There will be a Sullivan County Legislature meeting on Thursday, May 21, at 10:30 AM at the Government Center located at 100 North Street, Monticello, NY 12701. Item 20 on the Agenda is “Resolution to authorize amendments to Section 620.1 of the Sullivan County Solid Waste Management Rules.“

That may not sound interesting, but it is important. Sullivan County is considering placing an incinerator in Monticello, NY. If they go ahead, it will have major negative health impacts on local residents and the “put or pay” contract could force the County to import trash, with tax payers footing the bill.

Energy Justice Network is a national nonprofit organization headquartered in Philadelphia with member organizations throughout New York State, including Sustainable Sullivan in Sullivan County. It is a research-based organization that supports communities to transition to clean energy and zero waste systems with a focus on preventing and avoiding polluting industrial operations such as trash incineration.

Executive Director Mike Ewall has responded to the Sullivan County, DRAFT REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS on WASTE TO ENERGY R-25-21. His thorough response covers these following questions and comments:

1. Is this asking for a trash and C&D waste incinerator or a plastics pyrolysis facility?
2. Why is the county trying to import waste from throughout the region?
3. Is this RFP open to anaerobic digestion, possibly as part of a true Zero Waste approach?
4. Where will the ash go? Does the county plan to host a landfill for it as well?
5. Environmental Justice & Civil Rights Act violations
6. Conflicts with state’s Solid Waste Plan and climate plans
7. Incineration vs. Landfills
8. Incinerator Health Impacts
9. Zero Waste Solutions

In his opinion, informed by 35 years in this field, this “waste to energy” RFP 25-21 needs a lot of work and should probably be completely rewritten, as it is confused and off-track.

Be SMART (Save Money And Reduce Trash) Handling Trash

Sullivan County does NOT have to invent new ways to reduce trash volumes and disposal costs. Many place have achieved trash reductions of 50% and more (see our SMART guidelines).