0:0:0.0 --> 0:0:1.670
Burks, Robert R
Hey, it's Mary this.
0:0:1.960 --> 0:0:3.290
Burks, Robert R
Hey, Mary, can you hear us?
0:0:4.390 --> 0:0:5.70
Breton, Mary B
I can hear you.
0:0:6.120 --> 0:0:8.550
Burks, Robert R
We can only hear you on the little speaker here.
0:0:8.560 --> 0:0:10.80
Burks, Robert R
This is not well set up yet.
0:0:10.740 --> 0:0:10.930
Breton, Mary B
Uh.
0:0:11.970 --> 0:0:13.940
Burks, Robert R
That's alright, you can you call that guy?
0:0:14.90 --> 0:0:14.600
Burks, Robert R
I'm working.
0:0:14.830 --> 0:0:15.210
Burks, Robert R
Thank you.
0:0:16.210 --> 0:0:16.530
Burks, Robert R
With that.
0:0:20.630 --> 0:0:24.330
Burks, Robert R
Might be the reason the speakers are here too.
0:0:26.70 --> 0:0:26.420
Breton, Mary B
Right.
0:0:26.430 --> 0:0:29.230
Breton, Mary B
Can I not see you because you don't have your camera turned on or?
0:0:31.50 --> 0:0:32.380
Burks, Robert R
I need to not hooked up.
0:0:33.730 --> 0:0:34.130
Breton, Mary B
OK.
0:0:32.390 --> 0:0:39.140
Burks, Robert R
Hey, will, I'm just wondering, can we connect the camera up on top of the TV to the room?
0:0:39.340 --> 0:0:40.70
Burks, Robert R
Is that possible?
0:0:42.750 --> 0:0:46.400
Burks, Robert R
He then said OK, so that's not, that's not an option with there.
0:0:46.990 --> 0:0:50.880
Burks, Robert R
Alright, just wanted to check, please, right.
0:0:52.660 --> 0:0:53.320
Burks, Robert R
Can't do it.
0:0:53.440 --> 0:0:54.430
Burks, Robert R
They don't have that option.
0:0:54.440 --> 0:0:54.900
Burks, Robert R
You're there.
0:0:54.910 --> 0:0:57.550
Burks, Robert R
They're not sophisticated. Like, wow.
0:1:1.920 --> 0:1:2.430
Breton, Mary B
Oh my.
0:0:58.100 --> 0:1:4.700
Burks, Robert R
So we're gonna have to really huddle around this little speaker, but we must be released the audio, some other audio.
0:1:5.230 --> 0:1:6.70
Burks, Robert R
There's no other audio.
0:1:6.920 --> 0:1:7.770
Burks, Robert R
Get him in here.
0:1:7.840 --> 0:1:8.290
Burks, Robert R
Yeah.
0:1:8.340 --> 0:1:9.220
Burks, Robert R
Get him in here.
0:1:9.230 --> 0:1:11.430
Burks, Robert R
He's got 12 other projects, guys.
0:1:12.700 --> 0:1:16.500
Burks, Robert R
The reason why people $5 but we paid our $35.
0:1:19.160 --> 0:1:19.770
Burks, Robert R
There's Jessica.
0:1:21.340 --> 0:1:21.910
Burks, Robert R
Hey, Jessica.
0:1:22.850 --> 0:1:26.750
Burks, Robert R
Well, I mean they very speaker, they do.
0:1:26.800 --> 0:1:28.900
Burks, Robert R
There's a speaker up there and there's unused cable.
0:1:33.970 --> 0:1:35.90
Burks, Robert R
Undedicated cable.
0:1:36.740 --> 0:1:37.580
Burks, Robert R
Hey, get off the couch.
0:1:38.890 --> 0:1:39.610
Burks, Robert R
What are you doing?
0:1:40.790 --> 0:1:41.10
Burks, Robert R
OK.
0:1:41.20 --> 0:1:44.260
Burks, Robert R
Will think about speakers like it.
0:1:44.300 --> 0:1:48.10
Burks, Robert R
Can we get an audio like a speaker in here?
0:1:48.460 --> 0:1:51.840
Burks, Robert R
Remember, originally you said there would be a microphone potentially.
0:1:52.830 --> 0:1:53.930
Burks, Robert R
Is that still possible?
0:1:58.980 --> 0:2:1.450
Burks, Robert R
That's the thing we came somebody or through here but.
0:2:11.140 --> 0:2:15.550
Burks, Robert R
We could set up my we have audio through the laptop and we have.
0:2:15.560 --> 0:2:26.580
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, but typically like we leave them on, then it'll there's a bike phones all around the room, like in Prescott and a general general camera for you.
0:2:27.340 --> 0:2:37.790
Burks, Robert R
But right now it looks like everything's going through the laptop, so I'm just wondering if there's an option to get to use speakers in the room or a camera.
0:2:37.800 --> 0:2:39.480
Burks, Robert R
You said the cameras and no, no.
0:2:39.490 --> 0:2:42.950
Burks, Robert R
What about speakers like microphones?
0:2:43.230 --> 0:2:44.760
Burks, Robert R
We're using a little laptop speaker.
0:2:45.540 --> 0:2:52.370
Burks, Robert R
There's some like there are speakers and when it pings we're hearing through there, but we're not here.
0:16:33.400 --> 0:16:33.740
Burks, Robert R
Hmm.
0:16:36.280 --> 0:16:36.560
Burks, Robert R
OK.
0:16:36.700 --> 0:16:37.280
Burks, Robert R
Thank you.
0:16:37.310 --> 0:16:37.930
Burks, Robert R
This welcome.
0:16:44.550 --> 0:16:46.150
Burks, Robert R
Brian, really pretty welcome.
0:16:46.900 --> 0:16:48.250
Beneski, Brian
Yeah, as everyone there. Ready.
0:16:49.640 --> 0:16:50.250
Burks, Robert R
We're ready.
0:16:50.260 --> 0:16:51.210
Burks, Robert R
It's 2:00 o'clock.
0:16:51.220 --> 0:16:52.200
Burks, Robert R
So yeah, we're good.
0:16:52.300 --> 0:16:55.250
Beneski, Brian
But OK, yeah.
0:16:58.660 --> 0:16:59.510
Beneski, Brian
OK.
0:17:0.610 --> 0:17:1.470
Beneski, Brian
Greetings everyone.
0:17:4.130 --> 0:17:9.910
Beneski, Brian
I want to thank everyone for attending this meeting regarding updating main solid waste management and recycling plan.
0:17:10.970 --> 0:17:16.920
Beneski, Brian
This is the second of several regional meetings. We are holding to solicit public input in to updating the plan.
0:17:17.430 --> 0:17:22.580
Beneski, Brian
We hosted a meeting last week and press Kyle and we'll be hosting meetings in Orono, Augusta and Portland.
0:17:23.210 --> 0:17:31.960
Beneski, Brian
Even though we have scheduled meetings regionally to encourage participation, we've included a virtual option for those who can't make it in person to the meeting for their region.
0:17:33.190 --> 0:17:37.420
Beneski, Brian
Attendees to this meeting can also attend the others if they wish, virtually or in person.
0:17:37.750 --> 0:17:43.200
Beneski, Brian
However, we hope to keep the discussions focused on regional matters for the region in which each meeting is held.
0:17:44.590 --> 0:17:51.540
Beneski, Brian
Our moderators for this meeting will be Megan Mansfield, prior, Rob Burkes, Jim Guerrera and Elena Bertocci.
0:17:51.790 --> 0:18:8.680
Beneski, Brian
Additionally, Jessica Naidu and I, Brian Beneski will be attending virtually all of us are in the Department Sustainability Unit since this meeting is also being hosted on teams, we will be recording the meeting and make the recording available on the department website, hopefully in the next two weeks or so.
0:18:9.830 --> 0:18:16.420
Beneski, Brian
All comments in the middle to the department regarding the plan, whether now or in the future, will also be made available on the department web page.
0:18:16.960 --> 0:18:35.310
Beneski, Brian
A link will be provided to those who have requested to be on our list, serve for future correspondence as this is both an in person and virtual meeting, we ask that those who wish to speak raise their hand and hold your statements until a moderator recognizes you to allow us time to make you so everyone hears you.
0:18:36.120 --> 0:18:39.910
Beneski, Brian
You do not have to be attending in person to ask questions or make a statement.
0:18:39.960 --> 0:18:41.690
Beneski, Brian
Just use the raise hand feature.
0:18:42.240 --> 0:18:47.70
Beneski, Brian
We will make sure that everyone who wishes to make a statement or ask a question will get a chance to do so.
0:18:47.600 --> 0:18:50.40
Beneski, Brian
We will be turning the chat feature off for this meeting.
0:18:51.250 --> 0:18:58.90
Beneski, Brian
The goal of this meeting is to solicit input from you, the public and all interested stakeholders for updating the waste management plan.
0:19:1.250 --> 0:19:1.720
Burks, Robert R
Transfer.
0:18:59.50 --> 0:19:13.780
Beneski, Brian
Maine has several waste reduction and recycling goals, including decreasing the amount of waste disposed by 5% per capita every five years and achieving a 50% statewide recycling rate, both of which we are unfortunately not meeting.
0:19:14.570 --> 0:19:17.270
Beneski, Brian
We are looking for comments towards achieving these goals.
0:19:17.770 --> 0:19:24.440
Beneski, Brian
We are hoping that attendees have reviewed the 2019 plan and are ready to provide a discussion on its strengths and weaknesses.
0:19:24.830 --> 0:19:25.740
Beneski, Brian
What is working?
0:19:25.750 --> 0:19:26.520
Beneski, Brian
What is not?
0:19:26.790 --> 0:19:48.750
Beneski, Brian
What should be included in the plan that is not 38 Mrs Section 1305 states that each municipality shall provide solid waste disposal services for domestic and commercial solid waste generated within the municipality and May provide these services for industrial waste and solid treatment and sewage treatment plant sludge.
0:19:49.610 --> 0:19:54.640
Beneski, Brian
We know many municipalities provide solid waste services for the residents in different ways.
0:19:55.50 --> 0:19:57.480
Beneski, Brian
How are municipalities meeting the residents?
0:19:57.490 --> 0:20:5.620
Beneski, Brian
Solid waste management needs what can the state do to assist our municipalities having issues retaining waste contractors and staff?
0:20:6.150 --> 0:20:9.640
Beneski, Brian
What materials are particularly troublesome and how should they be handled?
0:20:10.70 --> 0:20:15.180
Beneski, Brian
How can we move material up the waste hierarchy reducing material use and encouraging reuse?
0:20:16.60 --> 0:20:18.590
Beneski, Brian
What type of funding mechanisms are envisioned?
0:20:19.140 --> 0:20:22.40
Beneski, Brian
These subjects and more are what we'd like to encourage discussion.
0:20:22.50 --> 0:20:26.850
Beneski, Brian
And input providing input is not limited to the time frame of this meeting.
0:20:26.920 --> 0:20:30.480
Beneski, Brian
All are invited to submit comments via the report.
0:20:30.520 --> 0:20:42.110
Beneski, Brian
Updates report updates email at main Waste Plan 2024 at main.gov at anytime until September 1st, 2023.
0:20:42.680 --> 0:20:47.20
Beneski, Brian
All comments received will be considered for drafting the update to the materials management plan.
0:20:48.20 --> 0:20:51.60
Beneski, Brian
I will now hand the meeting over to our moderators in person.
0:20:54.760 --> 0:20:55.90
Burks, Robert R
Great.
0:20:55.100 --> 0:20:56.910
Burks, Robert R
Thanks everyone for being here.
0:20:57.400 --> 0:21:1.50
Burks, Robert R
As it turns out, we've have a very small crowd here in person.
0:21:1.60 --> 0:21:10.870
Burks, Robert R
It's all DP staff, so we're relying on people in the online meeting to hopefully speak up and participate in the last meeting in Prescott.
0:21:10.880 --> 0:21:18.740
Burks, Robert R
We had more people that were there in attendance and a lot of conversation kind of on the ground there, but that is not gonna be the case today.
0:21:19.170 --> 0:21:26.900
Burks, Robert R
So to get things started, we sent out a list of potential talking points that we'd like to cover or or.
0:21:27.110 --> 0:21:34.450
Burks, Robert R
We don't necessarily have to cover all of them, but just things to think about, but we really want to hear feedback from people in the communities.
0:21:34.720 --> 0:21:35.290
Burks, Robert R
Umm.
0:21:35.960 --> 0:21:48.500
Burks, Robert R
And one of the things we we really wanted to discuss first was looking at the potential for interlocal or regional cooperation I and just kind of open that up for discussion.
