What is being done to stop the onslaught of out-of-state trash?
A broad coalition of citizen organizations in New York City are working to commit the City to zero waste policies that would dramatically reduce the 23,000 tons per day of garbage the City generates each day. Their proposal, Reaching for Zero, can be found on the web at http://www.consumersunion.org/other/zero-waste/. Steps to have the zero waste plan formally adopted by the New York City Council are underway.
Last year the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League appealed directly to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to support a zero waste approach to solve New York City's solid waste problem. (view letter)
In North Carolina, the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League and their chapters in five counties are fighting to prevent the state from approving a new generation of mega-dumps intended to take New York City and other states' garbage. They have been joined in this fight by the City of Chesapeake, Virginia which is opposing not only the huge Waste Industries landfill proposed for neighboring Camden County, but also Covanta's new "trashport" planned for Portsmouth in the Tidewater region.
Numerous groups are organizing a grass roots movement to convince the legislature to pass legislation - over the lobbying efforts led by Houston's Waste Management, Inc. - to enact a moratorium on any new mega-dumps in North Carolina.
This legislation imposes a moratorium on permits for new landfills in North Carolina until January 1, 2008. In addition, Senate Bill 1575 creates a commission to study solid waste disposal issues and to recommend ways to more effectively protect both public health and the state's environment. There are several reasons North Carolina needs this moratorium:
- New landfills proposed for North Carolina would radically shift the state from a net exporter of waste to an importer of millions of tons of waste per year, a volume potentially equal to our current statewide disposal. North Carolina needs adequate resources in place to provide responsible solid waste permitting and oversight.
- Public lands, tourist destinations, and the rapidly developing "inner coast" in particular, present special concerns that we should address.
- Local government disposal is not affected by the moratorium. Modifications to existing permitted facilities and short-term expansions (up to five years) are exempted. Investor-owned coal-fired utility landfills are also exempt.
- North Carolina has consistently failed to achieve the General Assembly's goal of a 40% per capita reduction in solid waste disposal and is now 18% above the 1991-92 base year level.
- Site disclosure, franchise requirements, oversight of disposal rates and public notification rules are subject to inconsistent interpretation and create confusion in the permitting process and unnecessary conflict in local communities.
- The temporary moratorium is constitutional. Other states have used temporary moratoriums to examine solid waste issues and reform state solid waste policy.
- Recycling and waste reduction create far more jobs and long-term economic growth than waste disposal.
Counties in North Carolina face enormous challenges in their efforts to provide resources for public education for children and Medicaid for the sick and elderly. We can do better than using garbage, whether from North Carolina or somewhere else, to meet these demands. Senate Bill 1575 provides the state with an opportunity to become a leader in reducing waste and protecting communities before we become the nation's dumping ground. Passing the moratorium is the first step toward responsible waste management.