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Page 4 · column 5 of 7 · from the scan, no model involved
To the editor:
Thank goodness! Virginia and other states are finally entering into amicable agreements to facilitate the storage and disposal of toxic and hazardous substances.
So we can relax, right? Wrong. State and local governments are discovering that household and industrial wastes have received too little attention and that precious little room remains for saidtary landfills. Further, we have realized, to our consternation,, that these wastes contain harmful substances which when deposited in the ground have a serious potential to leach and contaminate the water we drink.
So, in addition to being out of space, we now know that traditional landfills without costly safeguards are potential environmental and health hazards.
In many localities the cost of solid waste management is second only to education. These costs are expected to rise because of tougher regulations necessary to safeguard public health. Furthermore, these stricter requirements have slowed permit approval. The state has npt issued a single new-location sanitary landfill permit since December 1985. There are currently about 30 active applications pending, the longest on hold for 15 months. New and stricter regulations, it is hoped, will stimulate innovative measures for managing waste products.
Isn’t it a shame that we call it waste? Aluminum, glass and paper can all be recycled and reused. Yard and food materials yield a highgrade compost. Recycling significantly reduces manufacturing costs and conserves precious raw materials. An example of missed opportunities is the startling revelation that the largest bulk product exported from the port of New York is waste paper.
One approach to the solid waste problem currently in vogue among Virginia municipalities is incineration. "Resource Recovery” is the term used, and it involves burning trash to generate energy. Proponents of incineration extol the reduction of volume to conserve landfill space, and it is considered by many to be a simple method of waste management.
J
Simplistic might be more appropriate.
Incinerators when operating efficiently can reduce significantly the total volume to be landfilled. But at what cost? The following factors should also be considered:
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