Enfield Public Works Hosts Regional Information Session

From Chris Casey Concepts:

On Thursday, March 10, the Town of Enfield Department of Public Works hosted a public regional information session with the Connecticut DEEP on the State’s Solid Waste Management Plan, also known as the Comprehensive Materials Management Strategy (CMMS). The meeting took place at Parkman Elementary School. The CMMS is an action-oriented roadmap to achieve the state’s vision for 60 percent recycling by 2024. It will replace the state’s current Solid Waste Management Plan, which was last updated in 2006. Currently, the state is at a 30 percent recycling rate with 3.6 million tons of waste generated per year.

“The Town of Enfield is pleased to take a leadership role on this important subject to ensure the public is informed and has the opportunity to comment” said Jonathan Bilmes, director of public works for the Town of Enfield.

Bilmes opened the meeting and introduced guest speakers, Robert Isner, director of Waste Engineering and Enforcement Division and Lee Sawyer, project manager for materials management and compliance assurance for CT DEEP. In his opening remarks, Bilmes congratulated the DEEP for many improvements from the 2006 plan. While the 2016 proposal is very progressive, Bilmes indicated there were a few things that could help municipalities such as Enfield. He asked the DEEP representatives to consider reinstatement of funding for regional recycling coordinators, increased focus on the commercial and industrial sector, especially small businesses, and to provide more options for cost effective disposal of catch basin cleanings and street sweepings. Finally, Bilmes asked for state assistance to facilitate a working group of cities and towns with municipal collection forces.

Sawyer revealed that Connecticut is a leader in recycling and composting but stressed the importance of the need to increase this effort. He reviewed the purpose of the plan and steps that will be taken to reach the 60 percent goal through source reduction, recycling and new technologies. Further, DEEP proposes that the CMMS align waste management policies with initiatives related to climate change, greenhouse gasses and other clean air policies. The focus of the draft CMMS is to achieve the goals by focusing on personal behavior and technology. The plan focuses on three pillars that are fundamental to its success. These include: improving the performance of municipal recycling systems and increasing compliance with mandatory recycling provisions ensuring that the investment and regulatory climate promotes development and improvement of recycling, conversion and disposal infrastructure as well as requiring corporations that design, produce, market and sell products in Connecticut to share responsibility for stewarding the end of life of those materials in an environmentally sustainable manner.

Sawyer distributed a four-year action plan as well as a series of ongoing DEEP tasks related to the CMMS before taking questions. Sawyer said that a 60 percent diversion rate is expected to save an additional $40 million per year in avoided disposal fees.

Additional information sessions will be held throughout the state prior to a Public Hearing on Wednesday, April 13 at DEEP Headquarters in Hartford. The public will have the opportunity to comment on the plan through Friday, April 22 via at Deep.cmms@ct.gov.