#landfills — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #landfills, aggregated by home.social.
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#Mainers - Unfortunately, the deadline for purchasing this year has passed. But bug your municipality about buying in bulk for next year! [Similar programs exist in other states... I'll take a look-see after posting this.]
Maine Resource Recovery Association -
#Recycling and Solid Waste Management2025 Spring Backyard #Composting Supply Sale
It's that time of year again! Put in your bulk order today!
Backyard Composting Supplies
- Kitchen Pail
Collect food scraps for easy transfer to your compost bin.- Lobster Trap Composter
Available in both a 3 and 4 foot size. Ideal for grass clippings, leaves, garden and food scraps. Comes with rings to assemble. Hog ring pliers are also available to order. MADE IN MAINE.- REOTEMP Thermometer
Designed with a 20 inch stem this device is perfect for monitoring the interior temperature of your compost.- #EarthMachine [I own two of these...]
80 gallon composting bin that converts, grass, leaves, and table scraps into an abundant supply of rich garden soil.- Wingdigger
Use this handy tool to turn your compost. [I use a garden fork for that]- #RainBarrell
55 gallon capacity, collects rain water for your garden.- Backyard #Compost Guide
#Recycling Containers and Carts
roll offs- Recycling Carts
Easy handling curbside cart comes in 35, 64, 96 gallon sizes. Carts have excellent balance and stability. They are available in various colors.- Recycling Bin
18 gallon curbside recycler for paper, cans, glass, plastics, etc. Holds up to 80 pounds, and allows for drainage of any liquids.Contact us to order."
https://mrra.net/home/products/
#SolarpunkSunday #Composting
#ReducingWaste #Landfills
#Maine #Recycling #MRRA #BackyardComposting #FoodWaste #FoodWasteComposting #RainwaterCollection -
An excellent resource from #EcoMaine!
"Did you know that almost a third of what we throw away is leftover or spoiled food? If Maine is to achieve a 50% recycling rate, we need to recover our food waste, too – it’s worth the weight!
"ecomaine added food waste recycling to our sustainable waste management solutions in order to help Maine reach its recycling goal. We continue to build food waste recycling capacity in southern Maine, serving as a central collection point for grocery stores, institutions, and participating cities and towns.
"Collected food waste is transported to #ExeterME’s #AgriEnergy [#AgricycleEnergy] to be de-packaged and anaerobically digested to produce sustainable power, organic farm #fertilizer, and cow bedding for the #Maine family dairy farm #StonyvaleFarm. Any packaging removed from the food waste is delivered back to ecomaine to be burned for energy—keeping all of it out of our #landfills!
"By making #composting, anaerobic digestion, and food waste recycling so easy, we encourage our communities to dispose of their waste responsibly.
"For more on compost that’s 'Worth The Weight,' check out our informational pamphlet!
#BackyardComposting"Backyard composting is one of the easiest ways to keep organic material out of the trash. It also has some other great advantages:
- It doesn’t weigh your trash down as much.
- It doesn’t get into ecomaine‘s waste-to-energy plant, making our combustion more damp and less efficient.
- It’s easy – and “grass-cycling” (leaving clippings on the lawn) is better for your grass!
- It saves Maine’s towns money on collection and hauling.
- And it saves YOU money on trash bags!"There are no trucks or driving involved – no carbon emissions! You just walk it out to your bin, and that’s it.
"In the end, composting produces rich #soil for flower and vegetable #gardens – without paying for it (again) at the store.Drop Off Locations
"If you’re looking for a compost drop-off location, instead of putting it in your backyard, here are a few… If you know of one that’s not here, let us know! (Some facilities may be for residents only; we advise calling ahead if you’re not sure.)
[I've found that transfer stations are usually residents only...]
