Issue Topics

Better Solutions for Waste Disposal

Sunday, 1/27/2008

Approximately six weeks ago, the Ledger Sentinel proposed that “…the region’s continuing solid waste problems seem tailor-made, to us, for intervention on the state or federal level.” I think they are right. As the paper said, landfills are old technology that consists of digging holes in the ground, burying garbage, then hoping for the best, whether it’s Fox Moraine, Waste Management/Kendall Land & Cattle, Soave Industries, or others. Newer landfill technology has made only marginal improvement and includes high-tech liners to discourage leakage along with better sensors/monitors. But, the bottom line is that we are all concerned that these landfills don’t poison our water, pollute our air, and turn beautiful farmland into mountains of refuse. I oppose the status quo technology and landfill siting proposals. I support cleaner, safer, more advanced technology. The current proposals would be devastating to the surrounding communities in terms of their failure to protect the public’s health and safety. It will devastate traffic and property values in the immediate surrounding areas. I support the decision of the Yorkville City Council and other governing bodies to deny the siting application for the Fox Moraine landfill and all others with current landfill technology on the basis of their failure to meet the criteria set forth by the State of Illinois, as stated in the paragraph above. The Fox Moraine is the only proposal that is in the appeal process because all other landfill proposals have been withdrawn. Just as I believe that we can use our national ingenuity to solve the energy independence challenge, we can solve our waste disposal problem by trying harder and bringing forward new and viable technologies. I promise to bring together scientific and financial experts who can evaluate and recommend cleaner and safer alternatives that are viable, if they exist, by surveying the best technological solutions in the world. I will work to change the Illinois State Statute governing the siting of landfills in Illinois to protect local communities from the current unfair siting process. I will work to strengthen local authority and power of denial so that it rest solely in the hands of the community and people whose health, lives, and property values would be endangered. Again, I am committed to exploring viable alternative technologies as a means of handling solid and hazardous waste, as a substitute to the siting of a landfill.