In case you missed it: Thoughtful, newsworthy comments from industry professionals, consumers and legislators.
"A 274% increase in overtime should be sending rockets off and flares that something is terribly wrong in waste collection ... What is not working here in this vital division?"
— Cleveland City Councilman Michael Polensek on the $1.3 million that the city had to pay for overtime compensation due to "absenteeism" from garbage haulers. Some council members argue that the issue is more deeply rooted in department mismanagement.
"The graffiti is bright and colorful and shows something is happening. More important, it gives people reason to work together, and they take ownership."
— Leanna Wetmore, community coordinator for Healthy Harbor Initiative, on Baltimore's decision to conduct city alley makeovers. The Baltimore Waterfront Partnership got residents on board to collect garbage and paint graffiti on formerly peeling alley walls.
"This announcement should serve as a wakeup call to both the LePage administration and Maine legislators about the dangers of inaction when it comes to formulating energy policies that will benefit our state’s economy, environment, and future."
— Professional Logging Contractors (PLC) of Maine Executive Director Dana Doran on Covanta Energy's decision to close two Maine biomass waste-to-energy plants due to plummeting energy prices.
"Imagine you’re a truck driving down a residential street and someone at their house, their waste isn’t out, so you move four or five houses down the block, then the person comes running out down the driveway with their trash. Is it good customer service to back up and get their trash, or is it a bad safety practice to back up? What do you do? … That’s where the trouble comes."
— NWRA Vice President of Communications Christopher Doherty explaining the blurred lines of truck backing. NWRA is hosting a "Safety Stand Down" later this month, which aims to reduce accidents and fatalities by training safety managers on the best practices for backing a waste vehicle.
"I think we fill a niche the private sector doesn't take care of. We address the health and welfare of our communities. We have kept tons of chemicals, oils, pesticides, and electronics out of our environment."
— JoAnne McCorkle, administrative assistant for Indiana's Henry County Solid Waste Management District, on Sen. Luke Kenley's proposed bill to prohibit districts from imposing fees or property taxes after 2017.
"This was not about, 'We don’t have the money.' It was about, 'How do we operate efficiently with the resources we have?'"
— Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO) Executive Director Ty Marsh on the Authority's decision to increase recycling in Central Ohio, as well as extend the life of its 164-acre landfill without expansion.