In the wake of the Covanta incineration facility in Doral burning down in spring 2023, Miami-Dade County is facing a solid waste management crisis. On Tuesday January 28, the Miami-Dade County Commission held a special meeting to discuss waste management options, including additional landfilling, building a new incinerator, and new waste reduction strategies. Friends of Biscayne Bay urges the County to pursue Zero Waste solutions, including composting and reuse centers, so that a new incinerator is not needed. Solutions that reduce waste at the source are the most cost-effective and environmentally friendly for public health and for Biscayne Bay.

To that end, we'd like to thank Commissioner Raquel Regalado for sponsoring 9 items at the January 28 waste management meeting and bringing these items to the February 19 Board of County Commissioners meeting. These items would explore the feasibility of a variety of programs intended to reduce the County's waste production and explore alternatives to incineration. These include expanding tire, mattress, and cardboard recycling, increasing recycling and composting at the Port of Miami and Miami International Airport, studying methane gas extraction at landfills, and more.

The root of Miami's waste crisis is simply that we produce too much trash- nearly double the national average per capita. So, we thank Commissioner Regalado on taking the lead on initiatives to address waste production directly. Use this form to send a thank you for her leadership on past, present, and future waste issues.

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Letter:

Subject: Thank You Letter re: Items 2G through 2O (Waste Reduction support)

Dear Commissioner Regalado,

On behalf of Friends of Biscayne Bay and the undersigned individuals, thank you for your leadership at the January 28 waste management Committee Of the Whole Meeting and bringing these items to the February 19 BCC meeting. We sincerely appreciate your sponsoring of 9 items at this meeting (2G through 2O), including 7 that directly deal with waste reduction strategies and incineration alternatives. We believe the County should be doing everything they can to address our waste crisis and the most effective solutions are the ones that reduce trash at the source. These waste reduction solutions are the most cost efficient and environmentally friendly, as they avoid the transportation costs and environmental drawbacks of both landfilling and incineration. Comprehensive Zero Waste strategies to reduce paper, plastic, food waste, yard waste, and metal from the waste stream would significantly lower the strain on Miami's disposal system.

We appreciate your leadership in waste reduction, recycling, and composting both on and off the dais. We hope to continue to work with you as we lead the way in creating a comprehensive zero waste plan.

Sincerely,

Signed...

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