People are becoming more aware that there are other options than to bury it or burn it. Recycling and backyard composting are increasing. People are making smarter choices with their purchases, using less disposable items, looking for products made from recycled or sustainable materials and buying less overall. Companies are paying attention and using less packaging some of which is compostable.
Waste Not! Carroll Seeks Volunteers For The Wine Festival
Waste Not! Carroll has agreed to handle the recycling for the MD Wine Festival on September 18th and 19th. We are accepting volunteers now, so please contact us if you are interested in helping out over that weekend. Volunteers will receive complimentary admission into the Festival for the day they help, and you will get a free Waste Not! T-shirt to keep as a souvenir. This is a great opportunity to get involved in a community project that can really make a difference. A typical day at the Festival can bring as many as 10,000 visitors - that's a lot of trash to divert. We will need at least 60 - 70 volunteers for the weekend, and we are about half way there. So why don't you come out and join us? All we need is your T-shirt size and what day you can help out.
To volunteer, send an email to:
slong432@comcast.net
or Click Here
Washington Co. eyes sending garbage to Frederick Co. indinerator
By HEATHER KEELS
From the Herald Mail, AUGUST 30, 2010
Washington County could send some of its garbage for incineration in a regional waste-to-energy facility under development in Frederick County, officials from both counties have said.
The Washington County Commissioners voted unanimously last week to send a letter to Frederick County expressing their interest in a potential partnership.
Frederick and Carroll counties are funding the construction of the 1,500 ton-per-day waste-to-energy facility, commonly known as an incinerator, which will be owned by the Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority.
Other counties could be invited to send waste to the facility if Frederick and Carroll counties cannot initially fill the available capacity, said Michael Marschner, director of Frederick County’s Division of Utilities and Solid Waste Management.
Waste Not! Carroll's Recycling Efforts Featured in Carroll County Times
From the Carroll County Times, August 31, 2010By Carrie Ann Knauer, Times Staff Writer
Wineries at The Maryland Wine Festival have recycled thousands of bottles used for pouring samples during the two-day festival held annually in Westminster, but this year, festival attendees will also have the opportunity to recycle their disposables.
Waste Not! Carroll, a local group that aims to reduce waste in the community, had volunteered to provide extra waste collection containers, waste sorting services and even disposal of compostable materials and paper for the county for The Maryland Wine Festival, which will be held Sept. 18 and 19.
The group has provided waste services for two years at the Maryland Heartland Sustainable Living Fair and at the 2010 Roots Music Festival, which, like the wine festival, are held at the Carroll County Farm Museum.
Don West, a leader of Waste Not! Carroll, said the group achieved an 85 percent waste diversion rate through recycling and composting at the Roots Music Festival, with more than 31 barrels of recyclable and compostable resources recovered and kept out of landfills.
Student Speaks Out Agains Incinerator
By Amy Andrews
I am writing in protest of the proposed waste to energy incinerator.
As a McDaniel College student, I strongly believe in environmental stewardship and that every day must be Earth Day.
As a local resident, I do not support the construction and operation of this project and believe that each residence and business should be more responsible for the waste they generate. For example, starting this year all Carroll County public schools must implement recycling programs. So I ask, why is our educational board headed in one direction, and our solid waste division headed in the other? I'm perplexed.
Hearings Start For WTE Plant
From the Frederick News-Post, August 31, 2010
By Meg Tully, News-Post Staff
A planned waste-to-energy plant likely will require Frederick County to import trash from counties other than Frederick and Carroll.
On Monday, about 55 people attended the first permitting hearing for the plant, an incinerator that burns trash and generates electricity.
Residents commented on different aspects of the plan, but the item drawing the most attention was a paragraph that said the counties could opt to import trash from other areas for the plant to operate at maximum efficiency.
"This is the first time I've seen in print or publicly that imported trash from other areas is accepted, and welcomed," Jefferson resident Susan Hanson said. "This simply opens the door to other counties in other areas, which I think is a huge mistake."
WN!C Commissioner Forum Deemed A Success
This past Thursday, Waste Not! Carroll successfully hosted a Carroll Commissioner Candidate Forum at Carroll Community College. For those candidates brave enough to withstand the relentless interrogation from Carroll County Times Editor, Jim Lee, they received an opportunity to talk about local environmental and health issues the likes of which have never been seen in these parts previously. The evening went so well, there have been rumblings about trying it again before the general election in November. Stay tuned for more on that.
Important Public Hearing on 8/30!
The Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority will hold a public meeting to present and review its Preliminary Draft Materials Separation Plan that is part of the proposed waste-to-energy incinerator Frederick and Carroll counties are considering building. The meeting is scheduled at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 30 at Frederick Community College's Jack B. Kussmaul Theatre, 7932 Opossumtown Pike, Frederick.
This meeting will basically outline what the two counties will be doing to 'encourage' recycling during the operation of the incinerator. It should be interesting to see how this plays out as more and more information indicates 1) increased recycling directly decreases the quantity of waste available for combustion, and 2) the diversion of certain materials (namely paper and plastics) diminishes the 'quality' of the burn, thereby reducing the electrical generating capabilities of the plant. Both these trends have been documented in reports out of the Dickerson Facility in Montgomery County. Also, there will be no separation of materials at the facility, as is sometimes implied. If residents place a recyclable product in the trash, it will be burned, period. Only ferrous metals will be pulled by magnets out of the ash at the end of the process. If anyone is interested in going to the meeting or submitting comments (by 9/30/10), you can contact us.
Here is link to the Draft plan
Hero Eating Incinerator Comes To Farmers' Market!
This Saturday at the Downtown Westminster Farmers Market, Don and Dan brought along a little something for the kids: The Toy Story 3 Lego Incinerator Set. It proved to be very popular with both the young and the old. For those who haven't see Toy Story 3, the truth about big bad incinerators is featured prominently when the movie's heroes almost get turned into toxic ash and fumes by one. Watch for a run on the Lego version of these babies at the big box stores as the holidays approach - we can think of a few local officials who might find one of these in their stockings alongside their usual lump of coal! (And at $49.99 these babies are just within our county's budget).
Asst. Dir. of Public Works Admits: "80% of Our Waste Stream Can be Diverted"
In a recent letter to the editor, Frank Schaeffer - the outgoing assistant director of Public Works - tried to make a case for the incinerator, by arguing that options like recycling, composting, and generally reducing the amount of waste that we produce, would require the county to spend money. (He apparently doesn't realize that building an incinerator would cost MUCH MORE money - something to the tune of $600 million). But in the process of trying to make his argument, he inadvertently admits that 80% of our waste stream can be diverted away from the landfill. If that is the case, then why do we need to build an incinerator?
Waste Not! Candidate Forum Coming Soon!
On August 26th, Waste Not! Carroll will hosting a Commissioner Candidate Forum for all 5 District in the Scott Center of Carroll Community College. The event will be moderated by Jim Lee, Editor of the Carroll County Times, and will begin at 6:30pm. This is sure to be a lively evening and all are encouraged to attend!
For More Information, download the flyer here.
Concerns abound over incinerator
From the Carroll County Times, Thursday, August 19, 2010
The financial structure is absurd. Although Frederick's tipping costs will be $45.11 per ton, Carroll's cost is $84.81. To add insult to injury, other counties with zero investment in the project will only pay $68. This may be the first time in history where an investor (Carroll) has to pay more than un-invested third parties.
Additionally, contract terms between the Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority and the contractor, Wheelabrator, are troubling.
The Authority receives big money from the incinerator, and this creates the appearance of a conflict of interest. The Authority receives $52,000 in direct payments and $502,000 a year in back door payments from Wheelabrator for oversight.
Click Here To Continue Reading
Contest: Who Has Been Stealing Union Bridge's Trash?
Last week, the Carroll County Times reported that somebody has been stealing the trash from Union Bridge, (you can read the full story by clicking here). In light of this mystery, we here at Waste Not! Carroll are proposing a contest: Who has been stealing the trash? Are Mike Evans and friends secretly starting a stockpile of garbage, so that they can make up for the deficit in the amount of trash needed to run the proposed incinerator? Submit your best guess for who has been taking Union Bridge's garbage. The funniest answer will be rewarded with a prize!
To submit your answer, become a member (click here to do so), and then add it to the comments section here.
West: Incinerator Plan Raises Concerns
Posted: 8/12/10 in the Carroll County Times
Over the last year, several members of our community have researched the facts and the claims regarding the proposed waste to energy incinerator for Carroll and Frederick counties.
We have analyzed the financial implications, the technical aspects and the potential health and environmental impacts. We have talked with residents, elected officials, career appointed officials and interested individuals inside and outside the municipal waste-to-energy industry. We have toured a facility in Montgomery County, a Materials Recovery Facility in Elkridge and the proposed site for the incinerator in Frederick County.
In the face of overwhelming evidence contradicting their decision to proceed with this facility, I have three questions for our current Board of County Commissioners.
