Connecticut is facing a solid waste and recycling crisis. Recycling markets in China and elsewhere have closed their doors to the U.S., forcing us to deal with our long-standing solid waste problems. As a result, municipal recycling costs have skyrocketed, recycling rates have declined, and our environment and health are suffering from pollution.
Signs of our solid waste crisis are evident across Connecticut:
Over-reliance on trash incineration: CT is heavily dependent on outdated trash incinerators for waste disposal. Governor Lamont recently decided to end taxpayer subsidies for Hartford’s dirty and decades-old incinerator, leading to its impending closure. While this will be a win for taxpayers, our environment, and public health, it leaves CT with an increasingly urgent need for alternative solutions to sustainably manage this waste.
Costs to taxpayers have skyrocketed: Municipalities that were once getting paid for their recyclables must now pay to recycle. One example—Bridgeport went from $130,000 in income from recyclables to a projected $394,380 per year in expenses.
Consumer packaging is creating a major solid waste problem: Consumer packaging, such as plastic trays, StyrofoamTM containers, cardboard boxes, plastic film, and other flexible packaging makes up about 41% of Connecticut’s municipal solid waste. Less than half of this packaging waste is recycled properly in CT.
Food waste: Wasted food is a serious economic, environmental, and food security problem. The overproduction, distribution, and preparation of food has led to excessive waste of usable food scraps, contributes to climate change, and perpetuates the challenges of food insecurity. 22% of CT’s solid waste stream is food waste—this equates to roughly 520,000 tons of food being thrown away each year.
CT needs bold, transformative solutions to reduce solid waste, increase recycling, save taxpayers money, and eliminate the need for aging trash incinerators:
Hold Manufacturers—Not Taxpayers—Accountable for Costs: An Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) law for packaging allows municipalities to shift the cost of collecting and recycling packaging waste away from taxpayers and back to the manufacturers that design and profit from these products. By holding producers accountable for these costs, EPR incentivizes the design of packaging that is more environmentally friendly and easier to recycle.
Modernize Connecticut’s Bottle Bill: The Bottle Bill stands as one of CT’s most successful environmental laws since the 1980’s. Unfortunately, failure to update this law has made CT the lowest performing deposit system in the world, with a redemption rate around 50% (a 37% drop from where CT was 15 years ago). Expanding the program to include non-carbonated beverages such as juices, teas, and sports drinks can increase recycling by more than 400 million containers per year. Raising the deposit from 5 to 10 cents creates a stronger incentive to recycle.
Expand Food Waste Collection in Connecticut: CT’s Commercial Organics Recycling law requires some large food generators (e.g. food wholesalers, supermarkets, resorts) to donate or compost their unwanted food. By expanding this law to include other large food generators such as schools, hospitals, stadiums and food courts, CT could significantly reduce food waste, while increasing composting, generating clean energy, and feeding the hungry.
Contact your representatives in the CT House and Senate TODAY and urge them to adopt sustainable solutions to Connecticut’s solid waste and recycling crisis!
Thanks for taking action. Together we make a difference!
Sincerely,
Your friends at CCE
