The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) provided an update to county and private waste haulers on Governor Lawrence “Larry” Hogan’s recent executive order that repealed a ban on new county landfills and set forth a new solid waste reduction strategy for the state on August 17 at the 2017 MACo Summer Conference.

Secretary of the Environment Benjamin Grumbles was joined by several MDE officials and private consultants to discuss the new approach. “The key word is collaboration,” Grumbles stressed.

After providing an overview of the executive order, several private consultants discussed the Administration’s  vision of linking “energy, economy, and the environment” in the new solid waste approach, which would entail both collaboration with local governments and public-private partnerships.

Grumbles also noted that the new strategy is focused on sustainability and will include zero waste principles, energy use policies, and better waste tracking and statistical information. MDE wants to meet with county governments by the end of the year and identify key materials that have been problematic to remove from the waste stream. MDE is also continuing to work on composting and diversion for organics.

Useful Links

Conduit Street Article on Hogan’s Solid Waste & Landfill Executive Order