#BridgtonME Transfer Station
118 Sandy Creek Rd, Bridgton, ME, USA#BrownfieldME Transfer Station
Pequawket Trail, Brownfield, ME, USA#CapeElizabethME Recycling Center
10 Cooper Dr, Cape Elizabeth, ME, USA#EliotME Recycling Center
468 Dow Highway, Eliot, ME, USA#FalmouthME Community Park
Winn Rd, Falmouth, ME, USA#FalmouthME Transfer Station
100 Woods Rd, Falmouth, ME, USA#FalmouthME Village Park
22 Hat Trick Drive, Falmouth, ME#FreeportME Recycling Center
100 Landfill Road, Freeport, ME, USA#NorthYarmouthME Town Hall / #SamRistichNatureTrail, North Yarmouth, ME, USA
#PortlandME: #BoydStreet #CommunityGarden
2 Boyd Street, Portland, MEPortland: #BrentwoodFarms Community Garden
Brentwood Street, Portland, MEPortland: #Libbytown Community Garden
175 Douglass Street, Portland, MEPortland: #NorthStreetCommunityGarden
195 North Street, Portland, ME
Portland: Parkside/King Middle School
In the back of the school near the Fitzpatrick Stadium parking lot
92 Deering Avenue, Portland, ME
Portland: #PaysonPark Community Garden
Dropoff located on Front Street.
Front Street, Portland, MainePortland: #ReicheSchool
Dropoff is on the Clark Street side.
166 Brackett Street, Portland, ME
Portland: #Riverton Community Garden
45 Verrill Street, Portland, Maine
#SacoME Dept. of Public Works
15 Phillips Spring Road, Saco, MESaco Parks & Rec
75 Franklin St, Saco, ME, USA#ScarboroughME Public Works Facility
20 Washington Avenue, Scarborough, ME, USA#SouthPortlandME City Hall
25 Cottage Rd, South Portland, ME, USA
South Portland Code Enforcement Office
496 Ocean Street, South Portland, MESouth Portland Golf Course Maint. Building
221 Westbrook Street, South Portland, ME, USASouth Portland High School
637 Highland Avenue, South Portland, ME, USASouth Portland Transfer Station
929 Highland Ave, South Portland, ME, USASouth Portland: Redback Community Center
95 Macarthur Circle West, South Portland, ME#StandishME Transfer Station
150 Moody Rd, Standish, ME, USA
#SurryME: #ChickadeeCompost
Jill's Lane, Surry, Maine www.chickadeecompost.com#VinalhavenME Transfer Station
178 Round the Island Rd, Vinalhaven, ME, USA
#YarmouthME Transfer Station
659 East Main Street, Yarmouth, ME, USACurbside Collection
And if you’re really not into the backyard thing, there are some companies who will pick it up for you!
- #WeCompostIt! (Greater Portland)
- #GarbageToGarden (Greater Portland)
- #ScrapDogs (Greater #CamdenME-#RockportME)
- #MrFoxComposting (Southern Maine & #NH)
- #ProjectEarth (Lincoln County)
- #ChickadeeCompost (All of #BlueHillME Peninsula, #DeerIsleME, #EllsworthME)
- #OneEarth Composting (#HampdenME)
- #AgriCycle Energy (Collection from businesses & organizations for anaerobic digestion – all over!)Other Compost Resources:
Maine Department of Environmental Protection
207-592-0455University of Maine Cooperative Extension
207-581-3188Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions at the University of Maine – Food Recovery
207-581-3195Maine Organic Farmers & Gardeners Association [#MOFGA]
207-568-4142#WormMainea
207-831-3752#MainelyWorm Bins
#UncleJimsWormFarm
1-800-373-0555Source (with links):
https://www.ecomaine.org/food-waste-and-composting/#SolarpunkSunday #Composting #WormBins #ReducingWaste
#Landfills #Maine #WasteToEnergy -
#KentUK #RepairCafé celebrates decade of reducing waste
Story by Zac Sherratt - BBC News, March 8, 2025
"A Kent repair café which has become a 'cornerstone of sustainability and community spirit' is celebrating a decade since its launch.
"#FavershamRepairCafé runs on the second Saturday of each month at The Spire Church, and this month's session will be exactly 10 years since it began.
"The café's volunteers have repaired more than 2,800 items, from household appliances to cherished personal belongings.
"Founder and chairman Prof Martin Charter said he and the team were looking forward to reducing waste and strengthening community bonds for years to come.
"Prof Charter began a series of pilot repair cafés in 2014 before officially launching the project the following year.
