[GreenYes] Update on Yard Waste Dumping in IL

["Charlene Lemoine" <clemoine@wi.rr.com>]

Thanks to everyone who responded via the List or to me directly. I have
forwarded all the information to those opposing yard waste dumping in
Peoria.

Peoria City/County Landfill (Illinois) is operated by Waste Management but
owned jointly by the City and the County. WMI won the contract to build the
landfill several years ago.  WMI received permission to build the landfill
as a bioreactor.

The proposal to dump yard waste was made to enhance performance of the
bioreactor. This raises a number of issues around bioreactors and makes me
question whether the plan all along has been to increase organic waste after
bioreactors were up and running. Peoria may be the first, but probably won't
be the last place waste companies will target.

If you think one person can't make a difference, think again.  Tom Edwards,
a long time environmental advocate in Peoria happened to notice this issue
on a City Council agenda just hours prior to the meeting.  He went to the
City Council meeting and made a presentation opposing the plan.
Unfortunately, the City approved it.

The next step was the County Board. Tom contacted me and I had some material
on this issue written by Peter Anderson that I received from the GreenYes
List. I also refereed Tom to the GRRN web site for additional material and
he began making lots of calls. When Tom went to the County Board he had some
very well documented material and was able to convince the County to defer
the vote which is now scheduled for 12/13/01.

Because of Tom's efforts this week two articles appeared in the "Peoria
Journal Star" the public is now informed and the opposition is growing.

I just learned yard waste dumping proponents are trying to introduce
legislation in a veto session today. It appears they do not need County
approval to get the legislative process started.

Calls to legislators are being made from Peoria opponents and Tom was going
to drive to Springfield to try to meet with a few legislators and ask them
not to let this get pushed through.

If there are any Illinois readers of this List, please call your legislators
today and ask them to oppose this. Also, letters to the editor of the
"Peoria Journal Star" and letters to the County Board from Illinois and
National Groups would really help.


Thanks again to everyone who is working on this issue. The ramifications of
lifting the yard waste ban in Illinois poses a serious threat to recycling
and any hope of achieving ZERO WASTE. To everyone who posts on this List,
know that your work and dedication to waste reduction is important and very
much appreciated.



Charlene Lemoine



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