Opinion/Budris: Burning waste has no place in Rhode Island
Kevin Budris
Kevin Budris is zero waste staff attorney at Conservation Law Foundation in Providence.
Once again, Rhode Islanders are facing the threat of dirty, dangerous waste incineration in our communities. New Jersey-based MedRecycler is proposing to build and operate a facility in West Warwick that will burn medical waste using a form of incineration called pyrolysis. If that weren’t enough, the Rhode Island legislature is considering bills that would allow facilities to burn plastics without complying with the state’s solid waste laws and regulations.
It’s time to close Rhode Island’s doors, once and for all, to all attempts to burn waste. Burning waste — in any form — is a threat to our communities, our environment, and our climate. Contrary to false claims from proponents, it does not generate renewable energy. Compared to coal-fired power plants, waste burning incinerators emit more carbon dioxide, more heavy metals like lead and mercury, and more toxic persistent organic pollutants like dioxins. Burning medical waste — in part because of its high plastic content — is especially toxic.