[...]
"More than 6,000 people have visited the café, all playing their part in diverting an estimated 7.5 tonnes of waste from #landfills and saving roughly 70.1 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions."
Source:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/repair-caf%C3%A9-celebrates-decade-of-reducing-waste/ar-AA1AuKCf
#RepairCafes #RepairCafesUK #SolarPunkSunday #FixIt #RightToRepair -
#RepairCafes Are the Beating Heart of the #RightToRepair Movement
"To date, our #DareToRepair Cafes in #BuffaloNY have led to the repair of more than 800 items, 7,554 pounds diverted from #landfills, and more than $40,000 in savings for community members."
by Darren Cotton
Published on Mar 20, 2024"While such right-to-repair legislation is crucial to broader systemic change, it’s the patchwork of local repair movements independently popping up — in New York state and across the country — that is changing hearts and minds when it comes to waste and giving us hope that a different world is possible."
https://nextcity.org/features/repair-cafes-are-the-beating-heart-of-the-right-to-repair-movement
#SolarPunkSunday #RightToRepairMovement #HackerSpace #Repair #CircularEconomy
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#PenobscotNation and #ConservationLawFoundation appeal to stop #JuniperRidgeLandfill expansion
Maine Public | By Carol Bousquet
Published November 13, 2024"The Penobscot Nation and Conservation Law Foundation have filed an appeal in Superior Court to stop the expansion of the Juniper Ridge Landfill in #OldTownMaine.
"In October the state concluded that the expansion was in the public's interest and set several conditions that #Casella Waste Management must meet to move forward with the project.
"Alexandra St. Pierre of the Conservation Law Foundation said the expansion runs contrary to the state's waste management goals, which prioritize reduction of waste volume and using #landfills.
"'Our goal here is to ensure that the decision is consistent with environmental justice and with the solid waste hierarchy as the law requires,' St. Pierre said.
"The Penobscot Nation and #CLF said that in its finding, the state failed to guarantee the safety of residents and the #environment.
"They argue that harmful exposure to #PFAS in the landfill's #leachate, #AirPollution and contamination of the #PenobscotRiver will all increase.
"'And we're really hoping we'll get adequate consideration for the issues that we raised and that the people actually themselves are considered and that #EnvironmentalJustice is implemented,' St. Pierre said.
"The DEP said it is unable to comment on pending litigation."
#MaineDEP #WabanakiConfederacy #WaterIsLife #AirIsLife #EnvironmentalRacism #IndianIsland #Penobscot #MaineEnvironmentalNews #Maine
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#MaineDEP says expansion of state’s largest landfill would benefit public
The decision allows the state to apply to add 61 acres to the state-owned #JuniperRidgeLandfill, which takes in 52% of the state's waste.
by Penelope Overton
October 2, 2024"Despite objections from neighbors and environmental groups, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection concluded Wednesday that expanding the state’s largest landfill, Juniper Ridge, would substantially benefit the public.
It’s not an outright approval, but the department’s decision allows the state to apply to add 61 acres to the state-owned Juniper Ridge Landfill, which takes in 52% of the state’s waste. The state claims this expansion would extend the facility’s operating life by 11 years; without it, it would run out of space by 2028."DEP Commissioner Melanie Loyzim’s decision can be appealed to the Board of Environmental Protection and the Maine courts, and several opponents of the proposed expansion, like the Boston-based #ConservationLawFoundation , say they are prepared to challenge the decision.
"'This decision recklessly gambles with public health and the environment,' said #AlexandraStPierre, the director of communities and toxics in the foundation’s #EnvironmentalJustice Program. 'It dismisses the serious concerns raised by the #PenobscotNation and other nearby residents about the harmful effects this expansion will have on their health and community.'
"She continued: 'We refuse to allow this dangerous expansion to proceed unchecked.'
"The foundation and other opponents say the #OldTown location of the facility unfairly places the burden of the state’s trash needs on the Penobscot Nation. The #leachate that #JuniperRidge produces when it rains is sent to a nearby paper mill sewer plant that discharges into the #PenobscotRiver.