0:21:48.510 --> 0:21:58.410
Burks, Robert R
I don't know how many people we have here who live in Washington County or down east, but we'd love to hear from from anyone who's in the area particularly.
0:22:12.90 --> 0:22:19.980
Burks, Robert R
Well, yeah, I think is indicative of the fact that there's not a lot of infrastructure in this in this region.
0:22:19.990 --> 0:22:28.550
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, you know, it's kind of reflecting that I think yes and probably not a lot of interlocal cooperation.
0:22:30.410 --> 0:22:42.0
Burks, Robert R
There's just a few facilities in the area that I'm familiar with, so is anyone familiar with feel like they're familiar with the infrastructure in the down East region for solid waste management?
0:22:42.940 --> 0:22:45.510
Burks, Robert R
There's anything, any thoughts, anybody at all?
0:22:48.470 --> 0:22:49.110
Burks, Robert R
No. OK.
0:22:54.490 --> 0:23:15.590
Burks, Robert R
From the building, that regional thing, maybe not regional umm, so kind of just broadly speaking, one of the points on the agenda that we wanted to cover 1st and again this comes down to kind of hearing from stakeholders, people in the Community, people who run businesses or operate nonprofits.
0:23:15.600 --> 0:23:20.320
Burks, Robert R
Any anything like that, that but just discussing program needs for the area.
0:23:25.150 --> 0:23:26.940
Burks, Robert R
Maybe we should start with an introduction.
0:23:26.950 --> 0:23:28.240
Burks, Robert R
So we know who we're talking to.
0:23:28.250 --> 0:23:29.400
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, yeah. You want?
0:23:29.410 --> 0:23:35.240
Burks, Robert R
It's promising and and even if they're not so that we know what what might be this drink, Frank?
0:23:35.250 --> 0:23:44.250
Burks, Robert R
Cause I do see some familiar names on here, so maybe a better way to start because we have so few people is just to go around with a round Robin of introductions.
0:23:45.200 --> 0:23:46.510
Burks, Robert R
Umm, so I'll start.
0:23:46.520 --> 0:23:52.0
Burks, Robert R
I'm Megan Mansfield prior and I work in the sustainability unit at Main DP. Umm.
0:23:52.50 --> 0:23:53.500
Burks, Robert R
Elena, you wanna go next?
0:23:54.210 --> 0:23:58.810
Burks, Robert R
Hi uh Elena for Tachi made DP.
0:23:58.820 --> 0:24:0.600
Burks, Robert R
I also work in the sustainability unit.
0:24:2.720 --> 0:24:4.180
Burks, Robert R
Umm, I wonder if we get.
0:24:6.280 --> 0:24:7.120
Burks, Robert R
Jim, go for it.
0:24:8.200 --> 0:24:12.70
Burks, Robert R
Hi, I'm Jim Garrett and I work in the sustainability unit as well.
0:24:12.540 --> 0:24:15.490
Burks, Robert R
I also have about 28 years of experience.
0:24:16.180 --> 0:24:18.510
Burks, Robert R
Running solid waste facilities for municipalities.
0:24:21.440 --> 0:24:25.940
Burks, Robert R
In mid Coast and Robert Burks are working the sustainability unit as well.
0:24:32.210 --> 0:24:32.500
Burks, Robert R
And just.
0:24:31.500 --> 0:24:34.150
Nadeau, Jessica
I can get us started over here in the virtual world.
0:24:34.680 --> 0:24:39.870
Nadeau, Jessica
And Jessica Nedo working in the sustainability unit as well.
0:24:42.920 --> 0:24:44.690
Beneski, Brian
And I'm Brian beneski.
0:24:44.700 --> 0:24:47.380
Beneski, Brian
I'm the unit lead for the sustainability unit.
0:24:49.130 --> 0:24:49.540
Burks, Robert R
Centers.
0:24:53.230 --> 0:24:53.890
Burks, Robert R
Anybody.
0:24:54.90 --> 0:24:55.900
Burks, Robert R
Brian friend.
0:24:56.250 --> 0:24:59.440
Burks, Robert R
Ohh the other friend right.
0:24:58.650 --> 0:24:59.720
Beneski, Brian
They're muted, right?
0:24:56.250 --> 0:25:0.700
Nadeau, Jessica
Ohh, I think the problem is they're muted and they can't.
0:24:59.970 --> 0:25:2.40
Burks, Robert R
I gotta put them presenters.
0:25:2.50 --> 0:25:2.490
Burks, Robert R
There we go.
0:25:0.760 --> 0:25:3.550
Nadeau, Jessica
Unmute themselves, OK.
0:25:4.250 --> 0:25:6.40
Burks, Robert R
I checked my responsibilities.
0:25:6.50 --> 0:25:10.270
Burks, Robert R
Sorry, I'm gonna make them all presenters.
0:25:10.620 --> 0:25:10.800
Burks, Robert R
Yeah.
0:25:12.640 --> 0:25:12.890
Burks, Robert R
OK.
0:25:12.900 --> 0:25:14.550
Burks, Robert R
So we're, we're unmuting everybody.
0:25:14.560 --> 0:25:17.930
Burks, Robert R
If you'd like to, you're free to introduce yourself.
0:25:18.460 --> 0:25:23.120
Burks, Robert R
Brian Henkel looks like you're you're unmuted currently and Jim is working on unmuting other people.
0:25:25.540 --> 0:25:26.710
Brian Henkel
I am Brian Henkel.
0:25:26.720 --> 0:25:29.350
Brian Henkel
I'm the public works director for the town of Mount Desert.
0:25:29.400 --> 0:25:31.390
Brian Henkel
I started here mid January.
0:25:32.260 --> 0:25:32.980
Burks, Robert R
Yay, great.
0:25:45.420 --> 0:25:45.800
Burks, Robert R
Umm.
0:25:46.70 --> 0:25:47.220
Burks, Robert R
I'm just going to go down the list.
0:25:47.230 --> 0:25:49.370
Burks, Robert R
Jackie Elliott, would you like to introduce yourself?
0:25:51.940 --> 0:25:52.560
Jackie Elliott
Sure.
0:25:52.600 --> 0:25:53.480
Jackie Elliott
Jackie Elliot.
0:25:53.580 --> 0:25:54.700
Jackie Elliott
I live in Waterboro.
0:25:55.370 --> 0:26:3.300
Jackie Elliott
I have been marinated in saturated in the arena of waste for three decades now.
0:26:4.150 --> 0:26:22.810
Jackie Elliott
I'm very interested in how we make plans to move forward in our state and I like the title sustainability that you are applying and I'm hoping those are the goals that we're working toward.
0:26:22.900 --> 0:26:28.130
Jackie Elliott
You noted that goals for the meeting had been sent out.
0:26:28.140 --> 0:26:29.890
Jackie Elliott
I did not receive those.
0:26:32.500 --> 0:26:37.340
Burks, Robert R
Umm in this can you around this we we could question.
0:26:37.350 --> 0:26:37.780
Burks, Robert R
Do you?
0:26:37.910 --> 0:26:39.20
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, we could post.
0:26:39.30 --> 0:26:42.700
Burks, Robert R
We can post, so there's an agenda that went out as well.
0:26:42.710 --> 0:26:42.950
Burks, Robert R
I don't.
0:26:42.960 --> 0:26:43.890
Burks, Robert R
Did you receive the agenda?
0:26:44.560 --> 0:26:44.860
Jackie Elliott
No.
0:26:46.600 --> 0:26:46.860
Burks, Robert R
OK.
0:26:47.820 --> 0:26:52.870
Burks, Robert R
Umm, the agenda and talking points, the talking points are really kind of more.
0:26:52.880 --> 0:26:54.490
Burks, Robert R
There's more to look at there than the agenda.
0:26:54.500 --> 0:26:57.230
Burks, Robert R
The agenda is pretty brief, so send that to Bob.
0:26:57.240 --> 0:26:57.860
Burks, Robert R
Seen it? Yeah.
0:26:58.320 --> 0:26:59.890
Burks, Robert R
That's right, screenshare.
0:27:0.360 --> 0:27:2.690
Jackie Elliott
Well, would this would this number attending?
0:27:2.700 --> 0:27:5.670
Jackie Elliott
Hopefully we'll be able to have a broad ranging discussion.
0:27:5.680 --> 0:27:6.90
Jackie Elliott
Thank you.
0:27:6.380 --> 0:27:6.520
Burks, Robert R
Yes.
0:27:8.370 --> 0:27:11.110
Burks, Robert R
Thanks, Jackie. John.
0:27:17.550 --> 0:27:18.320
Jon (Guest)
Good afternoon.
0:27:18.330 --> 0:27:27.480
Jon (Guest)
I'm John Chalmers, so work for the city of Augusta to Hatchell Landfill and I was hoping to just listen in to see where we were with the API.
0:27:29.10 --> 0:27:29.650
Burks, Robert R
With the PR.
0:27:35.620 --> 0:27:36.450
Burks, Robert R
Will definitely come up.
0:27:38.570 --> 0:27:42.540
Burks, Robert R
So do you want me to share a screen or something or to?
0:27:46.320 --> 0:27:47.290
Burks, Robert R
Is that everybody's?
0:27:48.40 --> 0:27:48.200
Beneski, Brian
No.
0:27:47.300 --> 0:27:48.750
Burks, Robert R
No, I no, John.
0:27:48.760 --> 0:27:50.140
Burks, Robert R
It looks like you're next if you.
0:27:51.800 --> 0:27:52.50
Beneski, Brian
Well.
0:27:50.180 --> 0:27:52.350
Burks, Robert R
Ohh John, just fat.
0:27:54.840 --> 0:27:55.400
Burks, Robert R
Thank you, John.
0:27:58.70 --> 0:27:58.730
Burks, Robert R
That you're muted.
0:27:58.190 --> 0:28:0.330
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Hi. Yeah.
0:28:0.370 --> 0:28:5.500
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Hi Kat Taylor, Citizen and property owner in Argyle Township.
0:28:5.510 --> 0:28:13.460
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Maine, which is located about 20 miles north of Bangor and about 3 miles as the crow flies from Juniper Ridge Landfill.
0:28:13.830 --> 0:28:24.250
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I also did not receive any talking points or I probably wouldn't have gone to all the trouble of writing my own, and I would if the agenda is up on the DEP.
0:28:24.320 --> 0:28:30.620
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
The website I can go there on my other computer, but if you have something you can mail me out, I'd appreciate it.
0:28:30.820 --> 0:28:31.230
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Thank you.
0:28:32.70 --> 0:28:33.870
Burks, Robert R
Did we're gonna try to put something?
0:28:33.880 --> 0:28:38.600
Burks, Robert R
We're gonna try to share something on our screen as soon as we're done with introductions.
0:28:38.610 --> 0:28:39.810
Burks, Robert R
We got Phil Topper news.
0:28:43.40 --> 0:28:43.470
Phil Tucker
Ohh yeah.
0:28:43.480 --> 0:28:45.810
Phil Tucker
Phil Tucker, York Sewer District Superintendent.
0:28:45.870 --> 0:28:51.180
Phil Tucker
And I'm just here in case anything pertinent regarding biosolids comes up in the conversation.
0:28:52.40 --> 0:28:52.430
Burks, Robert R
Thanks.
0:28:54.60 --> 0:28:54.440
Burks, Robert R
Thank you.
0:28:55.620 --> 0:28:56.650
Burks, Robert R
Umm. Skyway.
0:29:2.280 --> 0:29:4.130
Burks, Robert R
Look like there's a skyway by micro.
0:29:4.140 --> 0:29:4.990
Burks, Robert R
I can't see the whole name.
0:29:5.0 --> 0:29:6.60
Burks, Robert R
Did you want to introduce yourself?
0:29:8.600 --> 0:29:9.340
Burks, Robert R
Micro rail.
0:29:14.790 --> 0:29:14.950
Burks, Robert R
To.
0:29:14.540 --> 0:29:15.270
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Here we go.
0:29:15.870 --> 0:29:18.160
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Yeah, I finally got the the mic unmuted.
0:29:20.460 --> 0:29:21.230
Burks, Robert R
Yes, you did.
0:29:21.860 --> 0:29:22.260
Burks, Robert R
Yes, yes.
0:29:18.170 --> 0:29:22.360
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
I think you you can hear me OK?
0:29:23.150 --> 0:29:24.340
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Yeah, I don't can't keep her in.
0:29:25.630 --> 0:29:28.390
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Entrepreneur and renewable energy.
0:29:28.730 --> 0:29:30.580
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
0:29:30.620 --> 0:29:34.40
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Interests me and I grew up in.
0:29:34.50 --> 0:29:43.460
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
I mean, I was born in Eastport, and I'm interested to see what they're doing now with the solid waste, because back then, we used to actually drop them off a bridge.