Holstein Responds to Misleading Public Hearing on WTE
Earlier this summer we made available Bruce Holstein's financial analysis of the proposed incinerator. Predictably, Bruce's reports have been subjected to a coordinated effort by Carroll and Frederick counties and the Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority to discredit the information that he provided. Carroll County decided to have a public hearing on July 22, 2010 about incinerator finances where Mike Evans showed multiple slides attacking Bruce's critique of their plan. Frederick County hired a consultant for $50,000 to review their own plan. Mr. Marschner sent out a letter dated July 23, 2010 claiming Bruce's reports contained many errors, and the Authority is working with both counties behind the scenes.
Bruce has formulated a response to Evan's criticism, which we have published here on the website.
Click Here to Read More and To See Holstein's Response To Evans
Trash Isn't What It Used To Be...
From the Frederick News-Post, August 05, 2010
Why are the county commissioners determined to commit us to hundreds of millions of dollars in debt to build a waste-to-energy incinerator before seriously considering other proven means of reducing our waste stream?
Consider just one of these alternatives: organics. Yard waste makes up about 12 percent of our waste stream and is being diverted to make compost if it goes to our landfill -- excellent.
Approximately 20 percent more of the waste stream, however, consists of food waste and food-contaminated paper (paper napkins, cups and plates). Since wet organics don't burn well and create methane when landfilled, why doesn't the county choose instead to invest in a compost facility that would divert waste from disposal and create a useful agricultural product out of this material?
The Billboard is Up!
At 10:15 am this morning, the new Waste Not! Carroll billboard went up - finally! It is worth a special trip Westbound on Route 140, just past Wawa's, for a drive-by sometime this weekend. For the time being though, we've uploaded photos of it. Click here to see them.
A very big thanks to all those who contributed to this effort. It would not have been possible without each of you!
Public Works Director Reviews Incinerator Financials
July 23, 2010
By Carrie Ann Knauer, Carroll County Times
Bruce Holstein, of Waste Not! Carroll, wrote an analysis and critique in June of the county's plans to build and share a 1,500-ton-per-day incinerator with Frederick County.
Evans said Carroll will pay 40 percent of the costs of the incinerator, and in turn own 40 percent of the incinerator and its capacity.
Holstein said that looking at the spreadsheets provided by the Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority, which is managing the project, he believes Carroll will be paying for 56 percent of the net operating cost of the incinerator, with Frederick paying 44 percent.
Click Here To Continue Reading
Ten Reasons to Oppose the Incinerator
Have a look at the 'Issues' page to see ten reasons why the incinerator is a terrible idea for Carroll and Frederick counties.
Waste Not! Carroll To Host Candidate Forum
Please mark your calendars for the evening of August 26th! Waste Not! Carroll will host a Commissioner Candidate Forum for all 5 Districts, on one stage, in the Scott Center of Carroll Community College, in Westminster. Details are being finalized now as far as the format and possibly adding an additional partnering organization, but we have ask all candidates to participate that evening.
Find Out How The Commissioner Candidates in Your District Feel About the Incinerator
Find out how the commissioner candidates in your district feel about the proposed incinerator by clicking here. You can also get more more detailed answers from some of the candidates by visiting our 'Candidates' or by clicking here.
And please visit the Board Of Elections for more information about the upcoming race. You can find them here.
Carroll County Times Feature On the Incinerator Debate
The Carroll County Times ran several stories about the incinerator today. The consensus among just about everybody interviewed seems to be that the incinerator is a bad idea. Follow the links below to see all of the paper's coverage:
Carroll-Frederick Incinerator Plan Brings Unlikely Allies Together Against It
A Time Line Of Carroll County's Efforts At Waste Disposal
Frederick, Carroll Countians Debate, Ask Questions About Proposal in E-mail Chain
WN! Carroll Unveils Mobile MRF at Common Ground Festival
Waste Not! Carroll unveiled their new Mobile Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) over the weekend at the Common Ground Roots Music and Art's Festival. With the help of a dozen volunteers, Waste Not! Carroll managed to divert about 85% of the festival’s waste from the two-day event, to be recycled or composted.
Our Mobile ‘MRF’ worked like this: Barrels were placed around the festival for paper recycling, plastic/aluminum glass recycling, compost, and garbage. Fairgoers disposed of their waste in the appropriate barrels over the course of the day. Waste Not! Volunteers collected the contents of the barrels and brought them to our sorting location where they sorted into 55-gallon barrel; all of the glass and plastic in one barrel, the aluminum in another, the paper in one, the compost in a different one. A trailer filled with these barrels was delivered to the Recycling Center at the Northern Landfill after the fair had ended. In all, Waste Not! Collected 30-55 gallon drums of paper, cardboard, bimetal, plastic, glass, aluminum and organics from the two-day event!
