DOCSLIB.ORG

Beyond Incineration

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Beyond Incineration Beyond Incineration: Best Waste Management Strategies for Montgomery County, Maryland Prioritizing: • Cost-effectiveness • Human health & safety • Climate protection • Continuous waste reduction Prepared for: County Executive Marc Elrich By: Zero Waste Montgomery County Underwritten by: Principal Author: Sugarloaf Citizens’ Association Mike Ewall, Esq. www.sugarloafcitizens.org Energy Justice Network 215-436-9511 [email protected] www.energyjustice.net With technical analysis and contributions from: Deborah Cohn, Esq. Montgomery County resident Kelly Doordan, M.S.E.S., J.D. Montgomery County resident Susan Eisendrath, M.P.H. Montgomery County resident Lauren Greenberger, M.H.Sc. Montgomery County resident Mike Krauss Rail-haul Consultant Joe Libertelli, J.D. Montgomery County resident Amy Maron, M.P.P. Montgomery County resident Jeffrey Morris, Ph.D. Sound Resource Management Group Scott Rockafellow, M.B.A. Montgomery County resident Neil Seldman, Ph.D. Institute for Local Self-Reliance March 2021 www.energyjustice.net/md/beyond.pdf © 2021 Energy Justice Network. Beyond Incineration is made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial- NoDerivatives 4.0 International license subject to the conditions specified at www.energyjustice.net/ip Contents Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 6 A. Historical Context .............................................................................................................................. 6 B. Current Context ................................................................................................................................ 6 C. Summary of Findings ......................................................................................................................... 7 D. Montgomery County Waste Disposal Options ............................................................................... 12 E. Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................... 12 F. Recommendations .......................................................................................................................... 13 G. Report Overview ............................................................................................................................. 14 Chapter 1: Zero Waste Strategies Have More Potential than DEP & HDR Portray .................................... 15 A. What is Zero Waste? ....................................................................................................................... 15 B. Unit-Based Pricing / Save as You Throw ......................................................................................... 16 C. Coordination with Climate Action Plan ........................................................................................... 19 Chapter 2: The Case Against Incineration ................................................................................................... 23 A. No Penalty for Exiting Incinerator Contracts Early ......................................................................... 23 The County Can End its Incineration Contract at any Time ................................................................ 23 The County can Stop Sending Incinerator Ash to Landfill at any Time ............................................... 24 B. The County’s Trash Incinerator is a Major Polluter ........................................................................ 25 Covanta compares emissions of select pollutants from incineration to transportation and heating sector sources to make their emissions look relatively small ............................................................. 26 Covanta compares incinerator emissions to larger industries without adjusting for size ................. 27 Boasting industry-wide emission reductions that are mostly the result of facilities closing ............. 31 Dioxins and furans are still produced at dangerously high levels in newer and older incinerators ... 32 Inadequate emissions testing may underestimate true emissions levels .......................................... 33 Test data may be manipulated ........................................................................................................... 33 Weak and outdated permit limits make incineration appear healthy and safe ................................. 34 Permitted emissions limits are not based on health and safety......................................................... 40 Existing trash incinerators like MCRRF can reduce air pollution with more stringent controls ......... 41 Chapter 3: Greenhouse Gases & Creative Accounting ............................................................................... 43 A. Analysis of WARM and MEBCalc Models and Underlying Assumptions ......................................... 46 B. Biogenic carbon – to count or not to count? .................................................................................. 47 C. Displacement of fossil fueled electric generation .......................................................................... 52 D. Displacement of landfill emissions.................................................................................................. 53 E. Landfill gas capture rate .................................................................................................................. 53 F. Assuming conventional landfilling is the only alternative .............................................................. 54 2 G. Methane’s global warming potential .............................................................................................. 55 H. Transportation emissions ................................................................................................................ 