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QUESTION

What are some of the barriers to waste-to-energy adoption programs by local governments?

 

 Well, my view, speaking from the U.S., the folks who are concerned about the environment and who lack accurate information become very upset about the idea of a new waste-to-energy facility. And, get organized around it, argue issues like environmental justice, or that we would be dumping or externalizing pollution onto lower economic strata of people that live closer to waste-to-energy facilities, using all kinds of emotional arguments that tend to move democracy, more so than often the facts do. So, a part of that is a messaging concern. A lot of that can be led by environmental groups.

Fortunately, some U.S. liberal groups like the Center for American Progress are beginning to realize that times have changed, the science has changed, and that we’re contributing to climate change by landfilling so much of our waste, and that waste-to-energy is actually a way of reducing climate change. So, if more environmental groups that provide information and messaging to liberals take a closer look at the science, I think that we can begin to move the conversation in a little more productive way.