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"The amount of waste heading to Maine landfills has increased 34% between 2018 and 2022, according to DEP. #Sludge that was once spread on #agricultural fields is now landfilled due to forever chemical #contamination [#PFAS]. The amount of municipal solid waste landfilled during that time jumped 47%.
"While some people say Maine is not doing enough to divert waste from the #landfills – for example, a bill that would have required large #FoodWaste generators to #recycle their #scraps at a nearby facility died on the appropriations table – others object to #Casella as the facility operator.
"Casella clashed with some municipal leaders and state lawmakers when it refused to accept the #biosolids created by wastewater treatment plants at Juniper Ridge out of fear that the mushy slop, or sludge, was causing structural instability that could lead to the landfill’s collapse."
Original article:
https://www.pressherald.com/2024/10/02/maine-state-needs-to-expand-its-biggest-landfill/Archived version:
https://archive.md/VXv9m#WaterIsLife #EnvironmentalRacism #JuniperRidgeLandfill #CasellaWasteSystems #MaineNews #Maine #ToxicFire #PFASPollution
#WabanakiAlliance
#DontWasteME #Slingshot #EnvironmentalJustice #PenobscotNation #PFAS #PenobscotRiver #EnvironmentalInjustice #CompostFoodWaste #ReduceWaste -
While on the subject of #landfills and #TrashFires...
Exponential Landfill Expansion Proposal MustTake Into Account #EnvironmentalJustice
Josh Woodbury July 25, 2024
"#CasellaWasteSystems has applied for an expansion of the Juniper Ridge Landfill that could more than double its size. Under law, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection must determine whether an expansion has 'public benefit.' They also must consider Environmental Justice when looking at the industrial facility’s impact on surrounding communities, including the #PenobscotNation. The #MEDEP will make a decision by August 23rd. Public comments are currently being accepted. [I'll have to look into what the decision was]
"After a hard fought push back from area residents, including members of the Penobscot Nation, the DEP is now required to consider 'Environmental Justice' when making a determination about whether a landfill expansion meets the 'Public Benefit' criteria. The DEP will decide if the criteria is met next month.
"Juniper Ridge landfill is located in West Old Town, and is situated between #PushawStream and #BirchStream that both flow into the #PenobscotRiver. The landfill’s leachate waste is trucked to the now #NineDragonsMill in #OldTownMaine, where it receives treatment [sic] and is released into the Penobscot River, directly below the Penobscot Nation.
"In current solid waste law, the DEP has defined Environmental Justice as, '…the right to be protected from environmental pollution and live in and enjoy a clean and healthful #environment, regardless of ancestry, class, disability, ethnicity, income, national origin or religion.
"Environmental justice includes the equal protection and meaningful involvement of all people with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of waste management laws, regulations, and licensing decisions.
"The Penobscot Nation has experienced environmental impacts from the Juniper Ridge Landfill including odors, a toxic fire in 2023, and the discharging of minimally treated leachate, which includes #PFAS, into the #PenobscotRiver sustenance fishing waters.
"Juniper Ridge Landfill still accepts out of state waste after Casella lobbied for a postponement of recently passed restrictions."
#SunlightMediaCollective #JuniperRidgeLandfill #Casella #MaineNews #Maine #ToxicSmoke #ToxicFire #WaterIsLife #WabanakiAlliance #KathyPaul #DontWasteME #Slingshot #ConservationLawFoundation
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#Maine Legislature Passes #FoodScrapBan
Will keep thousands of tons of #FoodWaste out of #landfills.
March 6, 2024
"Maine’s legislature has passed a bill that would require many commercial food producers to #donate and #compost food waste rather than send it to a landfill. The bill would reduce #FoodInsecurity, save cities and towns money, and slow #ClimateChange from #methane pollution.
"#ConservationLawFoundation (#CLF) released the following statement in response: "#MethanePollution is over 80 times more dangerous than carbon dioxide in driving the climate crisis,' said Nora Bosworth, #ZeroWaste attorney at CLF. 'The main culprit of this pollution is decomposing food scraps in landfills, and this bill offers a logical solution to this problem. It’s time for Maine to catch up with the rest of New England and embrace a better solution for our food waste.'"