56 Chapter 4: Landfilling vs. Incineration ........................................................................................................ 59 A. Life Cycle Assessment Results (MEBCalc analysis of Montgomery County’s Options) ................... 61 Chapter 5: Environmental Racism ............................................................................................................... 68 A. Concentration of noxious facilities ................................................................................................. 68 B. Downwind Populations ................................................................................................................... 70 C. Ash Dumping on Black Communities .............................................................................................. 70 D. Analyzing DEP’s Environmental Justice Analysis ............................................................................. 72 Chapter 6: Site 2 Landfill ............................................................................................................................. 75 A. Potential for Water Contamination ................................................................................................ 75 B. Reasons not to develop a new landfill within the county, at Site 2 or elsewhere ......................... 77 Cost ..................................................................................................................................................... 77 Leakage ............................................................................................................................................... 77 Existing vs. New Sites .......................................................................................................................... 78 Exporting from urban areas is normal ................................................................................................ 78 Invest in Reducing Harm to Landfill Communities .............................................................................. 79 Chapter 7: A Better Way to Make the Best Choice ..................................................................................... 80 A. Exclusion criteria ............................................................................................................................. 80 B. Inclusion criteria .............................................................................................................................. 83 C. Conclusions ..................................................................................................................................... 86 Chapter 8: Cost of Incineration vs. Landfilling ............................................................................................ 87 A. Costs of Managing Wastes Under Incineration Scenario Could be Vastly Understated. It is Difficult to Determine True Future Costs when Estimates Vary Wildly. ................................................. 87 B. Cost Projections .............................................................................................................................. 90 Assumptions, Unknowns, and Omissions Make it Difficult to Determine True Per Ton Costs of Continuing Incineration ...................................................................................................................... 90 As Waste is Reduced, Incineration Will be Less Efficient & Costlier per Ton ..................................... 90 Costs of upgrading pollution controls at the MCRRF are not quantified ...........................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • To View the 10-Year Solid Waste Management Plan for 2020-2029
    “Prince George’s County 2020 – 2029 Solid Waste Management Plan” CR-50-2020 (DR-2) 2020 – 2029 COMPREHENSIVE TEN-YEAR SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN Prince George’s County, Maryland Acknowledgements Marilyn E. Rybak-Naumann, Resource Recovery Division, Associate Director Denice E. Curry, Resource Recovery Division, Recycling Section, Section Manager Darryl L. Flick, Resource Recovery Division, Special Assistant Kevin Roy B. Serrona, Resource Recovery Division, Recycling Section, Planner IV Antoinette Peterson, Resource Recovery Division, Administrative Aide Michael A. Bashore, Stormwater Management Division, Planner III/GIS Analyst With Thanks To all of the agencies and individuals who contributed data “Prince George’s County 2020 – 2029 Solid Waste Management Plan” CONTENTS INTRODUCTION I. State Requirements for Preparation of the Plan.…………………………………..1 II. Plan Summary…………………………………………………………………….. 1 A. Solid Waste Generation………………………………………………………. 2 B. Solid Waste Collection……………………………………………………….. 2 C. Solid Waste Disposal…………………………………………………………. 2 D. Recycling……………………………………………………………………... 2 E. Public Information and Cleanup Programs………………………………….... 3 III. Place Holder – Insertion of MDE’s Approval Letter for Adopted Plan……………4 CHAPTER I POLICIES AND ORGANIZATION I. Planning Background……………………………………………………………... I-1 II. Solid Waste Management Terms…………………………………………………. I-1 III. County Goals Statement………………………………………………………….. I-2 IV. County Objectives and Policies Concerning Solid Waste Management………..... I-3 A. General Objectives of the Ten-Year Solid Waste Management Plan………... I-4 B. Guidelines and Policies regarding Solid Waste Facilities……………………. I-4 V. Governmental Responsibilities…………………………………………………… I-5 A. Prince George’s County Government………………………………………… I-5 B. Maryland Department of the Environment…………………………………… I-9 C. Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission…………………. I-9 D. Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC)………………………. I-9 VI. State, Local, and Federal Laws…………………………………………………… I-9 A.