0:29:44.330 --> 0:29:47.190
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
And, but that was long ago.
0:29:47.200 --> 0:29:50.800
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
I assume those have all floated out to sea and what have you.
0:29:50.810 --> 0:29:51.130
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
I'm just.
0:29:51.140 --> 0:29:56.460
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
I'm just curious about what's the West, the Washington County.
0:29:55.850 --> 0:29:57.330
Burks, Robert R
The government? Yep.
0:29:58.370 --> 0:29:58.690
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Thank you.
0:29:59.710 --> 0:30:1.510
Burks, Robert R
Thank you, Vanessa, you're on.
0:30:3.860 --> 0:30:4.410
Vanessa Berry
Hi everyone.
0:30:4.420 --> 0:30:4.980
Vanessa Berry
Can you hear me OK?
0:30:5.740 --> 0:30:6.260
Burks, Robert R
We can.
0:30:6.730 --> 0:30:8.720
Vanessa Berry
Yes, seeing some nods in the affirmative.
0:30:8.770 --> 0:30:9.720
Vanessa Berry
UM, alright.
0:30:9.730 --> 0:30:15.740
Vanessa Berry
Vanessa Berry, I am the sustainable main outreach coordinator for the Natural Resources Council of Maine.
0:30:16.170 --> 0:30:17.920
Vanessa Berry
So I talked trash for a living.
0:30:17.930 --> 0:30:29.540
Vanessa Berry
I worked mostly in policy on waste management issues and outreach to our municipalities to encourage them to reduce, reduce, reuse, recycle and all the other good stuff.
0:30:29.550 --> 0:30:31.400
Vanessa Berry
So that's what I'm about.
0:30:31.410 --> 0:30:39.320
Vanessa Berry
I'm just been here listening for the last couple of meetings, but we plan to get a little bit more involved when you head to our neck of the woods in Augusta and Portland.
0:30:39.650 --> 0:30:41.170
Burks, Robert R
Umm, thank you.
0:30:42.340 --> 0:30:44.410
Burks, Robert R
And there's a Nora Nora Bosworth.
0:30:44.420 --> 0:30:45.800
Burks, Robert R
Would you like to introduce yourself?
0:30:45.810 --> 0:30:46.520
Burks, Robert R
Is she unmuted?
0:30:47.10 --> 0:30:49.20
Burks, Robert R
She is well. She's muted.
0:30:49.90 --> 0:30:51.580
Burks, Robert R
She's muted, but she's a participant.
0:30:51.590 --> 0:30:51.770
Burks, Robert R
OK.
0:30:52.650 --> 0:30:53.730
Burks, Robert R
Nor can you hear us.
0:30:55.60 --> 0:30:56.840
Burks, Robert R
You still got, yes.
0:31:0.280 --> 0:31:0.860
Burks, Robert R
No problem.
0:31:15.230 --> 0:31:15.880
Burks, Robert R
Very good.
0:31:15.950 --> 0:31:16.350
Burks, Robert R
Thank you.
0:31:18.480 --> 0:31:26.110
Burks, Robert R
OK, we're gonna put the attendee up on the screen, but we get further questions and stakeholder meetings don't work if everybody listens.
0:31:27.970 --> 0:31:30.860
Burks, Robert R
So we hope that some of you maybe decide to chime in.
0:31:31.330 --> 0:31:36.480
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, I I wonder if maybe the talking points are more useful than the agenda.
0:31:36.490 --> 0:31:37.120
Burks, Robert R
I would think so.
0:31:37.130 --> 0:31:38.400
Burks, Robert R
I would hold the talking points up.
0:31:38.670 --> 0:31:38.850
Burks, Robert R
OK.
0:31:38.940 --> 0:31:39.630
Burks, Robert R
Well, we gonna pull.
0:31:39.640 --> 0:31:40.240
Burks, Robert R
What you said.
0:31:40.320 --> 0:31:45.390
Burks, Robert R
You want that or the state the the first two that attention thoughts.
0:31:47.670 --> 0:31:49.80
Burks, Robert R
Ohh that that's not it.
0:31:49.140 --> 0:31:49.630
Burks, Robert R
There it is.
0:31:49.980 --> 0:31:51.390
Burks, Robert R
OK, shut it.
0:31:51.500 --> 0:31:54.470
Burks, Robert R
Share I'm assuming.
0:31:54.700 --> 0:31:55.340
Burks, Robert R
Uh, no.
0:31:55.350 --> 0:31:56.960
Burks, Robert R
You wanna go back to the meeting and then share.
0:31:58.310 --> 0:32:1.650
Burks, Robert R
So go so share and then share your screen.
0:32:3.780 --> 0:32:5.330
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, I find that to be easiest for you.
0:32:5.340 --> 0:32:6.370
Burks, Robert R
Show them soon.
0:32:7.390 --> 0:32:8.570
Burks, Robert R
Hopefully yeah.
0:32:8.620 --> 0:32:9.500
Burks, Robert R
Wrong window one.
0:32:12.300 --> 0:32:15.30
Burks, Robert R
Go back and even if you minimize it yourself, it's selected.
0:32:15.40 --> 0:32:15.630
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, it doesn't.
0:32:15.640 --> 0:32:16.990
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, this go back to the meeting.
0:32:17.260 --> 0:32:17.800
Burks, Robert R
We're getting there.
0:32:18.830 --> 0:32:19.350
Burks, Robert R
You gotta go.
0:32:19.360 --> 0:32:22.240
Burks, Robert R
You gotta go back into the meeting, OK?
0:32:22.290 --> 0:32:25.920
Burks, Robert R
Stop sharing and then reshare and make sure you get the right.
0:32:27.20 --> 0:32:28.310
Burks, Robert R
We need to do screen.
0:32:28.320 --> 0:32:30.630
Burks, Robert R
I need a screen so easiest, but you can go to window.
0:32:30.920 --> 0:32:34.40
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, window and then state planned out.
0:32:34.50 --> 0:32:34.590
Burks, Robert R
That's it.
0:32:35.80 --> 0:32:35.730
Burks, Robert R
There it is.
0:32:36.240 --> 0:32:37.570
Burks, Robert R
Can everybody see this OK?
0:32:37.580 --> 0:32:39.270
Burks, Robert R
Or do we need to zoom in a little bit more?
0:32:43.330 --> 0:32:43.830
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Zoom in.
0:32:43.80 --> 0:32:45.110
Jackie Elliott
All the eyes need is zoom feature.
0:32:45.120 --> 0:32:45.620
Jackie Elliott
Thank you.
0:32:46.800 --> 0:32:47.10
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Yes.
0:32:47.440 --> 0:32:49.140
Burks, Robert R
No, don't go to zoom in a little bit more.
0:32:49.990 --> 0:32:50.380
Burks, Robert R
Yeah.
0:32:50.930 --> 0:32:51.220
Burks, Robert R
Yeah.
0:32:50.720 --> 0:32:51.990
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Yeah, one page would be.
0:32:51.230 --> 0:32:53.580
Burks, Robert R
Get on the on the document, Rob.
0:32:53.660 --> 0:32:54.100
Burks, Robert R
I know.
0:32:54.110 --> 0:32:56.580
Burks, Robert R
But sorry umm.
0:32:57.30 --> 0:32:58.80
Burks, Robert R
So click out here.
0:32:58.130 --> 0:32:58.910
Burks, Robert R
Let's just back here.
0:32:59.990 --> 0:33:0.320
Burks, Robert R
Yeah.
0:33:0.390 --> 0:33:0.780
Burks, Robert R
Yeah.
0:33:0.910 --> 0:33:1.240
Burks, Robert R
OK.
0:33:1.250 --> 0:33:2.520
Burks, Robert R
And take it off the view.
0:33:2.530 --> 0:33:3.710
Burks, Robert R
That's two pages, I think.
0:33:4.230 --> 0:33:5.590
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, you can just start at the beginning.
0:33:9.0 --> 0:33:12.790
Burks, Robert R
It's if you go to view up top.
0:33:16.350 --> 0:33:17.590
Burks, Robert R
Umm, vertical.
0:33:18.680 --> 0:33:19.110
Burks, Robert R
Pretty cool.
0:33:19.120 --> 0:33:19.260
Burks, Robert R
Yeah.
0:33:20.380 --> 0:33:21.80
Burks, Robert R
And then zoom in.
0:33:24.270 --> 0:33:24.790
Burks, Robert R
Is that better?
0:33:27.170 --> 0:33:27.730
Jackie Elliott
Thank you.
0:33:27.500 --> 0:33:29.290
Burks, Robert R
Soon means even more.
0:33:29.300 --> 0:33:29.890
Burks, Robert R
It's OK.
0:33:29.960 --> 0:33:30.730
Burks, Robert R
Is that good?
0:33:30.790 --> 0:33:32.150
Burks, Robert R
Is that good or do you want more zoom?
0:33:32.650 --> 0:33:33.560
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Larger please.
0:33:34.600 --> 0:33:35.390
Burks, Robert R
You got it.
0:33:34.500 --> 0:33:36.510
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Yeah, Ditto.
0:33:35.780 --> 0:33:36.600
Burks, Robert R
You're in my boat.
0:33:40.210 --> 0:33:41.870
Burks, Robert R
It's that.
0:33:41.770 --> 0:33:42.40
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Yeah.
0:33:42.770 --> 0:33:43.170
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Air.
0:33:42.830 --> 0:33:43.350
Jackie Elliott
Thank you.
0:33:47.910 --> 0:33:48.160
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Yes.
0:33:46.620 --> 0:33:48.770
Burks, Robert R
OK, technology is a little different.
0:33:48.780 --> 0:33:50.410
Burks, Robert R
Needs of these places we've been to.
0:33:50.420 --> 0:33:52.190
Burks, Robert R
So it's kind of our learned as you go.
0:33:52.320 --> 0:33:53.460
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, sorry about that.
0:33:55.990 --> 0:33:56.520
Burks, Robert R
Do you wanna?
0:33:57.800 --> 0:33:58.400
Burks, Robert R
I see.
0:33:58.410 --> 0:34:1.230
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, I need to how do I get to the?
0:34:1.280 --> 0:34:3.630
Burks, Robert R
So I think they're gonna be able to see this document even.
0:34:3.680 --> 0:34:4.610
Burks, Robert R
Yes, they're yeah.
0:34:4.620 --> 0:34:10.370
Burks, Robert R
So people can make that they could, if I what with small like you can just split your screen.
0:34:12.60 --> 0:34:13.330
Burks, Robert R
No, the the 11.
0:34:13.380 --> 0:34:14.110
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, right there.
0:34:14.120 --> 0:34:14.630
Burks, Robert R
Alright.
0:34:14.900 --> 0:34:23.10
Burks, Robert R
And then just pull it over and pull the meetings and you have somebody waiting to get because it's a Jackie, has her hand raised.
0:34:24.760 --> 0:34:25.240
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, it's.
0:34:24.420 --> 0:34:27.240
Jackie Elliott
Yes, not known for being shy.
0:34:27.980 --> 0:34:28.650
Jackie Elliott
I'm.
0:34:28.700 --> 0:34:30.560
Jackie Elliott
I'm gonna tackle this first point.
0:34:31.570 --> 0:34:38.690
Jackie Elliott
What is needed because it speaks strongly to my area of concern?
0:34:39.110 --> 0:34:39.390
Burks, Robert R
You are.
0:34:39.700 --> 0:34:40.100
Jackie Elliott
Umm.
0:34:41.370 --> 0:35:3.800
Jackie Elliott
First, let me say I appreciate the fact that you're approaching these meetings and information gathering sessions on a regional basis, because I do think the regional focus is critical to moving forward with umm, so sustainable waste management.
0:35:4.670 --> 0:35:26.630
Jackie Elliott
And I would like to take the liberty to begin referring to what we are looking at as resource management as opposed to waste management because waste is a verb and it's a choice that we make and nothing is wasted until we choose to waste it.
0:35:28.720 --> 0:35:47.710
Jackie Elliott
And I'd like to begin the conversation by addressing what I believe is a very obvious elephant in the room of any of these discussions, and that is the fact that main as a state which affects every region is heavily influenced.
0:35:47.720 --> 0:35:49.710
Jackie Elliott
And I don't think it's too strong to say.
0:35:49.720 --> 0:35:50.930
Jackie Elliott
Perhaps controlled?
0:35:52.90 --> 0:35:54.580
Jackie Elliott
Uh, regulation wise.
0:35:54.990 --> 0:36:35.230
Jackie Elliott
Economic wise, because what we do around our discarded resources is in the hands of the mega for profit sector, namely Casella waste management, Waste Management Inc, which is now, when innovations which I find a little ironic, there is some good news out of New Hampshire today, a bill was resoundingly defeated that Cassella had written and lobbied hard for around siding landfills.
