood Environmental Justice” was hosted on Saturday, April 21 at Friendship West Baptist Church. The following is the list of workshops held during the teach in:
- Digital Tour: Environmental Racism in Dallas
- Pollution and Public Health:Joppa Environmental Project
- Friendship West: Faith and theFight for Environmental Justice
- Latines for EnvironmentalJustice: Equitable Engagement in the Fight
- Zoning 101
- Dallas Power Mapping
Rally for Environmental Justice (Sunday)
The “Enough is Enough” rally featured a lineup of speakers from community organizations including Southern Sector Rising, Singleton United/Unidos, and Justice for Joppa. State Representative Venton Jones spoke at the rally and committed to supporting the fight for clean air in West Dallas.
Earth Day Civil Disobedience Blockade of GAF
The weekend-long activities culminated with civil disobedience on Earth Day, blockading the gates of GAF. Five blockaders including community leaders and environmental justice advocates shut down GAF’s operations for the day. They were ticketed and given citations for blocking passage.
Current Fight for Amortization
- July 2025 – Kickoff Press Conference for the Fund the Fund leg of the Toxic Twins Campaign
- August 2025 – The Toxic Twins Campaign demanded that the City fund the Nonconforming Use Fund to amortize GAF and TAMKO
- November 26, 2025 5 members of Dallas City Council agreed to place the amortization of GAF and TAMKO onto the City’s agenda
- On Apr 6, 2026 Dallas’ Economic Development Committee agreed to bring the ask for the consultant from the 5 signature memo to the next City Council meeting
- On April 22, 2026 the Campaign won the right to continue with the amortization process by getting enough votes on council to pay for a consultant to evaluate both facilities