    [Show full text]
  • White Flint 2 Sector Plan
    Approved and Adopted JANUARY 2018 Abstract This Plan contains the text and supporting maps for a comprehensive amendment to the approved and adopted 1992North Bethesda/Garrett Park Master Plan and the 2010 White Flint Sector Plan, as amended. It also amends The General Plan (On Wedges and Corridors) for the Physical Development of the Mary- land-Washington Regional District in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties, as amended, the Master Plan of Highways and Transitways, as amended, and the Countywide Bikeways Functional Master Plan, as amended. This Plan focuses on land use, appropriate density and mobility options for 460 acres located be- tween three areas: the City of Rockville, the 2009 Twinbrook Sector Plan area and the 2010 White Flint Sector Plan area. Recommendations are made for zoning, urban design, public facilities and streets. Master and sector plans convey land use policy for defined geographic areas and should be interpreted together with relevant countywide functional plans and County laws and regulations. Plan recommendations provide comprehensive guidelines for the use of public and private land; and should be referred to by pub- lic officials and private individuals when making land use decisions. Public and private land use decisions that promote plan goals are essential to fulling a plan’s vision. Master and sector plans look ahead 20 years from the date of the adoption, although they are intended to be revised every 10 to 15 years. Moreover, the circumstances when a plan is adopted will change and the specifics of a plan may become less relevant over time. Plans do not specify all development possi- bilities.
    [Show full text]
  • Reducing Waste
    Protecting the Environment While Producing Books: Key Actions for Printers & Implementing Partners vCIES 2020 Mamadou Goundiam Director, Africa BurdaEducation Topics Covered Today Presentation Roadmap • Industry Guidelines and Standards • Environmentally-Friendly Specifications • Reducing Use of Natural Resources • Reducing Waste • Pollution Control Industry Guidelines and Standards Certification: Independent, verified assurance that forest-based material in a product originates from sustainably managed forests. “Chain of Custody” Certification • Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) • Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) BurdaEducation 3 Paper for Interior Pages Paper for Covers • Recycled: Paper made from previously • Virgin Fiber (C2S): Cover paper/board Environmentally- used paper (newsprint, printed paper made from fresh wood fiber with coating waste, trim waste, etc.). on both sides; suitable for double-sided Friendy Paper printing. • Agro-Waste: Paper made from Specifications agriculture waste (lwheat husks, • Virgin Fiber (C1S): Cover paper/board bagasse, etc.). made from fresh wood fiber with coating on one side; suitable for single-sided • Mixed: Paper made from a mix of printing. recycled paper & agricultural waste. • Recycled Fiber Board (C1S): Cover • Wood-based: Paper made from fresh paper/board made from recycled fiber wood from forests. with coating on one Side; used for student notebooks and some boxes. BurdaEducation 4 Reducing Reducing Energy Use Reducing Water Use Use of Natural Resources • Use heat recovery systems • Recycle ground water on plant site • Use high efficiency cooling machines • Recycle treated water for sanitation and • Implement load balancing and other cooling systems to reduce electricity use • Recycle condensate from steam heaters • Use natural gas-cleaner fuel that furnace and solvent recovery oil BurdaEducation 5 Reducing Waste: Printing Cylinders Printing Cylinders • Reduce copper consumption by optimizing cylinder circumference.
    [Show full text]
  • IN the UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT for the DISTRICT of MARYLAND (Southern Division) JOHN and KIMBERLY BEAHN, Individually and A
    Case 8:20-cv-02239-GJH Document 3-1 Filed 08/04/20 Page 1 of 47 IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF MARYLAND (Southern Division) JOHN AND KIMBERLY BEAHN, individually and as parents and next friends of P.B., M.B., AND B.B., MINORS, and on behalf of all others similarly situated, et al. Case No.: _______________ PLAINTIFFS, v. TRAVIS A. GAYLES, et al. DEFENDANTS. PLAINTIFFS’ MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF TEMPORARY, PRELIMINARY, AND PERMANENT INJUNCTIVE RELIEF On Friday evening, after business hours, and without warning, the Montgomery County Health Officer abruptly announced that all private and religious schools in Montgomery County are “prohibited from physically re-opening for in-person instruction through October 1, 2020.” This blanket order, directed only at religious and private schools, purports to effectively prevent more than 23,000 Montgomery County students from returning to school in the coming weeks. The surprise order was stunning in its abruptness and timing. It was issued on the eve of school reopening, without notice to parents, students, or schools. Families had paid tuition and made firm enrollment decisions. Most schools had spent months researching, planning and installing expensive retrofitting of their schools, following CDC and State guidelines for reopening. Since the pandemic broke in March, neither State nor County government has found it necessary to issue any order directed at religious or private schools prior to this one. And the order was not in response to any COVID-19 outbreak. In fact, there has not been a single 1 Case 8:20-cv-02239-GJH Document 3-1 Filed 08/04/20 Page 2 of 47 reported COVID-19 cases in any Montgomery County religious or private school during the pandemic.
