Originally published at ilsr.org.
Host John Farrell speaks with Marie Donahue, ILSR researcher, and Neil Seldman, Director of ILSR’s Waste to Wealth Initiative, about the harmful impacts of burning trash to generate electricity.
The trio dive into ILSR’s recent report Waste Incineration: A Dirty Secret in How States Define Renewable Energy. They also discuss:
- Baltimore’s recent passage of the Clean Air Act, a bill that will effectively shut down the Wheelabrator incinerator.
- Three key reasons why incinerators are a bad deal for communities including: financial risk, environmental injustice, and public health concerns.
- The story behind the successful efforts to shutdown two incinerators in Baltimore. Neil details how residents of the marginalized Curtis Bay neighborhood organized at the grassroots level to advocate for their community.
- How 23 states are providing subsidies to incinerators by allowing them to benefit from renewable energy tax credits.
- What communities and cities can do instead of hosting incinerators to manage their waste, foster a healthier environment, and create jobs.
The economics of incinerators don’t add up. Incinerators are risky investments for the local governments and utilities that support and subsidize them, particularly as energy prices decline [thanks to renewable alternatives.]
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