Maine at another Waste Crossroad?
Big Waste to seek OK from MDEP on Thursday Oct 1st to expand its "Special Waste" landfill by 57 acres. This will allow for dumping additional out of state "special wastes" in Norridgewock Maine. Leachate goes into Kennebec River
Want to put your two cents in? Attend DEP's virtual public hearing! It starts 6pm Thursday Oct 1st How: Contact DEP before 1pm Wednesday Sept 30th - that's tomorrow! Let Ruth Ann Burke know you wish to speak virtually at the meeting. ruth.a.burke@maine.gov or phone 207-287-2811
MEETING AGENDA: http://penbay.org/waste/landfills/2020/specwaste_%20hrng_092120_agenda_final.pdf
BACKGROUND Special Waste was formerly termed "hazardous waste" (Doesn't special waste" sound so much .. cleaner!) It includes incinerator ash, sludge, oil and solvent contaminated soils, asbestos, dredge spoils, coal ashes, coal gasification wastewater, medical waste and a variety of industrial process wastes from lead processing, bauxite refining, fertilizer production, acid production, and wastes from many other refining processes.
AT ISSUE: To approve a landfill expansion, MDEP must find that the facility
(1) will provide substantial "public benefit", and
(2) will NOT pollute any water of the State, contaminate the ambient air, create a nuisance, or constitute a hazard to health or welfare
QUESTIONS:
* What can be the public benefit to Maine of permanently storing other state's "special" wastes in Maine?
* How much of which special wastes noted above does the state believe will be brought here? Shockingly, the application doesn't say! Isn't there a difference between, for example, medical waste and lead refining waste?
* Shouldn't we look ahead 7 generations? How the future will despise us if we keep mounding up the wastes of other states here for permanent waste storage?
* What could possibly go wrong? Isn't Maine an official American Dump State?
No? Then why do state officials act as if we are?
On October 1st press this issue. Save Future Maine
![[ ]](https://www.maine.gov/icons/layout.gif){kind=icon}