nothin Recycling Crunch Felt By China’s “National… | New Haven Independent

Recycling Crunch Felt By China’s National Sword”

China’s decision to cut back on the amount of recyclable materials it receives from the United States has a direct effect on Connecticut municipalities that now are struggling to cover the cost of processing waste.

That topic, amongst many others was at the center of state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Commissioner Katie S. Dykes’s recent appearance on WNHH’s Municipal Voice” radio program, hosted by the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities.

The commissioner spoke about how her department oversees more than just fishing permits in a wide-ranging conversation about energy costs, being green, and the future of utilities in the state. 

One of the biggest stories in the world today is the China National Sword Policy, which has directly affected Connecticut cities and towns becayse China has stopped taking in as much recyclable materials from the United States. The cost of handling those recyclables has increased tipping fees, which municipalities or residents have to pay.

Local leaders have big concerns about the financial collapse in the market for municipal recyclables.

Dykes agreed that recycling has become more costly for municipalities as a result of this change in the Chinese policy about importing recyclables from Connecticut and other states.

This not a problem that DEEP can solve on its own,” she emphasized. It is very important for DEEP to listen to municipal leaders as towns are addressing these commodity changes. They are living this every day, Dykes said.

Commissioner said the state and municipalities should give more support to businesses that use anaerobic digestion for organic recyclables, which are wet and heavy and more costly to transport, therefore reducing tipping fees for municipalities.

Improving the way we communicate with municipalities, and listening to their ideas, that’s how we’re going to find the best solutions.”

After the toasty July, on top of everyone’s minds is the cost of energy in the state. WalletHub recently ranked Connecticut, Commissioner Dykes said, as having the unenviable position” of having the highest rates in the country.

One way DEEP is attacking that issue is by trying to bring more renewable energy into the system. The group has recently put out a Request for Proposals for up to 2,000 megawatts of offshore wind power, representing 30 percent of the power supply in Connecticut. While there are some concerns from groups like the Audobon Society and professional fishermen, wind has the benefit of being free and green.

Additionally, DEEP supports the idea of Virtual Net Metering, with Commissioner Dykes citing the increased cap of $20 million for municipalities, the state, or agricultural businesses to participate.

The way Virtual Net Metering works is a municipality can install a solar farm and credit the energy created back to multiple meters. In one example, a town can credit that back to town hall and public schools to reduce the energy costs in those buildings.

Retrofitting those municipal buildings is another idea that Dykes mentioned to help reduce energy costs for municipalities and others, saying that DEEP’s motto is: Efficiency is our first fuel.”

Dykes said that a lot of the infrastructure that came in during the 1960s and 1970s expansions is nearing the end of its useful life. So taking power off the grid is helpful not just to power bills, or to the municipalities or the state, but to everyone as Connecticut strives to cut its energy dependence.

Out in the streets, where municipalities have been making great strides with LED streetlighting,” costs go down in the winter months where, Commissioner Dykes, said there is more concern about the grid being overloaded.

Most towns that are under Eversource were able to buy their streetlights due to a decision by the Public Utilities Regulatory Agency (PURA), but United Illuminating is not allowing other towns, such as Hamden, to purchase theirs, which wants to make that change to energy-efficient LED lamps.

Coincidentally, this all fits in with a grand vision of being green throughout the state. From grants to renovate brownfields to wind power, to recycling alternatives like anaerobic composting in municipalities, Connecticut has a goal of reducing its carbon footprint by 80 percent by 2050.

As we aim to become the cities of the future, the current utility poles we use are of great concern to municipalities. Many towns are taking matters into their own hands and creating public free wi-fi areas in parks and in municipal buildings.

The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA), which is under DEEP has seen the value of private capital in creating at 5G infrastructure that Governor Lamont, with Commissioner Dykes claiming that it is the more impactful” model versus municipal ownership, but that she also agrees that this investment is necessary. Part of her goal will be to streamline the process of getting those companies sited on utility poles to facilitate this growth.

Commissioner Dykes said that she doesn’t want to reinvent the wheel 170 times,” meaning that there are towns and cities that are already excelling and that there are things that the state does well.

Working together, streamlining, and being green is the message that Commissioner Dykes spread, making the goals of her work seem easy like the breeze that will power our state in the future.

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