In spite of rain on Saturday and blistering sun on Sunday, all of the volunteers did their job with skill, energy, and a smile on your face. You never would have thought people handling trash could be so happy.
Throughout the event, Waste Not! Carroll received incredibly positive feedback from festival attendees, vendors, musicians, food purveyors, volunteers, staff and the Executive Director of Common Ground, Walt Micheal.
View More Photos From The Mobile MRF Here
Large scale municipal MRFs can dramatically cut down on how much waste our county would need to send to the landfill. Some communities have been able to divert as much of 80% of their waste because of them. Click Here To See How They Work.
Waste Not! Carroll to Put Up Anti-Incinerator Billboard
Waste Not! Carroll has procured a billboard on Route 140 near Westminster. The billboard should go up any day now, but website visitors can get a preview of it by clicking the link below. Anyone interested in contributing to this ongoing effort should contact Don West here.
Toxins a concern from burning
From the Carroll County Times, July 7, 2010
By Gregor Becker
The three sources of greatest concern are incinerators, coal-fired electric plants and cement kilns. Still, some might say, if we breathe emissions now, why not an incinerator to burn garbage?
The Harford County incinerator emits nearly 200 substances. Only 12 are required to be monitored. Toxins include lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, and dioxin, "one of the most toxic elements ever made," according to Stolen Future. These are emitted as fly ash and nanoparticles. These fine particles are easily absorbed through the nose to the brain. They settle on grass that livestock eat and on crops. Particles settle on surface waters. Thus, incinerator emissions move up the food chain. Breathing toxins won't kill you right away. Toxins just add to your body burden. Click Here to Keep Reading.
Candidates Questionaire
Earlier this year, we began asking candidates for the Carroll County commissioner to fill out a four question survey about how they thought the county should manage it's waste. We have begun posting their responses in a new section of our website called 'Candidates'. Please note that Waste Not! Carroll does not endorse candidates. We do encourage informed votes, though! We encourage our readers to participate as much as possible in the political process, and that begins with voting. After all, the only way to bring more responsible people into our county government is to vote them in. To that end, we have endeavored to present as much information as possible about the candidates and the issue of waste disposal.
Click Here to See the Candidates's Questionnaire and the responses that we have received so far.
Incinerator Plan Bad For County
From the Carroll County Times, 6/1/2010
By Hugh McLaurin
Like other county commissioner candidates, I have studied the proposed waste to energy plant, or incinerator, that the current board of commissioners agreed to build in cooperation with Frederick County. I must oppose proceeding with plans to build the incinerator under current conditions.
A few things make this a difficult position to take. People need to keep in mind that waste management is a core function of county government. Someone needs to take out the trash. Like gravity, it's not only a good idea, it's the law. Click Here To Continue Reading.
Burning Trash Isn't Best Option
From the Carroll County Times, June 30, 2010
By Daniel Andrews
To accommodate the discards of future population growth, our county government is planning to intentionally oversize the proposed waste to energy incinerator by a factor of 100 percent.
Until such growth occurs, they intend to contract with several outside jurisdictions to achieve our required incineration waste volume of 552 tons per day. By my ratio and proportion calculations, Carroll County won't achieve in-county incinerator waste volumes of this magnitude for several decades, if then. Click Here To Continue Reading.
Regional Incinerators Require More Trash
By Steve Cassis, From the Frederick News Post, It’s easy to understand why Harvey Alter is confused, as we all have been underinformed with details related to the incinerator issue. Even the name of the proposed regional Municipal Waste Combustor is confusing, as it is called a waste-to-energy (WTE) plant by the incineration industry.
Waste management has dramatically changed since the proliferation of incinerators in the U.S. during the 1980s and ending in 1995. When disposable products became popular it was easy to toss cheap used stuff in the trash and forget about it. Plastic disposable products with a high heat value when incinerated create steam for turbines, generating electricity. The WTE would produce, after fulfilling its own energy requirements, a modest 35-40 megawatts in comparison with a power plant designed for the Eastalco site, which would produce 600 megawatts.
Click Here to Continue Reading.
Incinerator Plan Can Be Risk-Free
From the Carroll County Times, Tuesday, June 29, 2010
By Bruce Holstein
This is in response to Mike Evans' June 13 letter asking for debate on the facts about the incinerator.
The financial plan for the incinerator was developed by determining the amount of money the incinerator would lose and then setting a tip fee price to recover the shortfall. The plan is based on an unrealistic assumption that there is no limit on tip fees and fails to account for competitive market forces.
