The EcoAction Committee of the Green Party of the U.S. held a forum on Monday, November 13 about the perils of garbage and waste incineration. The workshop discussed ways to combat incinerators, both existing and new ones

Incineration creates and/or releases harmful chemicals and pollutants, including: Air pollutants such as particulate matter, which cause lung and heart diseases; Heavy metals such as lead and mercury, which cause neurological diseases; Toxic chemicals, such as PFAS and dioxins, which cause cancer and other health problems. In addition to its high costs, government contracts with garbage incinerators often provide a financial disincentive to recycling and waste reduction as the government may be penalized for diverting waste from the incinerator.

Speakers

Mike Ewall, director of Energy Justice Network, a national support network for grassroots community groups fighting dirty energy and waste industry facilities such as coal power plants, ethanol plants, natural gas facilities, landfills and incinerators of every sort.

The Minnesota Environmental Justice Table (MNEJC), which is heading the fight to shut down Minnesota's trash incinerators. Krystle D'Alencar will present.

Dave Mulinix who has been working with the Hawaii Green Party to try to shut down local incinerators.

From the Green Party platform:

Shut down existing waste incinerators, impose a moratorium on new waste incinerators, and phase out landfills. For all possible waste streams, we support the following strategies (in order of priority) as alternatives to incineration and landfills: (a) toxics use reduction; (b) source reduction, reuse, clean recycling or composting /digestion; or (c) neutralization, sterilization or detoxification methods where applicable

Photograph: Camden County, NJ Resource Facility