C&D fines hit roadblock in N.H.The New Hampshire New Hampshire, one of the New England states of the NE United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts (S), Vermont, with the Connecticut R. forming the boundary (W), the Canadian province of Quebec (NW), and Maine and a short strip of the Atlantic Ocean (E). Department of Environmental Services (DES) has banned the use of fines generated at mixed C&D recycling operations as alternative daily cover (ADC (1) See A/D converter. (2) (Apple Display Connector) A peripheral connector from Apple that combines digital video display, USB and power in one cable. ) in municipal solid waste “Municipal waste” redirects here. For other uses, see Municipal waste (disambiguation). Municipal solid waste (MSW) is a waste type that includes predominantly household waste (domestic waste) with sometimes the addition of commercial wastes collected by a (MSW (MicroSoft Word) See Microsoft Word. ) landfills. C&D recyclers in the state were informed of the surprise move in a certified letter from Anthony P. Giunta, director of DES' Waste Management Division, who issued the letter July 16, made the ban effective July 26 and then reportedly went on vacation for two weeks. According to the letter, the department banned the "co-disposal of 'gypsum-containing' fines with MSW ... because the Department believes that there is a link between these fines placed with MSW and the production of high amounts of hydrogen sulfide hydrogen sulfide, chemical compound, H2S, a colorless, extremely poisonous gas that has a very disagreeable odor, much like that of rotten eggs. It is slightly soluble in water and is soluble in carbon disulfide. , mercaptans mercaptans organic mercurial compounds, used as fungicides on plants and animals. See captan. and other reduced sulfur compounds." Waste industry observers in the state say the action took place because the state's largest landfill, Waste Management's Turnkey operation in Rochester, N.H., was experiencing odor problems. Besides using C&D fines as ADC, the facility also takes in other types of waste, such as municipal sludge. The Construction Materials Recycling Association (CMRA CMRA Commercial Mail Receiving Agency CMRA Construction Materials Recycling Association CMRA Central Motorcycle Roadracing Association CMRA Capital Market Risk Advisors, Inc. ), Lisle, Ill., and others have asked the DES for the scientific data upon which it has based its decision. The DES has not yet produced the information, according to CMRA Executive Director William Turley. The CMRA, which is currently creating a database on the composition of C&D fines from recycling operations across the country, is asking if the DES can make such a unilateral and economically damaging action to the state's C&D recyclers without at least some type of promulgation PROMULGATION. The order given to cause a law to be executed, and to make it public it differs from publication. (q.v.) 1 Bl. Com. 45; Stat. 6 H. VI., c. 4. 2. or public hearing. "We are investigating the mechanism they must follow in issuing such rules," Turley says. No one doubts the DES' ability to create such a rule. But, Turley says, there is no proof that the fines were causing an odor problem and blaming them may have been a hasty decision. "Of course, under the right conditions gypsum can create hydrogen sulfide gas, but you have to make those right conditions," he says. "Dozens of landfills across the U.S. use C&D fines as ADC with no odor problem. The trick is to use them properly, and, to that end, the CMRA is going to develop a best management practices guideline for using C&D fines." The DES says that it will work with C&D recyclers in the state to develop new outlets for the fines, but some are skeptical that enough new markets can be found for the amount of fines being produced. |
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