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Massachusetts Lifts Landfill Moratorium
March 1, 2001
10 Min Read
Melanie A. Lasoff Free-lance Writer Atlanta
In an effort to regain its status as neither a net importer nor net exporter of garbage, Massachusetts officials have lifted a five-year moratorium to allow for more landfill capacity.
As part of the state's recently released “Beyond 2000 Solid Waste Master Plan,” removing the moratorium will ensure that Massachusetts has enough space to dispose of all of its own garbage, even as the plan calls for increased waste reduction, says Jim Colman, assistant commissioner for waste prevention.
Inspired in part by state department of environmental protection's (DEP) predictions of an 8-million-ton garbage shortfall by 2010, the solid waste master plan anticipates that approximately 1.8 million tons of disposal capacity could be added by lifting the moratorium. Modified recycling and reuse plans would address the remaining 78 percent of the shortfall.
Another reason for lifting the moratorium is to compensate for landfill closures, Colman says. Since the DEP instituted its 1990 master plan, 105 unlined landfills have been closed, leaving a total of 19 Massachusetts landfills still in operation.
Until five years ago, Massachusetts had managed to maintain enough capacity for its own needs, in accordance with a policy the state instituted in 1998. But in 1996, the state was forced to export waste due to lack of disposal capacity. After that, the amount of exported waste continued to increase steadily. In 1999, 1.2 million of the state's approximately 8 million tons of waste had to be exported, Colman says.
In light of rising export rates, the DEP allowed six landfills to apply for expansion permits in 1999, Colman continues. Five permits were granted, and one still is pending.
“We were drawing up [a revised] solid waste master plan,” he adds. “This just seemed like the right time to take action.”
By lifting the moratorium and accepting permits for landfill expansion and building, Colman says Massachusetts will be able to regain its equilibrium.
“We have a responsibility to take care of the trash we [as a state] generate. We shouldn't be sending it out-of-state,” he says. “This is part of our balanced approach to deal with the waste we're going to generate.”
Steve Changaris, Northeast regional manager for the National Solid Wastes Management Association (NSWMA), Washington, D.C., applauds the lifting of the moratorium, but calls the new plan “a mixed bag.”
Concerned about the strings that the new solid waste master plan attaches to landfill siting and expansion, Changaris says the master plan requires landfill managers to implement a “recycling benefits plan” before receiving a permit to expand an existing facility or build a new facility. But reducing waste toxicity and increasing recycling is not landfill managers' responsibility, he notes.
“[Massachusetts regulators] want our industry to put money into the system to help with recycling. That's not our role,” Changaris continues. “The DEP misses the point of how our business operates — it's trying to make [landfill operators] work on a lower capacity. But we need 100 percent [capacity].”
Although the NSWMA “fought long and hard” to lift the moratorium, stricter siting laws and other issues still must be addressed, Changaris says.
But being strict on disposal is a hallmark of the state's plan, according to Colman. The plan's overall goal is to reduce waste and recycle what is wasted, he says, noting that the state's current recycling goal is 46 percent.
Already, Massachusetts spends $8 million per year to promote recycling through curbside pickup, education programs and equipment. The new plan proposes an additional $7 million in recycling funds to assist municipalities and businesses in meeting the state's recycling goal.
Critics say a 46 percent recycling rate either is too aggressive or is not high enough, but Colman says the DEP will monitor the new policies and make adjustments accordingly.
“We have a lot of work to do to raise that [recycling] rate. Our proposals are very aggressive,” he says. “We're trying to deal with this one step at a time.”
The solid waste master plan's other initiatives include:
Working with manufacturers to encourage packaging reduction, take-back initiatives, and other means of reducing waste and toxics;
Promoting DEP legislation that requires that multi-family housing residents have access to recycling;
Hiring someone to work with waste processors to increase construction and demolition (C&D) recycling, in preparation for the state's 2003 ban on unprocessed C&D in landfills; and
Phasing-in landfill capacity increases during the next five years.
ACQUISITIONS
Earth Tech, Long Beach, Calif., has acquired Professional Registrar Organization, Bloomfield Hills, Mich., and International Quality and Environmental Services, Northville, Michigan.
American Ecology Corp., Boise, Idaho, has acquired Envirosafe Services of Idaho Inc. in a stock purchase from Envirosource Corp., Horsham, Pa.
United Dominion Industries, Thousand Palms, Calif., has acquired Pearpoint.
Texas Disposal Systems, Austin, Texas, has acquired Garden-Ville Inc., San Antonio.
Waste Recycling Group, London, has purchased Hanson Waste Management, Bristol, United Kingdom.
Heil Environmental Industries Ltd., Chattanooga, Tenn., has acquired Bayne Machine Works Inc., Greenville, S.C.
The U.S. Competition Authority has given AB Volvo, Gothenburg, Sweden, clearance to acquire Renault V.I./Mack, Boulogne-Billancourt Cedex, France.
Superior Services Inc., Milwaukee, has acquired Lloyd Brothers Trucking, Wausau, Wis.
Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, Ill., has signed a letter of intent to acquire the Timberking track feller buncher intellectual property from Canada-based Risley Manufacturing Ltd.
Veit & Company Inc., Minneapolis, has acquired Des Moines, Iowa-based W.G. Jacques Company Inc.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Goodkind & O'Dea, Rutherford, N.J., has announced its services now include environmental and hazardous waste engineering services.
Walden Asset Management, Boston, has announced its 2001 shareholder action agenda, designed to urge corporations to act environmentally responsibly, the company says.
Skelly and Loy Inc., Harrisburg, Penn., has been ranked as one of Central Pennsylvania's top 100 private companies by the Central Pennsylvania Business Journal. The company also was ranked as one of the region's top 50 fastest growing companies.