    [Show full text]
  • Metal Leaching in Mine-Waste Materials and Two Schemes for Classification of Potential Environmental Effects of Mine-Waste Piles
    Metal Leaching in Mine-Waste Materials and Two Schemes for Classification of Potential Environmental Effects of Mine-Waste Piles By David L. Fey and George A. Desborough Chapter D4 of Integrated Investigations of Environmental Effects of Historical Mining in the Basin and Boulder Mining Districts, Boulder River Watershed, Jefferson County, Montana Edited by David A. Nimick, Stanley E. Church, and Susan E. Finger Professional Paper 1652–D4 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey ffrontChD4new.inddrontChD4new.indd ccxxxviixxxvii 33/14/2005/14/2005 66:07:29:07:29 PPMM Contents Abstract ...................................................................................................................................................... 139 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................... 139 Purpose and Scope ......................................................................................................................... 140 Sample Collection and Preparation ....................................................................................................... 140 Bulk Surface Samples ..................................................................................................................... 140 Two-Inch Diameter Vertical Core .................................................................................................. 140 Location of Mine-Waste Sites ...............................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Making Successful Compost in School
    Making successful compost in school Why compost? Composting is a very easy and effective way to dispose of organic waste in your school. It shows pupils how effective the recycling process can be and they will get to see first hand evidence of this. By composting you can produce your own top quality product, rich in nutrients, to use in your school garden. You will also be greatly improving your environment as you will be recycling approx 25% of your school waste, which would have otherwise gone to landfill. Getting started: You will need a compost bin with a lid. This will help to protect your compost from the elements. It will decrease the chances of rats and other creatures visiting and it will help to prevent weeds from growing. The bigger the bin and the more you can add to it, then the more successful your compost is likely to be. • Place the bin in a sunny spot away from the main school building • Choose a location where there is good access to and from the bin • Place the bin on a soil base and add a few layers of twigs/branches at the bottom to improve drainage. • Ensure each area/classroom in school has a caddy to collect the organic waste • Set up a rota/collection system in school What to put in your compost bin You will need to have a balance of ‘green waste’, e.g items that are fresh, moist, rich in nitrogen and rot down easily. To balance your compost you will also need to add ‘brown waste’ to your bin.
    [Show full text]
  • How to Compost
    SUSTAINABLE URBAN AGRICULTURE CERTIFICATION PROGAM ENHANCING CAPACITY OF LOUISIANA'S SMALL FARMS AND BUSINESSES HOWHOW TOTO COMPOSTCOMPOST MATERIALS NEEDED Fresh (green) waste (grass clippings, carrot ends, banana peels), and dry (brown) waste (dry leaves, small twigs). Optional: mesh bin, pitch fork, shovel. COMPOSTING PROVIDES Free Extra soil for the garden! Free Plant fertilizer (plant food) to help the plants grow big and healthy! HOW TO START YOUR COMPOST PILE AT YOUR GARDEN 1.Choose a spot to keep your compost pile. It can be an open pile, or enclosed by some sort of mesh bin (the compost pile MUST be able to breathe). Some make a bin out of old wooden pallets, if you use something like an old garbage can make sure it is full of holes allowing the compost pile to breathe. Pre-fabricated compost bins can be purchased as well. There are so many options! Choose what is best for your space and garden. 2.Fill the compost pile with FRESH GREEN WASTE: vegetable clippings from the kitchen, any vegetables or fruit waste, grass clippings (avoid putting meat or bones in the compost pile). 3.Always cover FRESH GREEN WASTE with DRY BROWN WASTE. This will help keep all pests away from the compost pile and it will ensure that the compost pile doesn’t smell bad. DRY BROWN WASTE: dry leaves, dry straw, dry grass clippings. 4.Compost pile should be arranged like so: DRY BROWN WASTE, FRESH GREEN WASTE, DRY BROWN WASTE and FRESH GREEN WASTE 5.Material can be added to the compost pile on a daily basis if possible.
