League of Women Voters of Massachusetts

LWVMA

Where We Stand

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Government

LWVMA

WHERE WE STAND

Natural Resources: Waste Management

Hazardous waste

Under a federal agreement, New England's hazardous waste continues to be shipped to commercial incineration and disposal facilities outside New England. Some recycling of solvents and treatment of metal-bearing wastes does take place in New England; some large generators have on-site capacity. As the out-of-state sites are filled, New England must develop sites within its boundaries. Sitting of new facilities continues to encounter local opposition. Many people agree that the state's sitting law (Ch. 21) should be amended.

Household hazardous waste program

Concern about public health and environmental problems caused by household hazardous waste led to a household hazardous waste collection program in 1981. In 1982, LWV Lexington, after a local study of hazardous waste management issues, recommended and initiated a local collection program. Since that time, collection programs have been held across the country, many of them organized by local Leagues. LWVMA developed household hazardous waste kits, which detail the need for collections and the process for organizing them. The third edition was published in 1990. A video tape, "Beginning at Home: Tackling Household Hazardous Waste," was also produced.

Superfund

The Massachusetts superfund law was enacted to clean up hazardous waste spills and sites that are not on the 1980 federal superfund law's list. The law requires responsible parties to clean up the spill or the contaminated site according to state procedures if they have the available funds. The law provides for a $25 million clean-up fund to be made available for the clean-up if there is not an available or known responsible party.

An LWVMA representative sat on the state superfund advisory committee. This committee developed a contingency plan for the state that specifies the manner in which the law must be implemented. Among the considerations were the transporter's fee, a strategy for spill and site clean-up, and a public participation program.

The national priorities list, established under the federal superfund law, includes 812 sites of which 21 are in Massachusetts. The federal superfund law established a complicated 18-month process to assess the nature of the site-specific programs and to recommend clean-up options.

Low-level radioactive waste

The Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Act of 1980 made states responsible for the disposal of low level wastes generated commercially within their borders. Under the provisions of this act, states could form regional compacts to establish disposal sites and refuse to accept wastes from states outside their compact region after January 1, 1986. State legislatures approve a state's membership in a regional compact, which becomes legally binding with the consent of Congress.

During 1981, an LWVMA representative served on the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Oversight Committee formed to advise the Department of Public Health on nuclear waste issues and public education. The League strongly opposed legislation to site a low-level radioactive waste disposal facility in Massachusetts and helped draft substitute legislation establishing a study committee. This substitute legislation, Ch.738, passed in 1981.

Low-level radioactive waste disposal issues and the Regional Waste Compact were LWVMA's education and edu-cation priorities during 1982 and 1983. The League co-sponsored, organized and spoke at three conferences on low-level waste issues and was represented at major environmental conferences throughout the state.

The Special Legislative Commission on Low-Level Waste, on which the League was represented, was charged with assessing low-level waste disposal issues, making recommendations on the Commonwealth's participation in a regional disposal compact, and drafting siting legislation.

In 1984, LWVMA organized a two-day low-level waste conference, funded by the Department of Energy, for the 11 state Leagues in the northeast. The conference purpose was to inform key public interest groups about technical and compact-related low-level waste management issues, and to initiate dialogue within the 11 northeast states. Criteria were drafted for evaluating low-level waste compact proposals and accepted by participating Leagues. The conference was videotaped and segments were made available for public use.

Solid waste

The League has advocated for a comprehensive solid waste management program at the local, regional, state and federal levels and interprets the interrelatedness of different solid waste options. It has lobbied for bills to implement regional resource recovery, including financial incentives for sitting facilities, revenue bonds for financing and mandatory compliance with public health standards by local disposal operations. Local Leagues have lobbied for improved methods of disposal in cities and towns across the state. The League has encouraged government to increase solid waste public education efforts and public participation activities. The League publicizes solid waste systems and lobbies for recycling, environmentally sound land disposal and hazardous waste management. Solid and hazardous waste disposal were LWVMA legislative priorities in the late 1980s.. The Solid Waste Act and Hazardous Waste Act were passed in 1988.

Source reduction

LWVMA played an active role in the statewide coalition promoting the Bottle Bill and was especially successful in the areas of fundraising and local group endorsements. With the implementation of the Bottle Bill in 1983, the League reached one of its goals-a 7 percent reduction in the solid waste stream. To date there have been few new refillable bottles; instead there has been an increase in the number of plastic soft drink containers. The current non-reusable beer and soft drink containers are able to be recycled, whether plastic, aluminum or glass. Since 1988, the League has worked in support of legislation that would promote environmentally acceptable product packaging. Packaging would be reusable or made of recycled materials.

Recycling programs

Concern and enthusiasm are strong at the local level. Many suburban communities have initiated recycling programs. The League has provided technical assistance to local recycling programs. Continuing problems are marketing low-value materials (such as glass and paper), high collection costs for curbside pickup and the need for additional markets.

Resource recovery facilities

As available landfill space diminished, resource recovery facilities were viewed by many people as desirable alternatives. The League provided local Leagues in northeastern Massachusetts, the Route 128 west area and the Worcester region with information on resource recovery. One facility has opened in Haverhill-Lawrence, and another in North Andover services 22 communities plus commercial waste. By 1990, facilities had opened in Millbury, Worcester, Springfield and southeastern Massachusetts.

Landfills

Numerous landfills throughout the state have been closed in recent years because of existent or imminent groundwater contamination. Corrective actions must be taken at these sites and evaluations made at less obviously contaminated landfill sites. Additional landfills will be closed in the near future because they are either filled or contaminated. Sitting of new landfills is difficult because of local opposition and lack of suitable undeveloped and environmentally protected land. .

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