Groups call on Governor Baker to adopt Zero Waste policies

To: Governor Charlie Baker

EOEEA Secretary Kathleen Theoharides

DEP Commissioner Martin Suuberg

DEP Deputy Commissioner, Policy and Planning

cc: John Fischer, DEP

August 26, 2021

Re: Waste in Massachusetts

Recent media attention regarding the proposed construction of a new landfill in New Hampshire has put a spotlight on Massachusetts waste policies. In addition to the proposed New Hampshire facility, the Town of Bourne Ash Landfill has applied for an expansion which would allow them to operate for decades. These proposals highlight the dire and immediate need for Massachusetts to adopt a goal of zero waste. The notion that a new landfill could be constructed anywhere in New England, much less next to a pristine lake, begs the question: why do we send so much waste to landfills and incinerators?

Massachusetts’ yearly disposal has remained largely unchanged over the past decade and MassDEP’s own waste characterization studies show that well over two thirds of the almost 6 million tons we dispose of could be diverted or eliminated. MassDEP must drastically reduce the banned materials in disposal by not only enforcing the waste bans, but also by revising MassDEP’s guidance to inspectors to decrease the percentage of banned materials allowed in each load. Only then will these bans be meaningful.

Right now over 28% is food and yard waste which should never go near a landfill or incinerator. All food and yard waste should be composted or diverted to compost specific anaerobic digesters. On top of that, 21% of the waste is cardboard and paper, banned by DEP’s own regulations for decades. DEP must drastically reduce the allowable contamination in disposal, and make that ban meaningful. Additionally, 6% of Massachusetts waste is textiles which can be upcycled/recycled by burgeoning small businesses. At least 2% is beverage containers which could be diverted from disposal by updating the state’s deposit law/bottle bill. And lastly, 5% is single use plastics which should simply be banned. The math is simple; we have just summarized how almost 65% of the waste we dispose of should never go near a landfill or incinerator and we haven’t even mentioned wood, metal, and other materials which we know can and should be recycled. 

Cognizant of the need to reduce these waste levels and impatient for statewide action which should have come long ago, over 150 cities and towns in Massachusetts have already taken action and implemented plastic bans and other waste reduction programs on their own. We need MassDEP to follow their lead.

Needless to say, landfills pollute. They produce toxic runoff which enters our water supply, emits toxic gasses which negatively impact public health, and represents the third largest source of methane gas which directly contributes to global warming.

The truth of the matter is that all of these issues are avoidable because we simply do not need a new landfill. Instead of building more infrastructure to enable waste and pollution, we should turn this dirty, sinking ship around and invest in infrastructure to reduce waste, divert it from disposal, and recycle. Massachusetts produces far more waste than it should, and is doing too little to change. For instance, according to 2016-18 data, only about 46% of our in-state organics processing facilities’ capacities are even being utilized. And when food and yard waste end up in landfills they produce methane, which is why food waste is responsible for 8% of greenhouse gas emissions. We need to utilize and optimize the resources we have and work towards establishing the resources we still need. 

We ask that MassDEP work with us to achieve zero waste. Please enforce existing waste bans aggressively. Please revise the guidance document to ensure inspectors only allow a diminished amount of banned materials in each load. Please adopt a Solid Waste Master Plan that sets strong targets and reduces disposal. Please support legislation that expands the Bottle Bill, establishes producer responsibility programs for packaging and paper, and bans unrecyclable plastic.

Finally, please oppose the new landfill in Dalton, New Hampshire, do not allow the expansion of the Bourne Ash Landfill, and begin to phase out our most dangerous and polluting incinerators and landfills. Building new landfills where MA will pawn off our habits to other states or to low income environmental justice communities, where most of our landfills are located, is simply not acceptable.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely yours, 

Zero Waste Massachusetts: 

Janet Domenitz, MASSPIRG

Elizabeth Saunders,  Clean Water Action MA 

Kirstie Pecci, Conservation Law Foundation

Megan Stokes, Community Action Works