    [Show full text]
  • Resource Recovery and Reuse Series
    RESOURCE RECOVERY & REUSE SERIES 3 Co-composting of Solid Waste and Fecal Sludge for Nutrient and 3 Organic Matter Recovery Olufunke Cofie, Josiane Nikiema, Robert Impraim, Noah Adamtey, Johannes Paul and Doulaye Koné About the Resource Recovery and Reuse Series Resource Recovery and Reuse (RRR) is a subprogram of the CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems (WLE) dedicated to applied research on the safe recovery of water, nutrients and energy from domestic and agro-industrial waste streams. This subprogram aims to create impact through different lines of action research, including (i) developing and testing scalable RRR business models, (ii) assessing and mitigating risks from RRR for public health and the environment, (iii) supporting public and private entities with innovative approaches for the safe reuse of wastewater and organic waste, and (iv) improving rural-urban linkages and resource allocations while minimizing the negative urban footprint on the peri-urban environment. This subprogram works closely with the World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), United Nations University (UNU) and many national and international partners across the globe. The RRR series of documents presents summaries and reviews of the subprogram’s research and resulting application guidelines, targeting development experts and others in the research for development continuum. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH: Science with a human face RESOURCE RECOVERY & REUSE SERIES 3 Co-composting of Solid Waste and Fecal Sludge for Nutrient and Organic Matter Recovery Olufunke Cofie, Josiane Nikiema, Robert Impraim, Noah Adamtey, Johannes Paul and Doulaye Koné The authors Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • Committee: Directly to Council
    Committee: Directly to Council AGENDA ITEM #5F-#5J Committee Review: N/A June 29, 2021 Staff: Nubia Medrano-Rivera, LSC/Clerk’s Office Action Montgomery Purpose: To confirm CE appointment County Council Keywords: none SUBJECT County Executive Appointments EXPECTED ATTENDEES None COUNCIL DECISION POINTS & COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION None DESCRIPTION/ISSUE Due to the significant number of County Executive appointments, and in the interest of saving resources, resumes for any of the appointees, may be accessed through IQ by going to the logs for June 16, June 22 and June 24, 2021 or the Legislative Information Services (LIS) Office. SUMMARY OF KEY DISCUSSION POINTS None This report contains: ▪ County Executive appointment(s) to the: • Board of Trustees for the Montgomery County Employee Retirement Plans, and the Board of Trustees for the Consolidated Retiree Health Benefits Trust (BIT) ©1-7 • Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation Board ©8-11 • Early Childhood Coordinating Council ©12-16 • Racial Equity and Social Justice Advisory Committee ©17-20 • Silver Spring Urban District Advisory Committee ©21-24 Alternative format requests for people with disabilities. If you need assistance accessing this report you may submit alternative format requests to the ADA Compliance Manager. The ADA Compliance Manager can also be reached at 240-777-6197 (TTY 240-777-6196) or at [email protected] OFFICE OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE Marc Elrich County Executive APPOINTMENT PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY VESTED TO ME UNDER SECTION 215 OF THE CHARTER OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MARYLAND, I HEREBY APPOINT Type of Position: County C ouncil Type of Position: MCREA Christine Kelleher Deborah Snead County Council Montgomery County Retired Employees’ Assn.