CALL FOR PAPERS
The Institute of Environmental Sciences and Technology (IEST), Mount Prospect, Ill., is soliciting papers for its annual technical meetings. Papers may be submitted online at www.iest.org.
CALL FOR PAPERS
American Ref-Fuel Co.'s Niagra Falls, N.Y. waste-to-energy facility has received International Standardization Organization ISO-14001 certification.
Muncie Power Products Inc., Muncie, Ind., has received ISO-9001 status from DNV Certification Inc., Houston.
The Georgia Weyerhaeuser Timberlands and Wood Supply Groups, Oglethorpe, Ga., have been certified under the ISO-14001 environmental management system standard.
Heritage Environmental Services LLC., Indianapolis, has received accreditation under National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Conference standards.
CLOSING
Unless Fibermarket.com can find a merger partner, the Atlanta-based company will close its doors this month, according to Richard Venditti, recycling president.
CONTRACTS
American Ref-Fuel Co., Houston, changed its power purchase contract with Atlantic City Electric Co. (ACE), Charleston, S.C., and PECO Energy Co., Philadelphia. The changes eliminate an old transmission agreement and restructure the current power purchase agreement with ACE.
Browning-Ferris Industries Inc., a subsidiary of Allied Waste Industries Inc., Scottsdale, Ariz., has won a contract to haul garbage from Salt Lake City's Olympic Village during the 2002 Winter Games.
The city of Seattle has signed new contracts with waste haulers Rabanco, Seattle, and Waste Management Inc., Houston, to consolidate commercial collection service areas and provide more cost-effective garbage collection, the city says.
Portland's regional government has approved a change in ownership for its primary waste transporter Specialty Transportation Services, Portage, Ind.
Rust Constructors Inc., a division of Washington Group International Inc., Boise, Idaho, has been awarded a contract to manage construction of a $600 million plant expansion in Tuscaloosa, Ala., for Mercedes-Benz U.S. International Inc.
Washington Group also has announced that its Washington Power unit is providing engineering and procurement services to Kinder Morgan Inc. for two 550-megawatt, natural gas-fired power plants located in Wrightsville, Ark., and Jackson, Mich.
Chart Industries Inc., Cleveland, has announced that its Applied Technologies Division has signed a $1.5 million contract with Waste Management Inc. (WMI), Houston, to design, install and maintain a liquid natural gas fueling station for WMI's El Cajon Facility near San Diego, Calif.
American Ecology Corp., Boise, Idaho, has announced a series of multi-year disposal contracts with customers at its El Centro landfill in South Texas.
CORRECTIONS
In its Jan. 2001 article entitled, “Rhode Island to Establish Nation's First Statewide Computer Recycling Program,” page 30, Waste Age incorrectly stated that the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corp., Johnston, R.I., recycled 90 thousand tons of computer equipment at the corporation's November 2000 collection. The actual number is 90 tons of computer equipment.
In “Economy Reaps the Benefits from Recycling,” Nov. 2000, page 24, Waste Age incorrectly stated that recycling and reuse operations generate $6.8 million in annual payroll. The actual figure is $6.8 billion in annual payroll. Additionally, the Northeast Recycling Council's location should have been spelled Brattleboro, Vt.
In “Small Guys, Big Business,” Oct. 2000, page 103, Waste Age incorrectly listed the Greater Vancouver Regional District's website address. The correct address is www.gvrd.bc.ca. Waste Age regrets the errors.
FISCAL
Capstone Turbine Corp., Chatsworth, Calif., has reported a $7.1 million revenue for the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, 2000. This compares to its $5.4 million revenue for the same period in 1999. The company's fourth quarter 2000 net loss was $0.08 per share, down from $0.13 per share for the same period in 1999.
Alcoa Inc., Pittsburgh, has set a $1 billion cost reduction goal for the next three years. Cuts will not target jobs, according to the company's chairman and chief executive, Alain Belda.
Houston-based Waste Management Inc. has sold $600 million in debt, according to joint book-manager Salomon Smith Barney.
Allied Waste North America, a subsidiary of Allied Waste Industries Inc., Scottsdale, Ariz., will sell $600 million in senior secured notes. Due in 2008 at 87/8 percent, these notes have been rated BB- by Standard and Poor's, N.Y.
GRANT
Envirogen Inc., Lawrenceville, N.J., has been awarded a $500,000 grant by the National Science Foundation (NSF), Arlington, Va., to continue its research on remediation of the gasoline oxygenate MTBE.
FISCAL
ScrapSite, Pittsburgh, Internet negotiation service for scrap buyers: www.scrapsite.com.
Peterbilt Motors Co., Denton, Texas, has updated its website: www.peterbilt.com.
Morbark, Winn, Mich., has updated www.morbark.com.
J.J. Keller & Associates Inc., Neenah, Wis., has launched KellerOnline at www.jjkeller.com.
Morbark, Winn, Mich., has opened a new Florida Support facility in Sarasota, Fla.
Waste Control Specialists LLC, Pasadena, Calif., Envirocare of Utah Inc., Salt Lake City, and Envirocare of Texas, Andrews, Texas, have reached an agreement to settle litigation pending in Texas courts.
Manhattan District Attorney Robert M. Morgenthau has indicted Staten Island, N.Y.-based Southside Carting Corp. Owner Daniel Fiorello for lying to the New York City Trade Waste Commission about ties to a former carter whose license was denied because of connections to organized crime.
Polyjohn Enterprises Corp., Whiting, Ind., has opened a second office to serve Rid-It customers in Long Beach, Calif.
J&J Truck Bodies & Trailers, Somerset, Pa., has completed its new 120,000-square-foot facility in Somerset.
International Truck and Engine Corp., Chicago, has agreed to become an official sponsor of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), Daytona Beach, Fla.
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