0:36:35.710 --> 0:36:47.920
Jackie Elliott
So it's encouragement that if the public and the decision makers join hands and figure out what needs to happen, things can get done.
0:36:50.320 --> 0:36:51.790
Burks, Robert R
So you'd like to see more?
0:36:52.300 --> 0:36:52.940
Burks, Robert R
Sorry, go ahead.
0:36:50.700 --> 0:36:53.0
Jackie Elliott
So we just have to pardon.
0:36:53.880 --> 0:36:57.960
Burks, Robert R
I I was just want you wanted to see more municipal control then is that?
0:36:58.360 --> 0:37:13.80
Jackie Elliott
Well, I would say that, umm, we need to be focusing on the fact that because we're in a nearly monopolized situation around collection, processing and disposal of our resources.
0:37:14.190 --> 0:37:32.450
Jackie Elliott
Umm, we might want to think about a different approach, and I personally don't see us moving away from the captured situation we're currently in unless we get to focusing on regional development of infrastructure.
0:37:33.760 --> 0:37:36.710
Jackie Elliott
Umm and processes.
0:37:36.780 --> 0:37:37.610
Jackie Elliott
You know what?
0:37:37.740 --> 0:37:38.950
Jackie Elliott
What are going to be our goals?
0:37:38.960 --> 0:37:41.170
Jackie Elliott
What's going to be our priority in our focus?
0:37:41.760 --> 0:38:6.230
Jackie Elliott
I think particularly of the Juniper Ridge Landfill in Old Town, which is owned by the state Obstensibly to be there to preserve disposal capacity for main citizens and their waste, but it is in the hands management wise of the for profit sector, which has gobbled up the disposal cast capacity at the landfill.
0:38:7.200 --> 0:38:9.900
Jackie Elliott
Umm, the mayor?
0:38:9.980 --> 0:38:20.370
Jackie Elliott
The management of the landfill is questionable given the instability recently and the recent fire umm and the state.
0:38:20.500 --> 0:38:25.40
Jackie Elliott
As the owner of that landfill, they are a market participant.
0:38:25.50 --> 0:38:37.780
Jackie Elliott
So if they were to get actively involved in the management and oversight of that landfill, that disposal capacity could be saved for main main waste.
0:38:38.500 --> 0:38:42.220
Jackie Elliott
The fact that it's being gobbled up by out-of-state waste is horrendous.
0:38:44.600 --> 0:38:53.300
Jackie Elliott
Umm, if that might involve some renegotiation of the operating and service agreements and there is.
0:38:54.700 --> 0:39:10.390
Jackie Elliott
Currently, a bill that's been passed LD 718 that is going to be part of that bill is going to be taking a look at that situation and see if it is something that could be better managed.
0:39:11.400 --> 0:39:24.750
Jackie Elliott
Umm as a utility and I think that's an idea worth considering overall for how we would approach our resource management going forward.
0:39:26.370 --> 0:39:31.980
Jackie Elliott
And I know we're looking at this regionally, but we're all in this together.
0:39:32.50 --> 0:39:34.460
Jackie Elliott
We, you know, we all live here.
0:39:34.530 --> 0:39:42.790
Jackie Elliott
The state belongs to all of us and we're currently facing a real crisis in the Bangor area.
0:39:43.910 --> 0:39:44.320
Jackie Elliott
Uh.
0:39:44.330 --> 0:39:48.560
Jackie Elliott
The Perkins iterator in Orrington has shut down.
0:39:49.130 --> 0:39:51.620
Jackie Elliott
It has a lot of equipment issues.
0:39:51.630 --> 0:39:53.0
Jackie Elliott
That's an old burner.
0:39:53.10 --> 0:39:53.970
Jackie Elliott
It's falling apart.
0:39:55.90 --> 0:40:9.990
Jackie Elliott
It is in receivership and going on the auction block and orrington's trash is piling up on the tipping floor in hopes that some Saviors going to come in and fire up the burner and take care of it.
0:40:11.780 --> 0:40:17.220
Jackie Elliott
We also have a crisis in Hampton around the MRC facility.
0:40:18.330 --> 0:40:18.970
Jackie Elliott
Umm.
0:40:19.230 --> 0:40:27.920
Jackie Elliott
On a good day, if things go forward as they're saying that plant is not gonna be functioning for another two years at least.
0:40:28.880 --> 0:40:33.240
Jackie Elliott
So in the mean time, we have a lot of imported waste.
0:40:33.990 --> 0:40:53.710
Jackie Elliott
That supplies the MRC situation as well as the 115 member communities that waste for three years now has been bypassed to either Crossroads Landfill and Norwich Walk or Juniper Ridge, and all town.
0:40:55.90 --> 0:41:0.260
Jackie Elliott
And that doesn't quite match up with the title of your department sustainable.
0:41:3.860 --> 0:41:12.670
Jackie Elliott
Then we need the DEP to just really get serious about how we manage things.
0:41:12.680 --> 0:41:21.230
Jackie Elliott
We need to be assessing what our regional needs, seeing how we might develop infrastructure to achieve the goals.
0:41:53.190 --> 0:41:53.420
Burks, Robert R
3rd.
0:41:22.650 --> 0:41:56.230
Jackie Elliott
Umm, I would say that probably a good beginning would be to set things up so that on a statewide slash regional level where at least taking the organics out of the front end of the waste stream and either utilizing them for anaerobic digestion or composting that does not include the toxic inputs of the plastic packaging and that sort of thing that would, that would take care of pretty much 1/4 of what is getting disposed at this point.
0:41:56.740 --> 0:42:5.810
Jackie Elliott
And then this idea of single sort recycling has has got to go away because it does not work and none of this is rocket science.
0:42:5.820 --> 0:42:11.320
Jackie Elliott
There's several successful models out there that can be borrowed from.
0:42:11.450 --> 0:42:20.130
Jackie Elliott
I think of 1 in particular, just because I do trash across the region is the Chittenden Waste District in Vermont.
0:42:20.910 --> 0:42:30.270
Jackie Elliott
Umm, they've done a really good job of implementing some really important things around how resources are managed.
0:42:31.110 --> 0:42:31.710
Jackie Elliott
Umm.
0:42:31.910 --> 0:42:35.520
Jackie Elliott
And you might want to take a look at it and then.
0:42:35.60 --> 0:42:36.170
Burks, Robert R
I believe Chittenden does.
0:42:36.180 --> 0:42:38.90
Burks, Robert R
Single stream, don't they though they they do?
0:42:38.720 --> 0:42:39.120
Jackie Elliott
Yes.
0:42:38.300 --> 0:42:42.70
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, but they also have plastic program, but they have a very good transportation.
0:42:42.80 --> 0:42:42.380
Burks, Robert R
Yeah. Yes.
0:42:42.300 --> 0:42:42.830
Jackie Elliott
Yeah.
0:42:42.880 --> 0:42:53.70
Jackie Elliott
So I mean, I mean overall I'm I'm a fan of let's get it sorted on the front end and that's my prejudice and prejudice and I'll own up to it.
0:42:54.110 --> 0:43:11.890
Jackie Elliott
Uh, and I just think overall that DP must really work with the citizens in the state to establish systems and infrastructure that result in building the local economy and a sense of community and the fact that we're in this together.
0:43:11.900 --> 0:43:18.960
Jackie Elliott
So the choices we make around what we do are either going to be to our benefit or a detriment.
0:43:19.520 --> 0:43:39.500
Jackie Elliott
And we certainly have a situation going in this state currently where a certain sector of our state and the population is bearing all the harmful impacts of what happens around what we do with what we throw away and going forward.
0:43:39.510 --> 0:43:56.780
Jackie Elliott
The state has made a commitment, a basic commitment to some principles of environmental justice, and I would assert that that includes that the burdens and the benefits around all of this gets shared on a more equal basis than is currently happening.
0:43:56.790 --> 0:44:0.460
Jackie Elliott
I mean, you look at a map and you see where all our landfills are.
0:44:0.910 --> 0:44:10.670
Jackie Elliott
And the Penobscot region and the Penobscot watershed and river are under horrible stress from all of this.
0:44:11.630 --> 0:44:15.200
Jackie Elliott
And it's just not right on any level.
0:44:17.360 --> 0:44:24.730
Jackie Elliott
And I just the these meetings are important and I'm thankful that you're holding them.
0:44:25.80 --> 0:44:28.980
Jackie Elliott
I'm not surprised the public is not more involved.
0:44:30.0 --> 0:44:33.180
Jackie Elliott
We're looking at in education, that's a huge piece.
0:44:34.110 --> 0:44:37.320
Jackie Elliott
We really need to figure out how to get that done.
0:44:37.330 --> 0:44:56.390
Jackie Elliott
So we can get people on board doing what is right around this issue because we have to be honest here, what we're doing is not sustainable and we're not gonna have anything but a hot mess to pass on to future generations if we don't get our act together.
0:44:57.420 --> 0:45:3.580
Jackie Elliott
Umm, I'd like us to just approach it from the standpoint of rethinking what we do.
0:45:4.430 --> 0:45:12.720
Jackie Elliott
We put rethinking on top of reduction and then work toward zero waste goals.
0:45:12.730 --> 0:45:14.810
Jackie Elliott
And then that's not pie in the sky.
0:45:15.360 --> 0:45:23.690
Jackie Elliott
And that means does not mean they'll never be any discards, but it's a worthy effort to set things up.
0:45:25.20 --> 0:45:30.960
Jackie Elliott
So that's where you're headed, because if you don't have a target to hit, you're not gonna hit anything.
0:45:31.500 --> 0:45:33.890
Jackie Elliott
So thank you for indulging me.
0:45:33.900 --> 0:45:34.760
Jackie Elliott
I appreciate it.
0:45:35.590 --> 0:45:36.520
Burks, Robert R
Thank you, Jackie.
0:45:36.580 --> 0:45:37.120
Burks, Robert R
Thank you.
0:45:37.130 --> 0:45:38.480
Burks, Robert R
Can you put your hand down if you would?
0:45:40.340 --> 0:45:40.740
Burks, Robert R
Thank you.
0:45:39.170 --> 0:45:44.200
Jackie Elliott
Yes, if I let me find the right place here, OK.
0:45:43.960 --> 0:45:45.940
Burks, Robert R
I hope you do because I don't do.
0:45:52.710 --> 0:46:1.230
Burks, Robert R
Does anyone else wanna speak to any of those factors, especially the regionalization piece and the and talking about developing more local infrastructure?
0:46:5.540 --> 0:46:5.920
Burks, Robert R
Cat.
0:46:8.480 --> 0:46:8.960
Burks, Robert R
You're on.
0:46:10.820 --> 0:46:11.290
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Hi.
0:46:11.350 --> 0:46:11.990
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Thanks.
0:46:12.0 --> 0:46:14.370
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Umm yeah, I agree with Jackie.
0:46:14.380 --> 0:46:14.750
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
You.
0:46:14.800 --> 0:46:17.910
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
She has the saying that says how do you eat an elephant?
0:46:18.140 --> 0:46:20.90
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
One bite at a time, you know?
0:46:20.320 --> 0:46:39.40
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
And I think that and I've said this, I think in my previous comments that I sent you for the last meeting and press style that it's imperative that we take a step back from these mass huge waste management services and landfills and go back to a localized infrastructure.
0:46:39.540 --> 0:46:44.450
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So that the local people can decide how they want to manage their their waste.
0:46:44.460 --> 0:46:56.270
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
There are examples in this state that that were testimonies from the last Chapter 400 waste management rule changes, which I participated in, who talked about their community.
0:46:57.570 --> 0:47:5.650
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Waste management services, which included of course composting and recycling and too good to toss and salvage.
0:47:5.790 --> 0:47:33.400
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
And the other thing with funding, I did a I did a calculation on the cost of services for unorganized territories, which bear the brunt of these efforts by large corporations like Cassella and Wolf, den and other predatory, I guess, attempts to take over low population, low income rural areas.
0:47:33.530 --> 0:47:34.580
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
This is their tactic.
0:47:34.590 --> 0:47:48.890
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
They go in, they do exploratory research, they find out there's weak resistance or LAX regulations and they hurry up and try to get everything accomplished before the public even is aware of what's happening.
0:47:49.580 --> 0:47:50.970
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Umm, funding.
0:47:51.180 --> 0:48:1.950
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I think we should migrate away from the bag method we used to throw our our trash in a can and take it to the dump.
