What is America’s largest export, most prodigious product, and greatest legacy — the biggest thing we make? Our trash. NRCM welcomed author and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Edward Humes to discuss his book, Garbology. After sharing more about America’s “dirty love affair with trash,” Humes also shared stories of hope: families, companies, and whole communities who Read More
sustainability
Maine Needs More Solutions for Recycling Construction Waste
When many Mainers think about waste, their minds often wander to trash that they throw out at home or work. However, there is another culprit that is quickly filling up our landfills and harming residents of Maine. Construction and demolition debris (CDD), such as scrap metal, concrete, and wood, which is created from the tearing Read More
Tackling Electronic Waste in Maine
Every day, our team of 16 employees works to keep unwanted electronics out of Maine’s landfills. Our work is important because while electronic waste (computers, televisions, printers, cell phones, etc.) comprises just 2-4% of landfill waste, it accounts for 90% of the harmful chemicals and heavy metals that end up in the ground, the air Read More
Going Plastic-free: My Family’s Month-long Challenge
I started my new job with Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) in early March 2022. At the time, my wife and I, spurred on by the growing concerns of plastics in the environment, had been thinking about ways to further reduce plastics in our waste stream. We had long since adopted strategies such as Read More
News & Noteworthy — April 2022
Read some highlights from this month’s news stories and opinion pieces related to the environment, including Maine’s air, land, water, and wildlife, in this April 2022 News & Noteworthy from the Natural Resources Council of Maine. April 28, 2022 Last week on Earth Day, several NRCM staff members joined community members in Farmington (more than Read More
Maine Closes the Out-of-State Waste Loophole
In 2022, NRCM worked with our allies from Community Action Works, the Maine Environmental Priorities Coalition, and Don’t Waste ME, an alliance of impacted community residents and tribal citizens to pass LD 1639. Together, we succeeded in closing a loophole that allowed toxic out-of-state waste to be disposed of in Maine’s State-owned landfill located in Read More
Debunking Claims Made by Companies Profiting Off Maine’s Out-of-state Waste Loophole
This legislative session, a bill (LD 1639) that would close Maine’s out-of-state waste loophole is gaining momentum. You see, Maine’s State-owned Juniper Ridge Landfill (JRL) was never supposed to accept out-of-state waste, and there is no good reason why it should. The State purchased the landfill to provide disposal capacity for Mainers’ waste, not the Read More
Bill to Close Out-of-state Waste Loophole Approved by Legislative Committee
News release by Don’t Waste ME, Community Action Works, and the Natural Resources Council of Maine February 7, 2022 (Augusta, ME) – A bill to stop filling Maine’s landfills with out-of-state waste received a key endorsement today when a bipartisan majority of the Legislature’s Environment & Natural Resources Committee voted 11-2* in favor. LD 1639 Read More
News & Noteworthy — January 2022
Here are some highlights from this month’s news stories and opinion pieces related to the environment, including Maine’s air, land, water, and wildlife. January 20, 2022 After two years of no municipal recycling program, Tremont, Maine, in Hancock County has selected a new recycling program for residents. New Jersey’s governor has signed a new recycled Read More