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More of this, please! More #recycling, #LessMining!
More than 600K pounds of #ElectronicWaste (#EWaste) has been diverted from landfills thanks to #Colorado teenagers
Over the past 12 years, #CañonCity High School students have prepped and delivered mostly electronic waste to 3R Technology Solutionsby Sue McMillin
Feb 14, 2024CAÑON CITY — "More than 600,000 pounds of mostly electronic waste has been diverted from landfills over the past 12 years by the students who run #TigerRecycling at Cañon City High School.
To be precise: 623,702 pounds of #laptops, dismantled #desktops, #cellphones, #printers, #televisions, and the assorted detritus of outdated, broken, waterlogged or unwanted gear has been prepped by students and delivered to 3R Technology Solutions, according to 3R CEO Pete Mikulin, who says they track every pound that comes through the doors."Amid the haul were assorted #SmallAppliances — #mixers, #SewingMachines, #toasters — and #batteries and #cords that students disassemble or sort. Tiger Recycling and 3R, its primary vendor, take just about anything that plugs in or runs on batteries except for large appliances such as washers and dryers.
"While all this stuff is getting #reused or #repurposed, the students learn how to take things apart, safely handle potentially #HazardousWaste, identify and sort materials (such as clean or dirty #aluminum, #steel and #plastic), prepare items for shipping, fill out bills of lading, and take in and weigh items from customers.
"This student-run business is unique in a couple of other ways: Tiger Recycling is certified for recycling by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, and it earns money.
"'That program, if you look at it as a whole, these kids learn a lot of skills,' Mikulin said. 'They take ownership in it every year. They don’t look at it as just a class, they look at it as a company. It is registered with the state of #Colorado, and it abides by all the state’s laws and rules for recycling.
'They are practicing #sustainability, diverting materials from the #landfills. It’s been pretty cool all these years.'"He calls Tiger Recycling the 'showcase' of school recycling programs and credits program coordinator Ken Cline with bringing it from the brink of collapse into a self-sustaining business.
"Cline has about 20 students per quarter spread over five class periods, and summer school classes. It’s tough to have more than five students at a time dismantling equipment, even though Tiger Recycling moved into its own warehouse space about five years ago, he said.
"They also have three sheds where they can store items awaiting packaging or shipping.
Shelves inside the classroom hold huge bins labeled for every conceivable component of computers and TVs, and a stack of desktop computers is piled against one wall, awaiting disassembly.
"As students arrive on a recent Tuesday afternoon, Cline directs them to tasks and within seconds gloves are on and screwdrivers turning. One student asks for time to work on other classwork and Cline gives him a nod.
"The class is part of the school’s Career Technical Education program, and participants earn general education credits.
"He stays flexible with the students and tries to address their needs. Sometimes that means providing math tutoring; last year he had a class of four repeat students who wanted to delve deeper into electronics so Cline accommodated that.
He also mentors students working on required capstone projects, including a couple who used recycled computer parts to build new computers."The program brings in an average of $5,000 a year, Cline said. The money is handled by the high school, which then gives Tiger Recycling a budget for items such as tools, safety glasses, work gloves and field trips for students, said Cline, who noted that they’ve never spent more on those things than they’ve brought in."
https://coloradosun.com/2024/02/14/electronic-waste-recycling-canon-city-high/
#ReduceReuseRecycle #MoreRecycling #LessMining #RightToRepair #LithiumMining #CopperMining #Reuse #Recycle #SolarPunkSunday
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How Soaring E-Waste Pollution Is Putting Lives at Risk
by April Miller
Mar 3rd 2022The Growing Amount of E Waste Pollution
"The proper disposal of electronics is a heated topic in the minds of those looking to live more sustainably and reduce their carbon footprint. As more devices come out each year, it only adds to the amount of e-waste generated. Consider how #Apple, #Huawei, #Samsung, #Google and other companies release several new phone models annually. Older models then become #obsolete and must be disposed of properly.
"Statista reports that the amount of e-waste generated worldwide was around 54 million metric tons in 2019. Due to increased spending power and the wide availability of electronics, e-waste is becoming the fastest-growing waste stream worldwide. It’s estimated that generation will increase by 30% by 2030.
