King County EIS for Landfill Expansion is Just Another Boondoggle*
*A boondoggle is a project that is considered a waste of both time and money, yet is often continued due to extraneous policy or political motivation – Wikipedia
King County’s recently completed Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for “potential” expansion of the Cedar Hills Landfill is yet another example of the County going through the motions but having the conclusion decided well before hand, said Philipp Schmidt-Pathmann, President and CEO of the Institute for Energy and Resource Management (IeRM). “If you look at the timetable the County set out months ago, you will see that the last item is ‘Construction of new landfill area within the Cedar Hills Regional Landfill property.’ There was never any question, regardless of public sentiment or scientific findings.” This latest move comes amid growing sentiment for a serious consideration of alternatives to landfilling, which according to the USEPA is the least desirable method of handling waste. It is also, contrary to popular belief, much more expensive than other approaches, given the hidden costs and the need for future generations to pay for “perpetual care.” Recent studies (see for example Scientific American, Sept. 2021) have shown that landfills are a significant source of methane leaks, which contribute far more to global warming than carbon dioxide. A more sensible approach, from a scientific and economic perspective, is an integrated waste management system, based on the waste management hierarchy established by the European Union and adopted by the USEPA. It calls for 1) source reduction and reuse, 2) recycling and composting, 3) energy (and material) recovery, and 4) treatment and disposal. IeRM has called for the adoption of an Integrated Waste Management System (IWMS) in King County, which could be in place before 2030 saving billions of dollars over the next decades and reducing our climate and overall environmental impact substantially. “Anyone who cares about the environment and their property tax bill should be concerned about this,” said Schmidt-Pathmann. “It is critical that you contact your County Councilmember and let them know you don’t want any more public money sunk into the ‘landfillliability’ including transfer stations. There is a better - and cheaper - solution.” About IeRM: The Institute for Energy and Resource Management is a non-profit, 501c3 organization devoted to scientific research and education. Press Contact: Steven Gerritson Email: contact@ie-rm.org Phone: +1-206-914-9057