0:48:2.420 --> 0:48:35.580
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
And I think if we weighed that instead of bagging it, which we have to take care of the bags anyway, that people who bring their waste to the to the transfer station now, not the DOT but can weigh their trash, and if they they don't like the price of it, then you can point to the compost pile and you can point to the recycling bins and you can point to the oil and paint and hazardous waste, you know, storage areas and say here, here's how you can reduce your bill.
0:48:35.830 --> 0:48:45.600
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
And when I did, the cost of services estimate for the unorganized townships in Maine, it came out to about $161.00 per person.
0:48:45.980 --> 0:49:8.720
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
It was the one of the largest costs that we have in unorganized townships and I think it's primarily because of curbside pickup, but I'm I only live in Argyle, so I can only say what we get that comes out to at $3 a bag, 53 bags a year and that would be once a week.
0:49:9.220 --> 0:49:25.340
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So what we're seeing are some people like myself who throw away maybe a kitchen size trash bag with the stuff I can't recycle, which doesn't get recycled anyway, but it doesn't get incinerated anymore because perks closed, which at least gave me some comfort.
0:49:25.930 --> 0:49:35.150
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
But the things you can't recycle, like Styrofoam and those little diapers they put in meat trays and wrappers for vegetables and things like that.
0:49:35.530 --> 0:49:41.170
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So I was raised by depression era parents who were raised by depression era parents.
0:49:41.520 --> 0:49:51.610
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Wasting food was a cardinal sin, and so I believe that we've only been a short way down this road for education.
0:49:52.20 --> 0:49:59.670
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
We're starting to see focus on nutrition and schools again, which I'm really happy to see because you can't raise a good brain if you don't raise a good body.
0:50:0.220 --> 0:50:6.470
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
And and these kids understand what's happening, especially the older ones.
0:50:6.840 --> 0:50:13.550
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I don't really think it would take that much of an effort if you if you can approach the children and fund teaching.
0:50:13.660 --> 0:50:20.300
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Teaching this in K through 12 and then let the children reach out to their parents.
0:50:20.400 --> 0:50:31.310
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So you get the parents with more, more money and they can control the cost of what they throw away and maybe feel better because they can divert it from the waste stream.
0:50:31.640 --> 0:50:35.400
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
And then you have the children on the other side who are pushing them to do it.
0:50:36.510 --> 0:50:38.40
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So that's all I have to say for now.
0:50:38.100 --> 0:50:38.930
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Thanks for letting me talk.
0:50:40.520 --> 0:50:56.700
Burks, Robert R
So thanks both you and Jackie talked about umm localized infrastructure and and I guess one of the things we were talking about the other day is there are parts of the state where you have really good transfer stations and where people go and they can get rid of all their stuff just like you're talking about.
0:50:56.710 --> 0:50:59.300
Burks, Robert R
And then there are parts of the state and and you mentioned.
0:50:59.310 --> 0:51:1.30
Burks, Robert R
Many of them are the unorganized territories.
0:51:1.40 --> 0:51:6.530
Burks, Robert R
The more rural places, the places where the municipal governments are less strong, where you have nothing.
0:51:7.340 --> 0:51:7.680
Burks, Robert R
Umm.
0:51:7.980 --> 0:51:11.330
Burks, Robert R
Did we have any thoughts on what it takes to get you know?
0:51:13.560 --> 0:51:14.300
Burks, Robert R
What it takes?
0:51:14.310 --> 0:51:14.630
Burks, Robert R
Why?
0:51:14.640 --> 0:51:14.740
Burks, Robert R
Why?
0:51:15.890 --> 0:51:17.320
Burks, Robert R
Why the unorganized territories?
0:51:17.330 --> 0:51:17.600
Burks, Robert R
Why?
0:51:17.610 --> 0:51:23.390
Burks, Robert R
What's in the way of, of those, those local transfer stations coming about?
0:51:23.550 --> 0:51:24.810
Burks, Robert R
Jackie, you have comment.
0:51:26.270 --> 0:51:34.340
Jackie Elliott
Well, I'm just thinking that you know, as you take the the whole problem apart and and try to make it break it down into pieces to act on.
0:51:34.750 --> 0:51:49.120
Jackie Elliott
I'm thinking one of the important efforts that DEP could engage in would be to just gather data points from all the entire state.
0:51:50.60 --> 0:51:52.840
Jackie Elliott
What types of waste streams are generated?
0:51:52.890 --> 0:51:55.210
Jackie Elliott
What amounts are generated?
0:51:55.500 --> 0:52:3.720
Jackie Elliott
What is there for infrastructure in a particular area that addresses those things?
0:52:3.730 --> 0:52:6.560
Jackie Elliott
How are they handled, handled and managed?
0:52:7.50 --> 0:52:8.600
Jackie Elliott
You know, where do they go?
0:52:9.840 --> 0:52:17.850
Jackie Elliott
I think if you collect the data, you'll begin to understand some trends and needs.
0:52:19.260 --> 0:52:20.130
Jackie Elliott
Umm.
0:52:20.640 --> 0:52:31.840
Jackie Elliott
And perhaps that will be able to develop the thinking around what sort of infrastructure works located where.
0:52:32.430 --> 0:52:40.50
Jackie Elliott
Because around this issue you cannot get away from the economies of scale that are involved.
0:52:41.560 --> 0:53:8.660
Jackie Elliott
I mean, every community can't have a landfill, that transfer station and you know all of that, I mean, some things can be done on a really local level, but other things are going to have to be done regionally and you're going to have to look at the state based on its actual generation of waste and figure out where the regions fall and what is required for.
0:53:9.440 --> 0:53:14.440
Jackie Elliott
Infrastructure to get to where you want to be in all of this?
0:53:15.640 --> 0:53:29.90
Jackie Elliott
Umm, you got to do the upfront work because otherwise you're gonna be creating solutions for problems that don't even exist and not coming up with solutions for problems that are there.
0:53:30.250 --> 0:53:30.930
Jackie Elliott
Umm.
0:53:31.290 --> 0:53:34.370
Jackie Elliott
And you know you don't wanna get the card out in front of the horse.
0:53:35.840 --> 0:53:38.170
Jackie Elliott
And I realized this require it.
0:53:38.180 --> 0:53:40.280
Jackie Elliott
It takes commitment and #1.
0:53:40.330 --> 0:53:41.450
Jackie Elliott
We've got to agree.
0:53:41.460 --> 0:53:42.110
Jackie Elliott
Do we?
0:53:42.360 --> 0:54:1.50
Jackie Elliott
Do we share the values of preserving our natural resource resources, preserving other resources, protecting our environment, protecting our public health, sharing the burdens and the benefits?
0:54:2.380 --> 0:54:2.570
Burks, Robert R
Yes.
0:54:1.60 --> 0:54:4.820
Jackie Elliott
Do we agree that those are values that we all hold?
0:54:5.920 --> 0:54:10.990
Jackie Elliott
If so, how do we apply those values to the outcomes?
0:54:21.230 --> 0:54:21.380
Burks, Robert R
It's.
0:54:12.930 --> 0:54:21.450
Jackie Elliott
Umm, so it it's kind of a soul searching conversation that has to occur not just about, you know, what do you do with your trash?
0:54:22.430 --> 0:54:24.420
Jackie Elliott
Umm and I don't.
0:54:24.830 --> 0:54:36.330
Jackie Elliott
I don't know that we've had those conversations and and that conversation has to go beyond you folks and cat and I and umm skyway there.
0:54:36.340 --> 0:54:37.890
Jackie Elliott
Who show up at these meetings?
0:54:37.900 --> 0:54:46.600
Jackie Elliott
Like bad pennies, the people who live in the communities need to know that they can be involved in.
0:54:50.70 --> 0:54:50.650
Burks, Robert R
Thank you, Jeff.
0:54:46.610 --> 0:54:51.90
Jackie Elliott
It's important that they are involved and how we get there.
0:54:51.100 --> 0:54:51.790
Jackie Elliott
I'm not quite sure.
0:54:53.60 --> 0:55:1.950
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, this is all good feedback and I actually want to take a couple minutes to talk about some of the stuff that that we are working on because this is definitely something that we're taking seriously.
0:55:1.960 --> 0:55:4.870
Burks, Robert R
Obviously we're hosting these regional stakeholder meetings.
0:55:5.440 --> 0:55:15.410
Burks, Robert R
We have more staff in our unit than we've had in the past and we're taking a really close look at the whole state in terms of opportunities for diversion.
0:55:15.580 --> 0:55:17.190
Burks, Robert R
So a couple of things that we're doing.
0:55:17.200 --> 0:55:19.470
Burks, Robert R
We applied for federal money from EPA.
0:55:19.940 --> 0:55:25.650
Burks, Robert R
We're going to be doing a waste characterization study to look at different waste streams from around the state.
0:55:26.520 --> 0:55:32.520
Burks, Robert R
Umm, we're we're going to be looking at food waste specifically that's going to be a separate.
0:55:32.530 --> 0:55:45.150
Burks, Robert R
There's a separate study that we're getting a little bit of money specifically to look at food waste generation and look at also the infrastructure needed specifically to target organics and keep those out of the way stream, umm.
0:55:45.460 --> 0:55:57.80
Burks, Robert R
And so we we have a, we have a lot of programs that will be coming up in a lot of funding that we're that we're putting into gathering information just for to address the problems that you're talking about.
0:55:57.90 --> 0:56:4.880
Burks, Robert R
Now the other thing that we're renewing interest in in trying to gather more information through is the municipal recycling progress reports.
0:56:5.390 --> 0:56:10.340
Burks, Robert R
Those are due every two years and we've been having a summer intern on every year.
0:56:10.350 --> 0:56:14.540
Burks, Robert R
That's really focused on outreach to communities and working with towns.
0:56:14.550 --> 0:56:33.850
Burks, Robert R
On submitting those reports and that's a really for us, it's a really good way of getting information about understanding the differences between, you know, why does this rural town have an agreement with the regional transfer station and their residents have options for composting and recycling and all these diversion programs, whereas this rural town has nothing.
0:56:33.960 --> 0:56:45.950
Burks, Robert R
So it gives us a better grasp on the lay of the land in terms of where the programs are and where there might be opportunities for for teams to work together or where there's a real need for infrastructure development.
0:56:45.960 --> 0:56:47.520
Burks, Robert R
So that's one thing that we're looking at right now.
0:56:48.70 --> 0:56:49.870
Burks, Robert R
I'm Skyway or Kenneth.
0:56:49.880 --> 0:56:50.510
Burks, Robert R
I'm sorry, Kenneth.
0:56:50.520 --> 0:56:51.290
Burks, Robert R
Did you have a comment?
0:56:54.480 --> 0:56:55.470
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Yeah.
0:56:54.720 --> 0:56:55.480
Burks, Robert R
The sky, right.
0:56:55.980 --> 0:56:56.520
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Can you hear?
0:56:56.700 --> 0:56:57.340
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Can you hear me?
0:56:55.600 --> 0:56:57.780
Burks, Robert R
It's just, yes.
0:56:57.890 --> 0:56:59.140
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, yes.
0:56:59.370 --> 0:57:4.560
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Umm so I I I my my comment is a little bit off off the beaten track.
0:57:4.570 --> 0:57:18.340
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
But I often wonder where will these landfills and transfer stations be in 50 years, when the population is growing all the time and the amount of waste is growing all the time.
0:57:18.890 --> 0:57:20.740
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
We can only build mountains so high.
0:57:20.750 --> 0:57:33.110
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
I'm assuming what is the plan further out, you know, five years is a very short time when it comes to handling waste because it just keeps accumulating and accumulating.
0:57:35.880 --> 0:57:36.80
Burks, Robert R
It.
0:57:35.440 --> 0:57:39.760
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Do we somehow squeeze it down into into big blobs of?
0:57:40.960 --> 0:57:44.300
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Elements and I I I'm I'd like to hear some.
0:57:44.310 --> 0:57:45.830
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Somebody talk about long range.
0:57:46.140 --> 0:57:46.500
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Thank you.
0:57:46.630 --> 0:57:47.100
Burks, Robert R
So.
0:57:47.250 --> 0:57:53.150
Burks, Robert R
So I think actually that is a little bit of we are hearing a lot of of.
0:57:55.350 --> 0:57:58.980
Burks, Robert R
Sort of overarching themes like this is a.
0:57:59.30 --> 0:58:0.900
Burks, Robert R
This is the way things should be done.
0:58:1.110 --> 0:58:6.350
Burks, Robert R
The five year plan really is a much shorter time scale, right long term, right.
0:58:6.360 --> 0:58:8.60
Burks, Robert R
The Jackie mentioned zero waste.
0:58:8.350 --> 0:58:12.170
Burks, Robert R
The waste hierarchy has got your your reduction.
0:58:12.180 --> 0:58:18.380
Burks, Robert R
Your reuse recycling is is way down there landfilling's even farther down there.
