Waste Not! Carroll

Incinerator plan raises concerns

From The Carroll County Times, Thursday, August 12, 2010 1:00 am

By Don West

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.

First, why have there been no detailed studies undertaken or published of the ‘zero waste option' as outlined in the Richard Anthony Associates report presented to the commissioners in January 2008, instead relying only on comparisons of the incinerator vs. long distance transfer (out of state) to landfill, an option that nobody views as sustainable?

Second, if incinerators are such a financial windfall, why doesn't the private sector fund and build these projects based on a sound business model, without the security of the public safety net?

Finally, can anyone clearly and succinctly state what the benefits are to the residents of Carroll County for proceeding with this project?

Unfortunately, the many negative aspects of this plan have been pointed out repeatedly without any honest refutation from those who seem to be pushing so hard for this project to proceed. The voters and taxpayers of Carroll County deserve some real answers, not just fluff and puff.

Don West

Westminster

The writer is co-founder of Waste Not! Carroll, a local solid waste advocacy group.