|

Casella Waste Systems has recently claimed that Maine’s state-owned landfill is unable to accept sludge from 30 wastewater treatment plants, leaving plant operators across the state scrambling to find alternative ways of disposing of their waste product. Casella grosses over $1 billion annually managing waste streams across the Northeast and claims that Maine’s prohibitions on landfilling out-of-state waste and applying wastewater sludge to farmland have led to structural instability at the landfill. 

But data reported by the corporation shows no increase in municipal sludge disposal at the landfill since the passage of LD 1911 and LD 1639. And from 2021 to 2022, sludge disposal only increased by 6.1% while oversized bulky waste slightly declined by 3.9%. Additionally, Casella has offered no proof of the structural instability, nor has the corporation demonstrated to the districts or the media that alternative bulking agents are unavailable. 

Defend Our Health’s campaign manager Adam Nordell, whose family and farm have been severely impacted by sludge-based PFAS exposure, responds:

“The passage of Maine’s two waste management bills impacted Casella’s bottom line, and that’s what this is about – profit. And now, it seems that Casella has done a poor job of finding alternative bulking agents after the people of Maine asked them to stop filling our landfill with out-of-state waste, even though there are readily available alternative items that other landfills use to stabilize wet material. The corporation is now acting irresponsibly and is deliberately putting our wastewater treatment districts in an untenable situation. 

Our friends at the treatment districts need our support. Their costs are rising quickly due to Casella’s unnecessary rate increases. Yet, those costs obviously do not outweigh the costs to clean up contaminated farmland, and especially not the healthcare costs and loss of livelihood for impacted communities. LD 1911 and LD 1639 might impact the profits Casella makes in Maine, but they are good policies that protect Mainers and are going to save the state a lot of money in the long run. Maine cannot afford to be a trash receptacle for the rest of New England.”