State’s Solid Waste Master Plan seeks to reduce volume

On April 24, following a public comment period, the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs released the state’s 10-year Solid Waste Master Plan, which seeks to reduce the solid waste stream by 30 percent by 2020.

To help meet this goal, the Department of Environmental Protection will provide $2.5 million in financial incentives annually to municipalities for recycling and re-use efforts, to promote the diversion of organic and food wastes for anaerobic digestion, and for composting projects.

The solid waste plan modifies the current incinerator moratorium to promote the development of alternative technologies like gasification or pyrolysis (a process for converting solid waste to energy or fuel).

The DEP will also change regulations to require solid waste facilities to hire independent third parties to perform facility and trash load inspections.

State law requires the DEP to develop and maintain a comprehensive statewide master plan for solid waste management.

Municipalities across the state are facing increased disposal costs and reduced disposal capacity.

The Solid Waste Master Plan, and responses to comments on the draft document, can be found at www.mass.gov/dep/recycle/priorities/dswmpu01.htm.