For example, when Carroll raised tip fees to $76 per ton, the volume of trash decreased and the county was forced to reduce the fee to $58. Click Here To Read More.
Waste-Not Carroll Has A Theme Song!
We're taking our fight against the incinerator to new melodic realms, with a theme song called 'Landfill In The Sky' by the band The Wiebes.
Click Here to Visit The Wiebes website
Trash-burning power plant in Baltimore fires debate
By Timothy Wheeler, From the Baltimore Sun
June 27 2010
A New York company's proposal to bring 200 badly needed "green jobs" to Baltimore by building a "renewable-energy" plant in the Fairfield area is drawing heat from — of all people — environmentalists.That's because the 120-megawatt power plant planned by Energy Answers International of Albany would burn shredded municipal waste, tire chips, auto parts and demolition debris for fuel. Company officials argue the nearly $1 billion project will generate electricity and steam from waste that otherwise would fill up landfills. And it would be one of the cleanest facilities of its type in the nation, they say, with state-of-the-art pollution controls. Click Here to Keep Reading.
Frederick Activists Put Anti-Incinerator Ad in BeWell Magazine
Citizen activists in Frederick County have taken out an anti-incinerator advertisement in the the summer issue of BeWell Magazine. The magazine also contains a thoughtful editorial against the incinerator, based on health issues.
BeWell Magazine can be found at locations around Carroll County including these:
Gold’s Gym, N Center St
Progressive Counseling, E Main St
Westiminster Station, Englar Rd
Carroll County Health Dept. N Center Street
Mind, Body, Spirit, 140 Village Road
Choe's Hap Ki Do, Village Shopping Ctr
In the meantime you can see the ad by clicking here.
WTE Financial Analysis and Critique Released
The Carroll County Department of Public Works and the Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority have been waging a battle attempting to discredit some of the points that we have been making about the proposed Waste to Energy Incinerator. Of all the shortcomings of this project, it is the financial implications on which they are most vulnerable. For the last couple months, Carroll County resident Bruce Holstein has been reviewing the numbers put forth by the Authority, and he has come up with some very revealing information. Bruce has a 36 year background in auditing, accounting, and financial management for the federal government. We are making his documents available for download here. The analysis document describes the details of the plan titled, “Conservative Electric/Full Plant.” The critique document shows Bruce's evaluation of the plan and explains why he believes it is not beneficial for Carroll County residents. Consider reading the analysis document before reading the critique as it will make more sense to you that way.
Click Here To Read The Analysis Document
Click Here To Read The Critique of WTE Plan
League of Women Voters of Carroll County To Hold Commissioner Forums
The League Of Women Voters of Carroll County will be holding a series of Candidate Forms. Those Forums which pertain to the Commissioner's race will be held by District. All will start at 7 pm. All will be televised, though the public is encouraged to attend and ask questions of the candidates. Here is the schedule for the Commissioner Forums: 8/9 District #3 Community Media Center, Westminster
8/16 District #2 Hampstead Town Hall
8/18 District #5 Sykesville Town Hall
8/19 District #1 Manchester Town Hall
District #4 TBD
For more information, visit their website: www.carroll.lwvmd.org
8/16 District #2 Hampstead Town Hall
8/18 District #5 Sykesville Town Hall
8/19 District #1 Manchester Town Hall
District #4 TBD
For more information, visit their website: www.carroll.lwvmd.org
And don't forget that the primary is September 14, 2010.
Incinerators Are Not Safe
From Frederick News-PostIn response to Harvey Alter's June 14 letter, incinerators are not safe. It is folly to quote from proponents of incinerators for proof of safety. For decades the tobacco industry told us smoking cigarettes was safe.
The May 22 issue of Science News reports on findings that nanoparticles (extremely small particles) inhaled by children have a measurable negative impact on cognitive abilities ("Destination Brain"). A quote from the report: "Data suggest that inhaled airborne motes can enter the brain, where they would be expected to foster inflammation, a primary underlying trigger of tissue damage and neurodegenerative disease." Click Here To Keep Reading.
Waste Project Brings Concerns
From Carroll County Times
By Don West
Over the past several months much has been said about the proposed waste to energy incinerator. During that period, I have observed some interesting changes in the language associated with the project.
One of the most significant changes is how the project is defined. At first, it was a means of disposing of our municipal solid waste that, in turn, generated some electricity as a by-product. Now, it is defined as an electrical power plant that burns trash as fuel instead of coal or oil.
