The Tribune published yet another editorial (July 28) supporting the Robbins incinerator project in the south suburbs. This time it criticized a recent court decision that overturned the facility`s siting approval because the developer failed to provide some local residents adequate written notice of a public hearing on the project. The Tribune called the court decision a
”setback,” urging Robbins officials and the developer not to give up.
Citizens for a Better Environment disagrees and urges local governments in South Cook County to use this as an opportunity to re-evaluate their commitment to this environmental and economic boondoggle.
Local officials never critically evaluated safer alternatives because this project was announced before the South Suburban Mayor`s and Manager`s Association (SSMMA) even began developing its solid waste plan for the area, thus poisoning the entire planning process. Hampered by uninformed leadership and inadequate technical advice, the SSMMA simply developed a plan that rubber-stamped the incinerator and paid lip service to recycling by offering to ”study it further.”
The SSMMA must now develop a comprehensive solid waste plan that truly reflects the state`s waste management hierarchy by making waste prevention and recycling its top priorities. They must seriously consider implementation of volume-based disposal rates, recycling programs that target a wide variety of materials and trash generation sources, and wet-dry collection systems which allow for in-vessel composting of the organic fraction (e.g., food scraps, soiled paper, kitty litter, tissue, pizza boxes) of the waste stream.
If all these systems were in place and working optimally, an astounding 60-80 percent of the area`s waste could be reduced or recycled, making the Robbins incinerator totally unnecessary.