0:58:19.330 --> 0:58:24.700
Burks, Robert R
The five year plan is I think a way to try to operationalize.
0:58:24.710 --> 0:58:26.740
Burks, Robert R
I mean, you can have these goals, right?
0:58:27.290 --> 0:58:33.80
Burks, Robert R
These things that we want to do and then in the five year plan is trying to operationalize progress.
0:58:33.330 --> 0:58:42.180
Burks, Robert R
We're trying to reach progress and so I think it can be a little bit helpful to be a little bit more specific about about how we can incrementally improve.
0:58:42.510 --> 0:58:49.660
Burks, Robert R
In addition to thinking about those, umm more overarching themes, Mr Beneski.
0:58:49.730 --> 0:58:49.920
Burks, Robert R
It.
0:58:51.50 --> 0:58:51.820
Beneski, Brian
Ah yeah.
0:58:51.870 --> 0:58:53.250
Beneski, Brian
I just was gonna pipe in that.
0:58:53.260 --> 0:58:56.120
Beneski, Brian
I mean the five, it's not a plan.
0:58:56.300 --> 0:59:0.340
Beneski, Brian
The Materials management plan is not a plan for the next five years.
0:59:1.310 --> 0:59:15.910
Beneski, Brian
It's it the the plan is it's rewire required by law to review the plan every five years in order to change it for the next 10-15 years.
0:59:16.150 --> 0:59:21.100
Beneski, Brian
So I don't think we should think about the materials manager plan as the plan for the next five years.
0:59:21.110 --> 0:59:28.670
Beneski, Brian
We think of it, of this is our plan for how we want to handle our materials.
0:59:30.160 --> 0:59:38.740
Beneski, Brian
Uh, for the next whenever, and we're just reviewing it every five years to say, OK, this hasn't worked.
0:59:40.330 --> 0:59:42.150
Beneski, Brian
This is worked in other places.
0:59:42.160 --> 0:59:43.300
Beneski, Brian
Why don't we try it here?
0:59:43.310 --> 0:59:44.710
Beneski, Brian
So yeah, it's.
0:59:44.720 --> 0:59:45.630
Beneski, Brian
I'm just wanted to throw in.
0:59:50.720 --> 0:59:50.940
Burks, Robert R
Go.
0:59:45.640 --> 0:59:52.80
Beneski, Brian
It's not a five year plan, it's it's a a review of a ongoing existing plan.
0:59:52.90 --> 0:59:53.630
Beneski, Brian
So that we can constantly update it.
0:59:55.330 --> 0:59:58.620
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, I think the statute actually says 510 and 20 years ahead.
0:59:58.630 --> 1:0:5.640
Burks, Robert R
So we're all of that is is going into the plan is looking, you know more short term but also thinking long term as well.
1:0:6.530 --> 1:0:8.210
Burks, Robert R
Umm can you go to Nora?
1:0:8.970 --> 1:0:10.70
Burks, Robert R
Cat is spoken.
1:0:10.400 --> 1:0:11.730
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, Nora, would you like to go ahead?
1:0:13.740 --> 1:0:14.950
Burks, Robert R
Thank you. Yes.
1:0:38.640 --> 1:0:39.790
Burks, Robert R
Brian, do you want to touch on that?
1:0:39.800 --> 1:0:41.390
Burks, Robert R
It's part of the climate pollution funding.
1:0:41.410 --> 1:0:42.80
Beneski, Brian
Right.
1:0:42.90 --> 1:0:42.400
Beneski, Brian
Yeah.
1:0:42.410 --> 1:0:47.710
Beneski, Brian
So it's part of the climate pollution funding and we're we're getting a small piece of that to look at.
1:0:48.0 --> 1:0:50.50
Beneski, Brian
UMAT.
1:0:50.670 --> 1:0:55.780
Beneski, Brian
Uh food waste and kind of with the with the with the more geared towards.
1:0:56.270 --> 1:1:0.500
Beneski, Brian
I mean, what food waste impact is for climate change and how we can address that?
1:1:0.810 --> 1:1:32.960
Beneski, Brian
And so the first step really is to look at where the whole idea is to design is to figure out where the food, what the amount is, where it's being generated, a food waste in the state of Maine, with the idea that we then once we know that basic information, we can then look at what type of infrastructure we want to put in place, the best handle, the food waste that's being generated.
1:1:33.190 --> 1:1:51.540
Beneski, Brian
So that's going to be the first step to to to truly get away, to identify, you know, the where the food waste is coming from, where it's concentrated in the state and then take that next step of of trying to develop a plan for infrastructure to to deal with that.
1:1:58.450 --> 1:1:58.570
Beneski, Brian
Yes.
1:1:59.760 --> 1:2:0.350
Beneski, Brian
Yeah, I saw.
1:2:0.360 --> 1:2:0.590
Beneski, Brian
Sorry.
1:2:0.600 --> 1:2:1.370
Beneski, Brian
The timeline. Yeah.
1:2:1.380 --> 1:2:14.420
Beneski, Brian
So the timeline is, hopefully we're gonna get the umm yet that out to have the work done this year and then probably over the course of the fall winter when it'll the results of that will get.
1:2:16.510 --> 1:2:22.500
Beneski, Brian
Written up and put out with it next year with the climate change report.
1:2:28.690 --> 1:2:29.490
Burks, Robert R
Does that help, Nora?
1:2:32.50 --> 1:2:32.920
Burks, Robert R
Do you have an?
1:2:33.130 --> 1:2:33.560
Burks, Robert R
OK.
1:2:33.950 --> 1:2:35.700
Burks, Robert R
Thank you, Nora. Ken.
1:2:37.370 --> 1:2:38.300
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Yeah.
1:2:38.310 --> 1:2:39.760
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
And talk about food waste.
1:2:40.350 --> 1:2:45.420
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
I'm an older resident of Maine, but I remember a great fruit food waste.
1:2:45.580 --> 1:2:52.630
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
The methodology we used to have it was called a pig farm at the main mall.
1:2:53.260 --> 1:3:6.480
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
We preceded the main mall by many years, but almost all the garbage and command county ended up at the at the at the pig farm where the main mall is, and when they built the mall and got rid of the pig farm.
1:3:6.670 --> 1:3:12.900
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Now we now I'm not sure what we do with our food waste, but it's certainly not being recycled in any way.
1:3:12.910 --> 1:3:17.100
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
So I'm just curious if anyone thought about going backwards in time instead of going forward.
1:3:18.40 --> 1:3:18.720
Burks, Robert R
There are different.
1:3:17.550 --> 1:3:19.170
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
I'm sure we could raise enough things.
1:3:19.720 --> 1:3:24.470
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, they're actually definitely some very large food waste generators in the state that send their food to pig farm.
1:3:24.480 --> 1:3:29.670
Burks, Robert R
So it's still happening, but unfortunately I think there's maybe not enough pig farms for.
1:3:29.760 --> 1:3:30.690
Burks, Robert R
For what we need at the moment.
1:3:31.700 --> 1:3:32.830
Burks, Robert R
So there's there's a lot.
1:3:32.840 --> 1:3:34.750
Burks, Robert R
There's a lot of reduction that needs to take place.
1:3:34.760 --> 1:3:36.930
Burks, Robert R
There's a lot of good things happening.
1:3:36.940 --> 1:3:40.960
Burks, Robert R
There are pockets of the state where all of this stuff that people are talking about, right.
1:3:40.970 --> 1:3:41.430
Burks, Robert R
Good stuff.
1:3:41.440 --> 1:3:42.130
Burks, Robert R
It's happening.
1:3:42.180 --> 1:3:45.900
Burks, Robert R
It is happening question I think is how do you why is it happening?
1:3:45.910 --> 1:3:51.850
Burks, Robert R
It's happening here and and these other places aren't aren't doing it and and why and how do we get them to do it right?
1:3:51.890 --> 1:3:57.200
Burks, Robert R
And I think education is a big part of that, to sharing information about the different options and local organization.
1:3:57.210 --> 1:3:57.790
Burks, Robert R
Yeah. Apps.
1:3:57.880 --> 1:4:2.30
Burks, Robert R
Yes, umm, I see Jackie and cat both have their hands raised.
1:4:2.40 --> 1:4:5.400
Burks, Robert R
I'm not sure how Grace impressed and cat would you like to?
1:4:5.450 --> 1:4:7.200
Burks, Robert R
I think that might have had hers up longer.
1:4:7.210 --> 1:4:8.150
Burks, Robert R
Cat, do you wanna comment?
1:4:8.660 --> 1:4:9.280
Burks, Robert R
Must be tired.
1:4:10.250 --> 1:4:10.820
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Sure.
1:4:11.10 --> 1:4:22.120
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
You were talking about a food waste and I from the time I was 16 till I was forty, I worked in the food industry, starting out in a tasty freeze and ending as an executive chef here in Maine.
1:4:22.790 --> 1:4:38.110
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
One of the things that surrounds packaging of food for industrial use or commercial use for restaurants and they aren't in schools especially, they are not sending fresh food anymore.
1:4:38.400 --> 1:4:42.10
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
You have packaged soups in plastic bags.
1:4:42.260 --> 1:4:48.270
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
You have, you know, applesauce and pudding and milk, all in individual cups.
1:4:48.560 --> 1:5:2.250
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
And one thing you could do, or have the schools do, is to audit what the kids are throwing away because some schools, like, has been mentioned before, are proactive and have different bins, you know, trash cans for different things.
1:5:2.460 --> 1:5:8.530
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
And I know there are health concerns as far as you know, packaging of food for schools especially.
1:5:8.940 --> 1:5:19.590
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
But one of the things we were talking about, the pig farm, OK, a lot of the farmers in this area go to Hannaford on a specific day to pick up the produce that's put out back.
1:5:20.0 --> 1:5:26.380
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
They're told that if they miss a day that the food will go to the next person on the list and they'll be knocked off the list.
1:5:26.840 --> 1:5:29.780
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So a farmer has to end up going to Hannaford.
1:5:29.830 --> 1:5:33.830
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Seven days a week in order to retain their place.
1:5:35.130 --> 1:5:56.150
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
OK, so that could be one thing you could encourage, you know, grocery stores and restaurants that they could put out their stuff for anyone, you know who wants to sign up for it and not give them a quota that they have to maintain just because the administrative effort is is too hard.
1:5:57.0 --> 1:5:57.380
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Thank you.
1:5:59.90 --> 1:5:59.430
Burks, Robert R
Thank you.
1:6:0.820 --> 1:6:2.190
Burks, Robert R
Uh, Jackie, did you wanna comment?
1:6:3.140 --> 1:6:4.30
Jackie Elliott
Yes, what?
1:6:4.40 --> 1:6:9.850
Jackie Elliott
We're on this topic of of diverting food waste in other organics.
1:6:12.20 --> 1:6:25.160
Jackie Elliott
Maine has a certain regenerative farming movement going that I've head on in different areas of the press and these efforts always intrigued me.
1:6:25.850 --> 1:6:48.680
Jackie Elliott
The idea being what they are utilizing is they are growing crops in rows of compost rather than disturbing the soil because science is showing that when you disturb the soil, you mess up the whole microbiota and ecology.
1:6:49.720 --> 1:6:50.160
Jackie Elliott
Umm.
1:6:50.440 --> 1:7:9.500
Jackie Elliott
And I know that the university or I think I know in the past had composting school umm for people who want to get into large scale composting and I don't know what the DEP's role in any of this might be.
1:7:11.120 --> 1:7:14.380
Jackie Elliott
Is there a way of incorporating these efforts?
1:7:14.800 --> 1:7:35.830
Jackie Elliott
Umm to make them more effective and the important caveat that I would put into this conversation around organics and composting is no, we don't use sewage sludge for the nitrogen component.
1:7:36.160 --> 1:7:36.880
Jackie Elliott
OK.
1:7:36.990 --> 1:7:37.370
Jackie Elliott
Bad.
1:7:38.340 --> 1:7:40.760
Jackie Elliott
Umm and I'm.
1:7:40.770 --> 1:7:47.860
Jackie Elliott
I'm just thinking, you know, is there a way to link what efforts that might already be occur occurring?
1:7:48.650 --> 1:7:53.600
Jackie Elliott
Help those efforts to improve and perhaps there might be spinoffs.
1:7:53.610 --> 1:7:58.390
Jackie Elliott
Even that could be applied in other parts of the state if they're happening somewhere.
1:8:3.310 --> 1:8:4.340
Burks, Robert R
That's good feedback.
1:8:4.350 --> 1:8:4.640
Burks, Robert R
I don't.
1:8:4.650 --> 1:8:11.80
Burks, Robert R
I mean, the agricultural sector tends to be more the the the.