"These figures make sense, considering how common it is for people to throw away small electronic devices along with their other trash. However, most are not aware of opportunities to recycle electronics, what environmental impact they’re making by throwing away e-waste or how much cash they can earn by selling it.
How E Waste Harms the #Environment and Our #Health
"Why is e-waste becoming a more prevalent issue worldwide? #ElectronicWaste poses unique ecological concerns. Most e-waste contains #HazardousChemicals, and the manufacturing processes may also harm the #environment.
"When e-waste ends up in a #landfill, the surrounding #soil can become #contaminated with #toxic substances such as #mercury, #cadmium, #beryllium and #lead. These chemicals enter the soil, waterways and air, leading to polluted environments and negatively impacting human and #marine life.
"Consider people who use natural wells or the animals who rely on bodies of water. They could be exposed to toxic chemicals that can impact their health.
"It’s also important to note that when high volumes of e-waste enter landfills, device manufacturers must mine more materials to build new devices. #Phones and other #electronics contain small amounts of valuable metals like #gold, #silver and #palladium, among other critical components. These materials are becoming harder to mine, especially with the increased demand for more electronic devices.
How E Waste Contributes to #Air Pollution
One journal from Environmental Research Letters reported that researchers took air samples from a large e-waste disposal site in #China and found that the products in these landfills harmed human #lung cells.
"According to the World Health Organization (WHO), these are some adverse health effects caused by exposure to e-waste:
- Negative birth outcomes for expecting mothers, such as #stillbirth or #premature birth
- Increased rates of #ADHD in young children
- Changes in lung function
- #DNA damage
- Respiratory issues
- Impaired thyroid function
- Increased risk of chronic diseases like #cancer and #cardiovascular disease"Additionally, the WHO reports that appropriate collection and #recycling of e-waste can help protect the environment and human health.
"Global E-waste Statistics Partnership (GESP) found that 17.4% of e-waste that was collected appropriately prevented as much as 15 million tons of carbon dioxide from being emitted into the atmosphere. High levels of carbon dioxide entering the environment and therefore contributing to global warming make it clear that e-waste is a much larger issue than some believe it to be. It may seem easy to toss away old electronics in the trash, but doing so negatively affects the environment and can harm human health.
Recycling Electronics to Benefit Humans and the Environment
"More state and federal action is needed to reduce the negative impact e-waste has on humans and the environment. So far, around 25 US states and the District of Columbia have passed legislation to establish an e-waste recycling programme. Additionally, several manufacturers offer some type of electronic return initiative, with some hosting or sponsoring recycling events for consumers.
"Many manufacturers have adopted more #sustainable business practices to prevent outdated devices from entering landfills. However, this can be challenging, considering how often users want to upgrade to the latest technology due to new features and designs.
Republicans and Democrats are pursuing laws that would make it easier for consumers to repair their devices, from vehicles to refrigerators to smartphones. This movement is being coined as the Right to Repair movement. Manufacturers often make it difficult for consumers to fix a wide range of products by limiting the availability of parts or limiting who can perform repairs.
The goal of the movement is to prohibit manufacturers from taking these measures. This can directly reduce the amount of e-waste entering landfills in the first place. Consumers would then be able to repair devices themselves, save money and avoid tossing obsolete products in the trash.
E-waste is a growing problem worldwide, and more emphasis should be put on the importance of recycling electronics. The benefits of recycling far outweigh the drawbacks. Governments, consumers and manufacturers need to find viable solutions to this prevalent issue. Whether it’s contaminated soil entering waterways or toxic chemicals released into the atmosphere, more work needs to be done to mitigate the negative effects e-waste causes."
https://earth.org/e-waste-pollution/
#ElectronicWaste #SupportLegacyProducts #Windows11 #Consumerism #Capitalism #Crapitalism
#PlannedObsolescence
#Landfills #RightToRepair #EnvironmentalRacism #WaterIsLife #SoilIsLife #RightToRepair
#RepairReuseRecycle
#Consumerism
#Anticonsumerism #EnvironmentalPollution