The plastics and petrochemical industries want to make it easier to burn plastic with high-heat technology. Why? So that they can continue to produce tons of plastic while pretending to be a part of the solution. But plastic-burners are toxic. That’s why we’re fighting back.
I’ve always assumed that because I care about Connecticut’s environment, others do, too. But after volunteering with CLF as a fellow earlier this year, I learned that Connecticut suffers from a waste crisis. Now, the blinders are off.
On Talbot Avenue in Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood, a new apartment building is bucking the gentrification trend. Developed in partnership with the people already living in the area, 191 Talbot Avenue adds 14 new homes to Dorchester’s housing stock. Rents here lock at rates below market price, allowing neighbors to stay in their community.
“Our legislators had the opportunity to pass a strong bill to reduce waste, increase recycling rates and slash pollution in our communities,” said Kevin Budris, Zero Waste Attorney at CLF. “While this bill includes some important updates, it’s not nearly as strong as it should have been. At the eleventh hour, legislators have handed the beverage industry the keys to the state’s bottle return system and significantly compromised the effectiveness of the legislation.”
Modernizing the bottle bill will not instantly solve every part of Connecticut’s waste crisis, but it is a proven, cost-effective step forward at a time when the state needs to take advantage of every tool in its toolbox. We can—and must—protect our communities and our environment, and save money, by reducing and diverting waste and improving recycling. This legislation is key to these efforts.
Like COVID-19, severe heat waves are not an equal opportunity health threat. The most disinvested neighborhoods — those dominated by buildings, pavement, and parking lots — are hit the hardest. The built environment of these places absorbs and traps heat, creating a “heat island effect” that makes them dangerously hotter than other neighborhoods while worsening their air quality.
“Polluting landfills don’t belong anywhere near New Hampshire’s beautiful state parks,” said CLF attorney Peter Blair. “The Senate has taken a giant step backward in killing this commonsense legislation that would have preserved parks for everyone’s enjoyment. It’s time we stop the endless construction of landfills and instead boost recycling and other proven methods to reduce our waste.”
“Sprague’s Quincy terminal is an accident waiting to happen,” said CLF President Bradley Campbell. “The company has allowed the terminal’s protective berms to deteriorate to the point of failure, putting the community at risk of being flooded with a spill of toxic chemicals. It’s also a clear sign that Sprague is failing its legal obligation to prepare the site for the climate crisis. This facility is an imminent threat to homes, public health, and nearby waters, and it’s time the company cleans up its act.”
We have a food waste problem. Each year, the U.S. trashes about 125 to 160 billion pounds of food. And while several factors play into our increasing wastefulness, the good news is, we have readily available solutions at hand.
Toxic PFAS have been found in some pesticides – where they’re not supposed to be. We’re demanding state leaders take immediate action to curb this toxic threat.