This is an enormous change since, just a few months ago, proponents of the incinerator successfully argued before the Public Service Commission that these facilities are not power plants. If they had been found to be so, our incinerator would have been subject to more rigorous permitting, regulation and emission controls. Once the case was settled, this new language now serves the proponents public relations effort. Keep reading here.
Incinerator Puts Harrisburg, PA In Massive Debt
Harrisburg, PA has a $68 million bill coming due before year's end, an impossible sum that is larger than its annual budget. It's a predicament caused by extravagant borrowing and spending, and now there are only unpleasant fixes: steep tax increases, severe layoffs and crippling service cuts, even bankruptcy.The financial crisis in Harrisburg has been precipitated by a malfunctioning municipal incinerator, whose ill-fated expansion was promoted as a potential moneymaker. The city's coming $68 million bill is part of $288 million in outstanding debt related to the project.
Enough With The Fruity Metaphors - We Want The Truth!
By Shawn Connell
In his most recent Letter to the Editor, Mike Evans (Carroll County Director of Public Works) tries to argue that those who are against the proposed incinerator are using faulty logic and misleading comparisons. He urges the public to keep the debate “focused on apples-to-apples, not fruit salad.” Pomiferous analogies aside, it is Mr. Evans who is being misleading.
Waste Not! Tours Incinerator
By Don West
On Wednesday, June 9, members of both Waste Not! Carroll and Frederick, along with a couple of Carroll County Commissioner Candidates and other interested citizens, toured the Montgomery County Incinerator at Dickerson, MD. The event was organized by Mr. J. Michael Evans and the Carroll County Department of Public Works. Our hosts for the tour were Mark A. Freedman, Facility Manager and Peter L. Hartwell, Business Manager, both employed by Covanta Energy Corporation, the plant's operator. Also helping with the tour was Mr. Chris Scaggs, Deputy Director of the Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority (NMWDA), the plant's designer and owner.
Lancelot of Camel-Lot Announces County Commissioner Endorsement
Lancelot of Camel-Lot, that accurate predictor of the last 2 1/2 presidential elections and frequent political pontificator, loves these big tax and spend projects that government wants to pulls us into. And he loves it even more when those projects involve constructing out of date technology. But what's a camel to with all these days with politicians talking so much instead about smaller, leaner government? Who can we still rely on to drive our county hundreds of millions of dollars into debt, pollute our air and water, and turn valuable commodities into worthless toxic ash - and all of this at the tax payers expense? Lancelot knows just the man...Click Here To Find Out Who.
Green Inspired Art Exhibit Opens in Westminster
A new art exhibit has opened to the public at the Carroll Arts Center. The exhibit, “Rejected to Perfected: Fine Art from Recyclables,” features works by local artists that have been fashioned from recycled materials. The exhibit is set to run through August 6th. A meet-the-artists reception is scheduled for 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. June 18. To read more click here.
Waste Not! Carroll at the Downtown Westminster Farmers' Market
Waste Not! Carroll will once again set up a table at the downtown Westminster Farmers' Market this Saturday, June 12th from 8 am to noon. Come on out and visit us and support our local 'growers only' market. A special thanks to Bruce Holstein (above) for helping man the table this past week. Bruce will be the featured speaker at this month's Waste Not! Carroll (Wednesday, June 23rd from 7 - 9 pm in the Large Meeting Room of the Westminster Branch of the Carroll County Library). He will be discussing his independent analysis of the financial implications of the WTE incinerator project.
Burrus: WTE Claim Doesn't Add Up
By Ellis Burruss
From the Frederick News-Post
June 2 2010
A few years ago I mentioned to a friend that I would like to get a flat-screen TV, but could not afford it. He said, "Well, you don't have to pay for it, just put it on your credit card."
The Saturday letter in The FNP from my very good friend and esteemed colleague Harvey Alter reminded me of that incident when he implied that the building of a $527 million WTE-incinerator will not affect county finances. He states that "... the plant will be financed with bonds guaranteed by the plant's revenue ... "
That's not true. There's no such guarantee in the incinerator contract. Yes, the plant would generate income from tipping fees and electricity sales. No, these will not be sufficient to meet the cost of the bonds and operating expense. Click Here To Keep Reading.
Breaking News: Evans to Prove That Waste Not! Carroll Are A Bunch Of Liars
This just in from our fearless leader Don 'The Misinformer' West:
"The executive staff of Waste Not! Carroll recently received information from an unidentified source citing a secret memo that outlines systematic abuses by Waste Not! in its presentation of the WTE controversy. The memo lists a series of unsubstantiated facts, fabricated numbers, and unnecessarily pessimistic projections the group uses to attempt to discredit this highly profitable and environmentally friendly project.
