Expanding Recycling

What's New

Representative Jay Kaufman (D-Lexington) filed a new bill for the 2007-2009 legislative session that would greatly expand opportunities for recycling in the commonwealth.  The bill, An Act to Reduce Solid Waste (HB 782), would expand recycling in:

• Public buildings

• High traffic places, such as airports, sports stadiums, museums

• Public transit stations

Brief Summary

Waste is a social, environmental, and public health issue. We consume more products and discard more trash every single year. The production of trash translates into an increasing challenge to municipalities’ waste management departments and an increasing threat to the quality of our air, drinking water and well-being. 

In 2004, Massachusetts generated a total of 13.93 million tons of waste.[1] Waste generation in Massachusetts is increasing. Solid waste generation has increased by 30.3% in Massachusetts since 1994.[2]

Close to half of the waste we produce gets burned, buried, or shipped to other states. In 2004, that amount to 6.36 million tons that were either buried in a landfill, burned in an incinerator or shipped to other states for disposal. 

If we don’t expand recycling opportunities, more waste will be reaching more landfills or shipped out of state in the coming years. Landfills and incinerators have the potential to pollute our environment and negatively impact our lives. Landfills can pollute our air and water. [3] Burning waste in incinerators may result in polluting emissions.  Shipping waste to other states, not only raises social justice issues but is also costly. 

Recycling not only protects public health by diverting materials from incinerators and landfills, it also reduces greenhouse gas emissions, saves energy and conserves natural resources.[4]  By preventing waste from reaching landfill sites and incinerators the release of greenhouse gases and toxic chemicals into the atmosphere is reduced.  The Northeast Recycling Council estimates that approximately 2.6 million tons of carbon equivalent of greenhouse gases have been annually avoided through recycling or composting.[5] 

We need to reduce the amount of waste we produce. An Act to Reduce Solid Waste takes a step in the right direction by greatly expanding recycling opportunities in the commonwealth.