1:8:11.600 --> 1:8:12.320
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, we have.
1:8:12.370 --> 1:8:13.190
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, and not days.
1:8:13.200 --> 1:8:15.920
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, the wow. My brain.
1:8:15.970 --> 1:8:16.920
Burks, Robert R
Can you guys help me out here?
1:8:17.80 --> 1:8:19.30
Burks, Robert R
You agriculture. Conservation.
1:8:19.40 --> 1:8:19.480
Burks, Robert R
Forestry.
1:8:19.490 --> 1:8:21.130
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, the AC, yes.
1:8:21.780 --> 1:8:21.980
Jackie Elliott
What?
1:8:24.570 --> 1:8:25.180
Jackie Elliott
OK, maybe.
1:8:21.260 --> 1:8:26.210
Burks, Robert R
So they they tend to work more with the farms they they do quite a bit with the farm, Mark says.
1:8:26.220 --> 1:8:27.890
Burks, Robert R
The compost mark does the composting though.
1:8:27.900 --> 1:8:30.580
Burks, Robert R
Marketing is our compost person equals a deep.
1:8:29.120 --> 1:8:34.670
Jackie Elliott
OK, maybe all these departments need to have a conversation at some point and.
1:8:33.970 --> 1:8:40.480
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, the and they do, they do collaborate and Mark works with he he collaborates with people from that agency.
1:8:40.490 --> 1:8:46.320
Burks, Robert R
They they teach at the main compost school that he goes around and provides technical assistance to communities all over.
1:8:46.330 --> 1:8:58.130
Burks, Robert R
Like, I guarantee you if somebody on this committee on this call wanted mark to come and visit their town, he he makes a priority to get out there and talk to people and and meet with people in communities that want to start composting programs.
1:8:58.190 --> 1:9:2.200
Burks, Robert R
Well, there's only one of him, but he's he's very dedicated and passionate.
1:9:2.210 --> 1:9:7.910
Burks, Robert R
And yeah, this this is a this is probably a really good idea for us to pass on to him.
1:9:7.920 --> 1:9:10.0
Burks, Robert R
So we'll definitely talk to him about this.
1:9:13.0 --> 1:9:22.60
Burks, Robert R
Does John or Brian have any thoughts on what feedback on what you guys are doing in Mount Desert and Augusta for organics and or or not doing and why?
1:9:29.450 --> 1:9:31.250
Burks, Robert R
Sorry to put it right, but you don't.
1:9:31.260 --> 1:9:32.80
Burks, Robert R
You don't need to.
1:9:32.230 --> 1:9:33.920
Burks, Robert R
You don't need to respond if you don't want to.
1:9:34.450 --> 1:9:34.820
Brian Henkel
Great.
1:9:34.850 --> 1:9:35.400
Brian Henkel
Who did?
1:9:38.640 --> 1:9:45.130
Brian Henkel
So I can quickly speak for Mount Desert at least a little bit that I that I know from the time that I've been here thus far.
1:9:45.140 --> 1:9:59.730
Brian Henkel
The we do have trash collection and running it through a local group, so add the 80 disposal district which is island towns that aggregate their services and it goes through EMR.
1:9:59.740 --> 1:10:6.70
Brian Henkel
So as far as compostable waste or anything like that, we're not separating anything out.
1:10:6.80 --> 1:10:22.510
Brian Henkel
It's just simply trash collection and within that MRC process that's going through well, it would have been, you know, at one point I have been going to the Hamden plant, but that's sort of the the, the route that we would be headed and and it would be processed that way.
1:10:22.520 --> 1:10:28.410
Brian Henkel
We, as far as I know, the town hasn't had any uh direct recycling programs.
1:10:28.470 --> 1:10:32.980
Brian Henkel
We offer limited amount of of recycling drop off but we don't have any recycling collection.
1:10:32.990 --> 1:10:35.840
Brian Henkel
We don't have anything other than just simply the trash pickup.
1:10:35.850 --> 1:10:39.960
Brian Henkel
If people want to opt in to do their own, they can.
1:10:40.670 --> 1:10:45.60
Brian Henkel
But the town doesn't have any kind of composting as a program and hasn't done that.
1:10:45.70 --> 1:10:58.310
Brian Henkel
I'm aware of it's just simply the trash collection and and through eastern Maine recycling and a lot of us being bypassed at this point as everybody knows, going to Juniper Ridge and so.
1:11:1.350 --> 1:11:6.190
Burks, Robert R
And it's just not an idea that's come up or or it was rejected or.
1:11:7.360 --> 1:11:15.210
Brian Henkel
There's certainly comes up as an idea and the limited time that I've been here and and you know, previous work that I've done, I was on the warrant committee for years as well.
1:11:15.680 --> 1:11:19.290
Brian Henkel
It's certainly an idea that has come up, but it hasn't really gone very far.
1:11:28.560 --> 1:11:28.770
Jon (Guest)
That's.
1:11:19.300 --> 1:11:43.270
Brian Henkel
It's, I think, but trajectory has been such that the the Hamden plant has been kind of where the eggs have been put and and that I think is is holding for the short term, we'll see how that all works out and umm yeah, I think that's that's been the main for projectory for for the town at this point.
1:11:43.390 --> 1:11:44.400
Brian Henkel
I don't think they have.
1:11:44.410 --> 1:11:51.120
Brian Henkel
They've had the political will or pushed to really do something beyond that at this point at this time.
1:11:53.370 --> 1:11:54.160
Burks, Robert R
Thank you.
1:11:54.170 --> 1:11:55.430
Burks, Robert R
John, did you want to weigh in?
1:11:56.980 --> 1:11:57.220
Jon (Guest)
Yeah.
1:11:57.520 --> 1:11:57.790
Burks, Robert R
Up.
1:11:58.220 --> 1:12:2.590
Jon (Guest)
Yeah, just a quick background that the city does run.
1:12:2.980 --> 1:12:10.670
Jon (Guest)
We have our own landfill and and it's it's a regional landfill for the communities right here around Augusta.
1:12:12.650 --> 1:12:18.900
Jon (Guest)
We're in the process ourselves of evaluating, you know, what we do with the landfill.
1:12:18.910 --> 1:12:25.900
Jon (Guest)
We we've got three to four years worth of life left in it and and, you know, is it a transfer station?
1:12:25.910 --> 1:12:29.190
Jon (Guest)
And if you do that, you only got about two options and.
1:12:32.410 --> 1:12:34.720
Jon (Guest)
What would you do with a recycling program?
1:12:36.250 --> 1:12:36.610
Burks, Robert R
Yep.
1:12:34.850 --> 1:12:48.40
Jon (Guest)
I'm currently we operate single stream recycling that that's done in conjunction with Eco main and we also run a compost facility for leasing yard waste and vegetable waste.
1:12:48.720 --> 1:13:2.540
Jon (Guest)
Umm, so we've got a lot of the different aspects already in place, but disposal capacity is is a critical piece for the state and and it's becoming more and more so for us as well.
1:13:4.860 --> 1:13:11.0
Jon (Guest)
So it it, it seemed like that's that's really where a lot of interest is right now.
1:13:12.920 --> 1:13:15.220
Jon (Guest)
You know, tires are easy to do.
1:13:15.340 --> 1:13:17.780
Jon (Guest)
Wood is marginal.
1:13:20.520 --> 1:13:22.490
Jon (Guest)
Organics is a big push.
1:13:23.340 --> 1:13:25.510
Jon (Guest)
The single stream recycling waste stream.
1:13:26.500 --> 1:13:37.610
Jon (Guest)
The characterization of that stream is certainly changed post kovid, so it's all changing with time.
1:13:37.620 --> 1:13:48.100
Jon (Guest)
Is most everything else, but in order to go after the big tonnage for recycling, demolition material is gonna be a key piece.
1:13:48.110 --> 1:14:7.580
Jon (Guest)
Would waste is gonna be a key piece and definitely organics the single stream recycling is becoming less of a tonnage in a big picture to deal with and some of these other bulky always umm that tend to go to the landfill apparently.
1:14:12.100 --> 1:14:12.590
Burks, Robert R
Thanks John.
1:14:15.220 --> 1:14:16.600
Burks, Robert R
Jackie is something that.
1:14:18.410 --> 1:14:18.610
Jon (Guest)
Yeah.
1:14:17.740 --> 1:14:21.50
Jackie Elliott
Yes, John, blessings on your head.
1:14:21.700 --> 1:14:23.920
Jackie Elliott
I know your job is not an easy one.
1:14:24.840 --> 1:14:29.940
Jackie Elliott
Thank you for hanging in there and and trying to make things work.
1:14:30.210 --> 1:14:32.920
Jackie Elliott
So I'm going to be a bit of a skunk at the lawn party here.
1:14:33.990 --> 1:14:36.50
Jackie Elliott
Umm where am I?
1:14:36.60 --> 1:14:37.660
Jackie Elliott
RC has been invoked.
1:14:38.850 --> 1:14:41.600
Jackie Elliott
Umm we have.
1:14:41.740 --> 1:14:59.470
Jackie Elliott
This is another elephant in the room, that technology that that plant has touted is not a technology that is actually operating anywhere to scale on a successful basis.
1:14:59.940 --> 1:15:9.50
Jackie Elliott
There have been a lot of attempts at at it, a lot of money spent and not a lot of results.
1:15:12.470 --> 1:15:18.10
Jackie Elliott
I kind of think of it as a Wizard of Oz adventure and I just.
1:15:20.260 --> 1:15:34.470
Jackie Elliott
I don't personally want to see the department holding that up as a viable option and outcome for how we can manage discards.
1:15:35.440 --> 1:15:35.930
Jackie Elliott
Uh.
1:15:36.360 --> 1:15:45.810
Jackie Elliott
Even if things were to get up and running as promoted, you're talking about some pretty substantial environmental impacts.
1:15:47.30 --> 1:15:59.280
Jackie Elliott
Relevant relevant to hazard emissions from the processes, you've got a lot of waste and processed water heavily.
1:15:59.480 --> 1:16:3.480
Jackie Elliott
Contaminated with P fast that they have no answer for right now.
1:16:5.10 --> 1:16:13.360
Jackie Elliott
What they're going to do with it, so to look at that, you know, some people say zero waste goals of pie in the sky.
1:16:14.440 --> 1:16:30.330
Jackie Elliott
I say what MRC is promoting is the true pie in the sky and and I just hope I, by introducing that into the conversation, that we can be honest and have some real parameters around the conversation.
1:16:30.340 --> 1:16:32.70
Jackie Elliott
So thank you again for listening.
1:16:34.910 --> 1:16:36.130
Burks, Robert R
Thank you.
1:16:42.520 --> 1:16:43.650
Burks, Robert R
Uh, yeah.
1:16:43.660 --> 1:16:51.730
Burks, Robert R
Did you have a comment and Jackie, if you're done comment, do you mind just putting your hand on just we know you're not waiting, it must be getting numb?
1:16:53.50 --> 1:16:54.360
Burks, Robert R
Cat, did you have something to say?
1:16:55.880 --> 1:17:41.530
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
A couple of things regarding the composting, as long as we're packaging everything, including spices for foods and things in plastic inserts and packaging, double packaging, things like a bag within a cardboard box with a, you know, other things attached to it where the packaging actually outweighs the product, perhaps there's a way to link the efforts with the extended manufacturers bill that was passed last year because you're not gonna get people to take apart a little beef bullion cubes and take away the aluminum foil and throw the cube away if it's expired or whatever, you're not gonna get people to do that.
1:17:41.620 --> 1:17:45.100
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
And those food items cannot be composted.
1:17:46.280 --> 1:18:3.510
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Effectively you know and what Jack he's talking about with the MRC group to just kind of segue a little bit is called advanced recycling and it uses chemicals in heat to extract a plastics back to their original state.
1:18:3.620 --> 1:18:4.950
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
And it's very dangerous.
1:18:5.40 --> 1:18:20.230
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
It's toxic and it's only been tried in areas like Indiana in the rural again, like I mentioned before, the rural areas where they have very little outreach and very little, you know, the problem is you have a low population widely distributed.
1:18:20.500 --> 1:18:27.600
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So you have to find a way for people to come together and and and collaborate.
1:18:27.610 --> 1:18:28.120
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So I was.
1:18:28.430 --> 1:18:35.500
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I'm really glad to see that you're talking about regional cooperation, because that was something I advocated in the last conversation.
1:18:35.750 --> 1:18:36.110
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Thank you.
1:18:38.970 --> 1:19:3.380
Burks, Robert R
Umm, maybe we should just clarify a little bit that the MRC technology, Jim, you know more about it than the rest of us, I think but it's but it's advanced technology is is actually advanced for cycling what they call chemical recycling is actually taking plastics and and using right extreme heat pressure chemicals to to bring it back to its monomers and then rebuild plastics out of it.