The memo did not reveal why this group of citizens would devote their own time, money and resources to such a despicable use of false information. Hopefully more insight will be available at an upcoming Open Session with the Carroll County Board of Commissioners and Public Works Director Mike Evans on Thursday, June 3rd, 11 am at the County Office Building.
Such purposeful dissemination of misinformation must be stopped immediately for the good of the citizens of Carroll and Frederick Counties!"
Incinerator Concerns Remain
From the Carroll County Times
Posted: Tuesday, May 25, 2010
By Gregor Becker
In an April 20 letter to the editor LTE Robin Davidov, executive director of the Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority, assured readers our incinerator would be nothing like the 1972 model Harrisburg incinerator model with its upgrade mismanagement.
No doubt that's true. Our upgrades or operational challenges will be different. Who cares to speculate what those might be over the anticipated 30-year operational life?
So why is Davidov making presentations to promote incineration in Detroit, New York, Florida and, recently, in Australia? The NMWDA was created in 1980 to be "a public instrumentality of the state of Maryland."
Is the incinerator industry paying her travel expenses? If true, she is indeed an industry lobbyist. That potential conflict of interest leaves her guiding Maryland counties in their solid waste planning decisions. If the state pays her expenses, that's an inappropriate use of taxpayer money given that the NMWDA was created to serve Maryland member jurisdictions only. Read More Here.
"Incineration is a Bad Deal for the County"
From the Carroll County Times Friday, May 21, 2010
By Bruce Holstein
This is in response to Mike Evans' May 12 letter, "Waste to energy a good concept," where he says "fact based debate is at the core of our social being."
In another May 12 article titled "Costs of incinerator discussed," Evans says the incinerator's cost will be paid by income generated by the facility and users of the incinerator, or those who bring their trash to the county landfill. He also said that none of the construction cost would be paid with tax money.
The financial data Evans quoted comes from a planning document for 2015. Here are some other facts from the same document. If we are going to have a fact-based debate, let's include all the facts. Read More Here.
Hey Robin Davidov, Advice Should Be Unbiased!
By Patrice Gallagher
I am responding to an April 20 letter from Robin Davidov, "Waste-to-energy a positive project."
I grew up in Carroll, and have lived in Frederick for 20 years, and I'm weary of Davidov's waste-to-energy cheerleading in our counties.
She's touted in industry circles for promoting incineration to the public, but as Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority director, she is supposed to give us unbiased advice regarding our waste. However, only one professional study of disposal options was conducted for Frederick, comparing waste-to-energy to long hauling our trash, period. We need a professional study including commercial recycling, reusing/repurposing construction and demolition debris, commercially composting our food waste, etc. Click Here To Keep Reading.
BoCC Candidate Johnson: "Incinerator Plan Is Too Costly"
From the Carroll County Times - Friday, May 14, 2010 1:00 am
By Michele Johnson
When I first learned that Carroll County was entering into an agreement for a regional waste incinerator, I was surprised.
As a mom, I wondered why this incinerator would proceed despite strong opposition and serious concerns from the Carroll County Environmental Advisory Council regarding potential health and environmental risks. As a taxpayer, I was outraged by the staggering economic cost. Click Here to Read More.
"Rejected to Perfected: Fine Art from Recyclables" Opening Soon
Western Civilizations’ throw-away society had its beginnings in the Italian Renaissance when Humanist writers espoused facts that Mother Nature would constantly replenish her resources. The early 20th century Italian Futurist painter, Marinetti, wrote a manifest to the movement that applauded industrial pollution as proof that mankind was moving forward in a positive direction. Enter the 21st century and industrialized nations are looking back, not to the Italian Renaissance or industry but to those countries, while appearing primitive, have been practicing sustainable living. Rejected to Perfected will feature art and media are not purchased at the art store, whose pigment will not pollute water sources but bring awareness to the beauty and functionality that can be found in the landfill, recycle bins and dumpsters. These creative artists think out of the box. “Renew-Reuse-Recycle” is their artistic credo. For More Information Click Here.
Sponsored by the Maryland Heartland Sustainable Living Fair
| ||||
Evans Calls for 'Fact-Based Debate'; Claims Trash Is A Renewable Resource
Public Works director Mike Evans has a letter to the editor in todays CCT's calling for 'Fact-Based Debate' on the issue of incineration, extolling the virtues of Waste-to-Energy and then...claiming that trash is in fact a renewable resource. Click Here to Read.
