What to do with our waste is a serious question to grapple with. We make so much to throw "away" but there is no such place as "away" that doesn't impact humans and our shared environment. Our considerable waste has to go somewhere, there are less bad options. With the county's incinerator at the end of it's lifespan, now is an opportunity to switch to less harmful options.
The bottom line: for the last 30 years Montgomery County has been burning trash in an outdated facility that increasingly has been leaking the world's most hazardous chemicals - Dioxin and Furans - which travel for miles. Then the ash is trucked to an overburdened community of color in Virginia. This has to stop, the question is how to handle our waste.
MCA along with partners, particularly Sugarloaf Citizens Association, support closing of the incinerator.
The bottom line: for the last 30 years Montgomery County has been burning trash in an outdated facility that increasingly has been leaking the world's most hazardous chemicals - Dioxin and Furans - which travel for miles. Then the ash is trucked to an overburdened community of color in Virginia. This has to stop, the question is how to handle our waste.
MCA along with partners, particularly Sugarloaf Citizens Association, support closing of the incinerator.
The MoCoDEP has released a poll asking if residents support closing the incinerator. Information about the chemical leaks is not offered. Can you take one minute and support both closing the incinerator and investing in an Advanced Waste Process (AWP) that culls food and recyclables out of the waste stream?
Background on our Waste Decisions
The Montgomery County DEP has laid out options in their recent public webinar. A summary of the two options is here:
Closing the Incinerator |
Updating the Incinerator |
Closing the Incinerator would eliminate the release of dangerous chemical gasses |
$256-$500 Million in upgrades are required. A brand new incinerator facility would cost $1 Billion |
A new Advanced Waste Process (AWP) would sort residential trash to cull out recyclables and food waste before going to one of several out-of- state landfills |
Trash would remain unsorted, just burned |
Landfills have been vetted to find those of least impact to communities |
The county will hopefully transition ash deposit to a less impactful dump site, but this would require transition time, long distance, hauling by truck and a new long-term contract. |
Either way - increased waste reduction on the consumer end must happen and we continue to support zero waste efforts, particularly composting. DEP has made a commitment to a curbside composting system part of the transition away from the incinerator. Money is allocated by the Council and a facility exists in Dickerson for this purpose where large scale residential composting could be a reality in 2 years.
You'll be hearing much more about this in the coming months. The Council President has said that public hearings will take place this fall and a vote on the incinerator's future will take place before Thanksgiving this year.
For a much deeper dive, please visit our partners at Sugarloaf Citizens Association.
You'll be hearing much more about this in the coming months. The Council President has said that public hearings will take place this fall and a vote on the incinerator's future will take place before Thanksgiving this year.
For a much deeper dive, please visit our partners at Sugarloaf Citizens Association.