    [Show full text]
  • Green Waste Management Through Composting at Cal State Dominguez Hills
    Green Waste Management Through Composting at Cal State Dominguez Hills Written By: Alicia Salmeron [email protected] CSUDH March 2018- August 2018 Edited By: Ellie Perry, Sustainability Coordinator CSUDH Office of Sustainability August 15th 2018 1 Table of Contents Page Acknowledgements . 3 Executive Summary . 3 Project Objectives . 3 Project Approach . 3 Project Outcomes . 5 Conclusions . 5 Appendix . 6 2 Acknowledgements This project was supported by Hispanic-Serving Institution’s Education Program Grant no. 2015-38422-24058 from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture. A special thanks to the California State University of Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) Office of Sustainability, the Water Resource and Policy Initiatives (WRPI), and my supervisor Ellie Perry, to whom this project was made possible. Through their support I was able to begin the research that was needed to help CSUDH become a more sustainable institution. Thank you all for giving me this opportunity to grow and learn, and to be a part of something greater than myself. Executive Summary The focus of this internship was to see how the University’s green waste could be kept on-site and turned into compost. The compost could then be used on the campus to reduce the amount of water that was being used in the landscape, as well as eliminate the amount of green waste that has to be sent to landfill each year. This project gave me the opportunity to use an abandoned greenhouse and turn it into a living lab and research facility that is now available to the entire campus.
    [Show full text]
  • Green Technologies, Innovations and Practice in the Agricultural Sector
    Green Technologies, Innovations and Practice in the Agricultural Sector Shared Prosperity Dignified Life GREEN TECHNOLOGIES, INNOVATIONS AND PRACTICES IN THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR E/ESCWA/SDPD/2019/INF.8 The Arab region faces many challenges including severe water scarcity, rising population, increasing land degradation, aridity, unsustainable energy consumption, food insecurity and deficiency in waste management. These challenges are expected to worsen with the negative impact of climate change, the protracted crises plaguing the region and the rapidly changing consumption patterns. Some of these challenges, however, can still be mitigated with the judicious use of appropriate technologies, practices and innovative ideas so as to transform depleted, wasted or overlooked resources into new opportunities for revenue generation, livelihood improvement and resource sustainability. Innovation and technology are the main drivers of economic growth and societal transformation through enhanced efficiency, connectivity and access to resources and services. Yet, current growth models have led to environmental degradation and depletion of natural resources. Such environmental technologies and innovations may result in what is often referred to as “green technologies or practices” or “clean technologies”. These technologies and innovations may help bridge the gap between growth and sustainability as they reduce unfavorable effects on the environment, improve productivity, efficiency and operational performance. It is high time the region brought this
    [Show full text]
  • On-Site Wastewater Treatment and Reuses in Japan
    Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers Water Management 159 June 2006 Issue WM2 Pages 103–109 Linda S. Gaulke Paper 14257 PhD Candidate, Received 05/05/2005 University of Washington, Accepted 01/11/2005 Seattle, USA Keywords: sewage treatment & disposal/ water supply On-site wastewater treatment and reuses in Japan L. S. Gaulke MSE, MS On-site wastewater treatment poses a challenging toilets. Since then, sewers and johkasou have developed side problem for engineers. It requires a balance of appropriate by side. levels of technology and the operational complexity necessary to obtain high-quality effluent together with As of the year 2000, 71% of household wastewater in Japan adequate reliability and simplicity to accommodate was receiving some type of treatment and 91% of Japanese infrequent maintenance and monitoring. This review residents had flush toilets.1 A breakdown by population of covers how these issues have been addressed in on-site wastewater treatment methods utilised in Japan is presented in wastewater treatment in Japan (termed johkasou). On-site Fig. 1. The Johkasou Law mandates johkasou for new systems in Japan range from outmoded designs that construction in areas without sewers. Johkasou are different discharge grey water directly into the environment to from European septic tanks—even the smallest units advanced treatment units in high-density areas that (5–10 population equivalents (p.e.)) undergo an aerobic produce reclaimed water on-site. Japan is a world leader process. in membrane technologies that have led to the development of on-site wastewater treatment units capable of water-reclamation quality effluent. Alternative 1.1.
    [Show full text]