No New Landfill in Ulster County

Modern Alternatives to Landfills

21st-century waste management solutions that protect our environment and communities

Why We Need Better Solutions

Landfills are an outdated approach to waste management. They pose significant environmental risks, take up valuable land, and fail to capture the potential value in our waste stream. New York State hasn't built a new landfill in over 20 years because better alternatives exist.

Modern waste management approaches prioritize:

  • Reducing waste volume by 80-90%
  • Recovering energy and valuable resources
  • Minimizing environmental impact
  • Creating sustainable, long-term solutions

Waste-to-Energy Technologies

Modern Incineration

Today's waste-to-energy incineration facilities are far cleaner than their predecessors. They feature advanced emissions controls that meet the strictest environmental standards while generating electricity to power thousands of homes.

Key benefits:

  • Reduces waste volume by up to 90%
  • Generates renewable electricity
  • Eliminates methane emissions associated with landfills
  • Destroys harmful pathogens and chemicals
  • Requires much less land than landfills

Gasification

Gasification converts organic waste materials into synthesis gas (syngas) through a process that uses high temperatures and controlled amounts of oxygen. This technology represents a significant advancement over traditional incineration.

Key benefits:

  • Produces syngas that can be used as fuel or to generate electricity
  • Creates fewer emissions than conventional incineration
  • Can process a wide variety of waste types
  • Produces minimal residual waste
  • Can be scaled to community needs

Plasma Arc Gasification

This advanced technology uses plasma torches to create extremely high temperatures (up to 10,000°F) that break down waste into its basic elements. The process converts organic materials into syngas and vitrifies inorganic materials into a glass-like substance.

Key benefits:

  • Nearly complete waste destruction
  • Produces syngas for electricity generation
  • Creates an inert slag that can be used in construction
  • Can handle hazardous and medical waste
  • Minimal environmental impact

Enhanced Recycling & Resource Recovery

Advanced Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs)

Modern MRFs use sophisticated sorting technologies including optical scanners, magnets, eddy currents, and artificial intelligence to separate and recover valuable materials from mixed waste streams.

Key benefits:

  • Recovers 80-90% of recyclable materials
  • Reduces landfill volume significantly
  • Creates local jobs
  • Conserves natural resources
  • Reduces greenhouse gas emissions

Organic Waste Processing

Organic materials make up about 30% of municipal waste. Modern composting and anaerobic digestion facilities convert this waste into valuable products.

Key benefits:

  • Produces nutrient-rich compost for agriculture
  • Generates biogas that can be used for energy
  • Reduces methane emissions from landfills
  • Improves soil health and carbon sequestration
  • Creates a circular economy for organic materials

Join Us in Advocating for Better Solutions

There are proven, economically viable alternatives to landfills that can better serve our community while protecting our environment. Help us push Ulster County to adopt these modern approaches instead of falling back on outdated landfill technology.

Sign Our Petition