Ocean City, Maryland is still refusing to recycle and is still sending their unrecycled trash to be burned in Chester. Our friends in Maryland, who are fighting a planned incinerator in Frederick and Carroll Counties (in central MD, far from Ocean City), have been writing to Ocean City to protest this on Chester's behalf.
You can write to Ocean City's Mayor, too. Mayor Meehan's email is: RMeehan@oceancitymd.gov
See below for what our Maryland friends have written and consider writing the mayor as well. If you do, please BCC: us at the DelCo Alliance for Environmental Justice (delcoalliance@ejnet.org) so that we know you wrote.
Thanks!
Mike Ewall
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From: carolineeader@msn.com
Subject: RE: Trash/recycling
Date: Sat, 27 Aug 2011 00:22:00 +0000
Mayor Meehan,
I think you meant to send this email to Edith Eader, but I'm glad to hear your explanation. Thank you.
I believe there's a way for OC to find a cost effective method to recycle, reduce the cost of hauling discards, and to be socially responsible as well as more environmentally responsible.
Does the City pay for trash hauling or do property owners contract with private haulers? The mistake I see made in some communities is that the municipality takes on the cost of recycling without the benefit of saving money in hauling the community's discard. What landfill do you use? Who owns the landfill?
A unit-based pricing system is key in finding a cost-effective method to handling your waste. I'd be willing to speak with you by phone about this if I can get a bit more information.
Also, please be aware more energy is saved by recycling then the amount of energy created through trash incineration. Due to its low calorific value, burning waste to produce energy is highly inefficient. Conversely, recycling recovers three to five times more energy than incineration produces:
"Recycling of newspaper, cardboard, mixed paper, glass bottles and jars, aluminum cans, tin-plated steel cans, plastic bottles, and other conventionally recoverable materials found in household and business municipal solid wastes consumes less energy and imposes lower environmental burdens than disposal of solid waste materials via landfilling or incineration, even after accounting for energy that may be recovered from waste materials at either type disposal facility."
Also, I believe a wider view of your actions is in order (please see ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2Mavxpm0hk), and again, I'd be happy to assist you.
Thank you,
Caroline Eader
Frederick, MD
Sustainable = Harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged.
From: RMeehan@oceancitymd.gov
Date: Thu, 21 Jul 2011 09:42:03 -0400
Subject: RE: Trash/recycling
Dear Edith,
Thank you for your e-mail and I respect your opinion. If you choose to boycott Ocean City that is certainly your individual choice.
You are correct we no longer do recycling of all trash in Ocean City. We do send this to a Waste to Energy facility where it is burned to create energy. The aluminum and metal alloys are removed from the trash on site and recycled at this facility. In Ocean City we continue to pick up white goods, have 2 clean up days a year where we pick up any materials including hazardous materials, have a bulk pick up program, participate in the Coastal Bays programs and clean ups, and clean our beaches nightly.
This change was made after a lot of research and a number of public meetings. This change saves the town over 1.3 Million Dollars a year and allows us to continue the other practices outlined above. We realize that recycling is a way for individuals to contribute their part toward protecting our environment but we feel the action we have taken serves a valid purpose and allows us to continue to protect the environment in the Ocean City area.
Sincerely,
Rick Meehan
Mayor
Ocean City, MD
From: Caroline Eader [ mailto:carolineeader@msn.com]
Sent: Wednesday, July 20, 2011 8:21 PM
To: EO Eader; Richard Meehan
Cc: Amelia
Subject: RE: Trash/recycling
Here's one Youtube video about the situation...
Caroline
Sustainable = Harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged.
From: Hawbottom1@aol.com
Date: Wed, 20 Jul 2011 18:01:23 -0400
Subject: Trash/recycling
Dear Mr. Mayor:
I have heard you on 98 Rock in the past promoting OC tourism. If what I say below is true, I think Amelia would be very disappointed in you. I know I am.
I have been informed that Ocean City has abandoned its recycling program and is now shipping all of its trash to Chester, PA to be incinerated. If this is true, it is an irresponsible and heinous behavior. Any person who has any concern for the environment or the well-being of fellow citizens. even though they live elsewhere, should boycott Ocean City.
Please take the time to check out ejnet.org/chester on You Tube.
Edith O. Eader
Frederick, MD
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Wow. This is a trip.
ReplyDeleteI'd be all in if we are going to launch an all out media blitz around this, buy I do have a few questions:
1) do we have any confirmation whether or not the trash IS actually being turned into energy? because some people say they are turning trash into energy, but they are not.
2) which waste plant in Chester is the trash going to and how many jobs for Chester residents has this plant created? I am asking because if this plant and the contract with Maryland is creating jobs or if Chester resident are going to lose jobs, I'd be inclined to consider that.
Covanta Energy is located on Highland between Front Street and the Delaware River. They burn trash, which generates steam, which turns a turbine, which creates electricity, which goes to the grid. Don't know how many Chester folks work there but you can find a couple current openings here: http://imaginemynewjob.indeed.com/jobs/Covanta-Energy-in-Chester,-PA
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