Waste Not! Carroll's May Meeting Cancel
Waste Not! Carroll has cancelled it's May 26th meeting at the Westminster Branch of the Carroll County Library. Waste Not! Carroll is planning a candidate forum instead for later in the summer.
Waste Not! will be a vendor and giving a presentation at the Maryland Heartland Sustainable Living Fair on May 22 at the Carroll County Farm Museum. For more information on that event, click here.
Incinerator Is A Waste of Energy
By Don West, from the Carroll County Times
Recently I have heard both local and state officials assert that a successful recycling program is not only compatible with incineration of our municipal solid waste, it benefits from it.
Central to this argument are the higher recycling rates reported from jurisdictions that utilize so-called waste to energy incinerators, like Harford and Montgomery counties and Baltimore City. The fact that isn't well publicized, however, is that the incinerators' ash by-product must be disposed of by the jurisdictions in landfills and counts as a recycled product. Read More Here.
County Commissioners to Hold Q&A on Incinerator
Carroll County Commissioners Zimmer and Gouge will be at the Hampstead Library this Monday evening at 7pm for a question and answer session about the incinerator. This event is open to the public and all are encouraged to come and join the discussion!
Don West Speaks to Greater Taylorsville Area Citizens' Council
Trash was the talk of the night Monday, and it will be again May 10, for the Greater Taylorsville Area Citizens' Council, which is taking a look at both side of the incinerator planned for Carroll and Frederick counties.
Don West of Westminster, a member of "Waste-Not Carroll," spoke at the group's Monday night meeting, summarizing the possibly negative budgetary and environmental impact of the project. Read More Here.
Pay-As-You-Throw Pilot Program Passes in Frederick County
A bill to create a pilot program for a pay-as-you-throw trash system passed the Maryland Senate 47-0. The bill will allow the Frederick County Commissioners to try charging customers based on how much they throw away, with the intention of increasing recycling rates. The commissioners hope people who reduce their waste could save money on their trash bills.
Incinerator project burns up Pa. capital's cash
HARRISBURG, Pa. - This capital city was near total collapse three decades ago - its department stores, theaters and trolleys were gone, replaced by vacant buildings and streets devoid of any nightlife.
A huge effort, thanks partly to an energetic mayor, brought the Susquehanna River city of 47,000 back from the brink. Today, professionals and state office workers pack the restaurants, hotels and arts venues that helped restore its respectability.
Along the way, city leaders thought they could transform their aging, debt-laden trash incinerator into a clean, efficient moneymaker. But costs exploded and massive debt payments due this year on the incinerator threaten to drag the city into bankruptcy.
So grim is the situation that Moody's Investors Service has branded Harrisburg with the lowest credit rating of any of its 3,500-plus rated municipalities that have not defaulted, hurting the city's ability to finance civic improvements without paying sky-high interest rates. Continue reading here.
Op-ed: Incinerator plan bad for county
By Melissa Prosperie
Supporters of the proposed incinerator prefer the label "waste to energy" facility, implying that we can simply input trash and produce electricity to use. But that label is misleading since the incinerator will also produce lots of other things they don't want you to think about. Read More Here.
Don West and Dan Andrews Present to Westminster about PAYT
Members of Waste Not! Carroll gave gave a presentation on Pay as You Throw to the Mayor and the Common Council of Westminster, Maryland. Read more here.
Special Interests Helped Kill Bills (Don West's LTE 3/22/10)
Over the last several months many articles and letters to the editor have appeared regarding our trash generally and the proposed waste to energy incinerator specifically. Continue reading here.
New Series - Talking Trash
We have begun a new series where we will be interviewing prominent figures involved in the debate over how best to handle Carroll County’s solid waste. We begin the series with Dan Andrews, a native of Carroll County, and one of its most active environmentalists. Read More here...
EAC asks for more information on recycling
With several anti-incinerator bills failing at the Maryland General Assembly and reports that recycling commodity prices are on the rise, the Carroll County Environmental Advisory Council is hoping to get an update on the county's plans to increase recycling at next month's meeting. Read More Here...
Lots of New Events Added to the Calendar
Check out the calendar right here...
WTE Financial Analysis
Upcoming Events
Wednesday, Sep 8 at 7:00 pm
Monday, Sep 13 at 7:00 pm
Saturday, Sep 18, All day
Sunday, Sep 19, All day
Recent Blog Entries
by wastenotcarroll | 0 comments
by wastenotcarroll | 0 comments
by wastenotcarroll | 0 comments
by wastenotcarroll | 0 comments
Recent Forum Posts
No recent posts
