To the Editor,
A recent pair of letters harshly criticized the opinions that two Chester residents had expressed about pollution in Chester. I was saddened by how angry and personal their criticism seemed. The statements they criticized had, in effect, simply said “We do not want your garbage” (which is pretty straightforward) and noted that trash-to-steam plants create pollution (which is a simple statement of fact). People may have different ideas about how much pollution is acceptable. But this plant has a long history. It was built in the 1980s, sold to another company in the 1990s, and cited for breaking rules. It has since sought to minimize pollution and burn responsibly, but it is still polluting the air. One reason for this is that the amount of plastic waste has increased over the decades.
The letters included several assertions — for example, that Europe has been using this approach for a long time and gets high marks for controlling pollution. But they seemed unaware of the level of public concern about pollution in Chester, a level that is fully justified, because the pollution from this plant is substantial. I know how difficult it can be to find reliable information about an issue on the internet: when I google “trash to steam” I get a handful of Covanta-based sites; access to information often seems to be determined by algorithms that favor company interests. But one can find other sources of information. Both PBS and Scientific American have reported on the problems with trash-to-steam plants and have suggested that this approach needs rethinking. And an article here ensia.com/features/burning-trash-waste-to-energy-renewable-pollution-environmental-justice shows that Chester’s is not an isolated experience.
It is true that landfills also present problems and are not the long-term solution. They should be managed well, just as air pollution should be. Management of garbage and trash requires long-term thinking. That of course means that businesses should not be left to their own devices: good government needs to play a responsible role. And that requires us to act.
So how will our communities make this happen? Will we get better at helping people do responsible recycling (recycling plastic bags at collection points instead of in recycling bins; making we clean the cans and bottles we put in the recycling bins while keeping greasy cardboard out of them)? Will we get better at reducing the amount of plastic we buy? Will we pay more attention to minimizing the refuse we make?
Or will we simply get indignant at the people who are begging for a change to be made in the way we process trash—begging for more care to be taken?
I would love to see us care more about all of us. I’m ready to be part of a long-term plan to improve air quality in Chester, to ensure that the Delaware County landfill Delco is used equitably and ethically, and to put us all on the road to zero waste. It’s a LONG road. I’ve started. I hope you will too.
Joan Gunn Broadfield
Chester