1:19:3.530 --> 1:19:12.300
Burks, Robert R
MRC technology is actually just kind of like semi melting it into like a good a briquette is what they call it and then it would be.
1:19:13.610 --> 1:19:14.400
Burks, Robert R
Used for fuel.
1:19:15.280 --> 1:19:26.10
Burks, Robert R
Uh, so it's like it's it's a, it's a bit different also not considered recycling by the department but but different from advanced recycling.
1:19:28.10 --> 1:19:29.620
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, I think there were eventually.
1:19:29.630 --> 1:19:30.980
Burks, Robert R
I think there were plans at one point.
1:19:30.990 --> 1:19:48.450
Burks, Robert R
I'm not sure if I'm not sure what the situation currently is, but I think they were talking up the anaerobic digesters to try to free energy from some of the organic portions of the waste, but this is not our this is not our cortex but, but yeah, the advanced recycling point is important because that's that is for plastics specifically.
1:19:48.240 --> 1:19:48.700
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Right.
1:19:49.20 --> 1:19:56.480
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
They wanna use the the stuff from the anaerobic digester for daily cover, and that counts as recycling.
1:19:57.900 --> 1:20:8.850
Burks, Robert R
It counts for the 50%, so a facility needs to REACH has a processing facility, is required to recycle 50% and and recycling for the per processing facility can include daily cover.
1:20:8.940 --> 1:20:15.70
Burks, Robert R
But for the point of umm, for for example for the packaging program recycling has to.
1:20:15.200 --> 1:20:18.930
Burks, Robert R
I don't know the statute, that's why my head, but they have to be creating a product with it.
1:20:19.0 --> 1:20:28.150
Burks, Robert R
So uses fuel or daily cover would not be clear, would not be classified as recycling under the PR for packaging program or not some audio burst, right?
1:20:28.260 --> 1:20:28.670
Burks, Robert R
Yeah.
1:20:28.680 --> 1:20:38.290
Burks, Robert R
So it's only so the department has number of confusingly and number of definitions of recycling and under most definitions that doesn't count as recycling.
1:20:38.300 --> 1:20:38.750
Burks, Robert R
Yeah.
1:20:38.760 --> 1:20:41.740
Burks, Robert R
And uses fuel is almost almost universally excluded.
1:20:41.750 --> 1:20:44.840
Burks, Robert R
Or maybe even universally excluded from our recycling definitions.
1:20:45.510 --> 1:20:46.640
Burks, Robert R
Vanessa, did you wanna?
1:20:46.950 --> 1:20:47.600
Burks, Robert R
Did you have a comment?
1:20:51.170 --> 1:20:54.670
Burks, Robert R
And then, Jackie, after Vanessa, you just muted yourself.
1:20:54.960 --> 1:20:55.810
Vanessa Berry
Yes, I did.
1:20:55.820 --> 1:20:57.620
Vanessa Berry
Accidentally, I'm sorry about that.
1:20:55.200 --> 1:20:58.970
Burks, Robert R
Please God, so Kevin.
1:20:59.920 --> 1:21:14.950
Vanessa Berry
No, I just wanted to while we're on the vein of talking about organics and composting, I know there was a bill in the legislature this year to try to kind of follow in the footsteps of Vermont and mandating composting across the state.
1:21:15.50 --> 1:21:24.130
Vanessa Berry
And I know that I heard some concerns from the department, even about capacity for that and not having, you know, the staffing and the infrastructure.
1:21:24.140 --> 1:21:27.540
Vanessa Berry
And I'm just thinking about, it's kind of like a chicken or the egg situation.
1:21:28.110 --> 1:21:34.430
Vanessa Berry
You know, do we need the volume to drive the infrastructure or do we need the infrastructure to drive the volume?
1:21:35.810 --> 1:21:44.290
Vanessa Berry
And I guess I just wanted to raise that as a point of concern in order to meet composting goals and other diversion, you know, strategies to implement those.
1:21:44.710 --> 1:21:49.480
Vanessa Berry
Umm, you know how how do we kind of get past this?
1:21:49.890 --> 1:21:56.320
Vanessa Berry
We don't have enough volume to warrant, you know, composting facilities further north in the state.
1:21:57.90 --> 1:22:11.610
Vanessa Berry
But in order to get that volume, we might need to, you know, create some accountability for large producers of food waste to, you know, generate the infrastructure and and kind of get the ball moving.
1:22:12.0 --> 1:22:21.470
Vanessa Berry
So I just see that as a point where the DEP might need to provide additional support, and you know, I know that there's funding available and all of that.
1:22:21.480 --> 1:22:26.520
Vanessa Berry
So yeah, I just wanted to flag that and see if anybody had any thoughts on that issue.
1:22:28.640 --> 1:22:30.410
Burks, Robert R
Well, Brian, do you want to talk about that?
1:22:31.730 --> 1:22:32.40
Beneski, Brian
Yeah.
1:22:32.50 --> 1:22:32.800
Beneski, Brian
So I'll just pipe.
1:22:32.850 --> 1:22:34.560
Beneski, Brian
Yeah, I'll just kind of talk about the.
1:22:34.570 --> 1:22:37.560
Beneski, Brian
Yeah, the you know, that's part of funding.
1:22:37.730 --> 1:22:44.290
Beneski, Brian
So yeah, I'll just start off by saying that funding is a big issue with the department and just with with waste in general.
1:22:44.300 --> 1:22:55.180
Beneski, Brian
I mean it's it's always I think we can honestly say it's always been part some of one of the sections that's always kind of, uh historically have been underfunded.
1:22:55.550 --> 1:22:58.690
Beneski, Brian
Umm, so that is that.
1:22:58.730 --> 1:23:16.820
Beneski, Brian
I think what you're talking about and getting that information is part of what we're going to use, that the, that climate change grant that kind of made available to us, to actually determine what, you know, what is the amount of food waste and where it's being generated.
1:23:16.830 --> 1:23:49.600
Beneski, Brian
And from there, then that next step would be to try and determine, you know, what kind of infrastructure do we need in order to, you know, deal with that and deal with that, that that waste or that the food, umm, so, so that's what we're that's that's what we're hoping for and I think you know the there was kind of a I think it was the timing of that grant kind of just was great to correspond with that bill that came up.
1:23:49.610 --> 1:23:57.240
Beneski, Brian
So we're hoping to answer some of those questions that that bill pose to kind of take that next step.
1:24:3.620 --> 1:24:4.130
Burks, Robert R
Thank Kenneth.
1:24:7.380 --> 1:24:8.560
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Yeah, I can hear it again.
1:24:9.470 --> 1:24:11.900
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Umm, can you hear me?
1:24:10.330 --> 1:24:12.820
Burks, Robert R
This, yes.
1:24:13.790 --> 1:24:22.210
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
OK, I'm glad somebody explained what MRC was, because I have no idea and I heard that acronym before. But.
1:24:24.660 --> 1:24:28.890
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Has anyone from DP talked to garbage to garden folks?
1:24:28.900 --> 1:24:36.760
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
The they've they've got a good thing going and southern Maine as far as collecting garbage and that converting it into compost of sorts.
1:24:37.810 --> 1:25:0.150
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
But along that line I also am very interested in whether some some things like garbage can be recycled and the thing that I'm looking at I may may actually jump into experimenting with at some point is whether some of the garbage that we throw into the into the pail might also serve as bait for lobsters or fish or whatever.
1:25:1.40 --> 1:25:12.620
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
And as we know, the lobster men are running out of fish bait, fish, and maybe there's there's some food scraps that table scraps that could be equally as effective.
1:25:12.630 --> 1:25:13.760
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
That's just an idea.
1:25:14.230 --> 1:25:14.980
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
I throw it out there.
1:25:16.10 --> 1:25:30.790
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Another idea is I went I I talked to shaws about this at one point of about when I come in and go to the deli, could I bring my own rubber maid instead of having them to go through wrapping it up in in one piece of paper and putting in a plastic bag in another?
1:25:32.470 --> 1:25:39.690
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Because when I get home, I'm just going to take it out of that and put it in my Tupperware container and and recycle or reuse that.
1:25:40.120 --> 1:25:47.770
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
So I don't know if there's other things in stores that could be, I mean somebody mentioned earlier about the plastic bag inside the the cardboard box.
1:25:47.780 --> 1:25:50.380
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
And yeah, that's a lot of waste.
1:25:51.70 --> 1:25:52.650
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
It's a ton of waste in my trash.
1:25:54.490 --> 1:25:59.160
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Scenario umm I eat a lot of cereal.
1:25:59.170 --> 1:26:4.490
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Sorry about that, but not terribly nutritious, but so you know.
1:26:4.500 --> 1:26:7.210
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
So I always take stuff when I get it from the store.
1:26:7.220 --> 1:26:10.810
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
I put it into my my storage stuff and throw away the containers.
1:26:11.320 --> 1:26:16.770
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Too bad we can't have the reusable containers right there in the store and and recycle.
1:26:17.750 --> 1:26:23.160
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
The last thing is just a very minor thing on the slide that's on the screen when the last sentence down.
1:26:23.230 --> 1:26:28.480
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
What are the biggest hurdles that's spelled differently from the hurdles that we you see in races?
1:26:28.490 --> 1:26:29.750
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Is that intentional or is that?
1:26:30.510 --> 1:26:31.80
Burks, Robert R
That's it.
1:26:30.530 --> 1:26:32.400
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Thank you very much buddy.
1:26:31.260 --> 1:26:32.590
Burks, Robert R
It should be a team.
1:26:32.440 --> 1:26:33.520
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
You all this time.
1:26:34.190 --> 1:26:35.470
Burks, Robert R
What are the biggest turtles?
1:26:36.880 --> 1:26:37.770
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Yeah.
1:26:37.40 --> 1:26:40.520
Burks, Robert R
Where should be fluent to move this down? Yes.
1:26:37.840 --> 1:26:43.580
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
I mean is that related to like turtles or is that if that's if that's a new acronym I wanna know.
1:26:44.310 --> 1:26:44.990
Burks, Robert R
That's it.
1:26:47.240 --> 1:26:47.640
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Thank you.
1:26:47.430 --> 1:26:51.300
Burks, Robert R
You can just drag on the base, but where do you wanna put us right now?
1:26:51.310 --> 1:26:52.720
Burks, Robert R
Right there below biggest hurdles.
1:26:53.610 --> 1:26:56.190
Burks, Robert R
OK, let's let's get the typo off the screen.
1:26:56.390 --> 1:26:57.760
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, we can hide the typo.
1:26:59.700 --> 1:27:0.430
Burks, Robert R
Thank you, Ken.
1:27:0.440 --> 1:27:0.830
Burks, Robert R
You can.
1:27:1.40 --> 1:27:1.500
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Yeah, yeah.
1:27:0.840 --> 1:27:3.690
Burks, Robert R
I wanna point out a couple, a couple of things on what you said.
1:27:4.280 --> 1:27:8.710
Burks, Robert R
1st that there's garbage garden is not the only entity like them anymore in Maine.
1:27:8.720 --> 1:27:11.310
Burks, Robert R
They've been wildly successful and expanding.
1:27:11.400 --> 1:27:13.410
Burks, Robert R
There's another company, scrapped dogs.
1:27:13.560 --> 1:27:15.290
Burks, Robert R
There's chickity compost, there's.
1:27:15.300 --> 1:27:33.0
Burks, Robert R
And then there's another young families that started a similar business, but their model worked so well that we're seeing little startups that follow that kind of, you know, they're giving out buckets or buying buckets and hauling and and finding it and end market for the compost for the food scraps to be composted somewhere.
1:27:33.10 --> 1:27:39.470
Burks, Robert R
So umm, that's that's definitely happening more and more and I think there's potential to expand it further.
1:27:39.840 --> 1:27:42.780
Burks, Robert R
We funded a couple of those projects through the Waste Diversion Grant program.
1:27:43.750 --> 1:27:55.0
Burks, Robert R
The other thing I wanted to mention about your your comment with bringing your own Tupperware and the main Department of Health and Human Services updated our food codes to allow for refillable containers.
1:27:55.10 --> 1:28:1.0
Burks, Robert R
But there are some specifications in the law where the container has to be provided by the entity.
1:28:1.10 --> 1:28:8.660
Burks, Robert R
So if Shaws were to sell you a container and you brought that container back, they could refill it or give you a clean container to take with you.
1:28:8.670 --> 1:28:12.580
Burks, Robert R
For example, I have seen there's there was a bill.
1:28:12.590 --> 1:28:26.980
Burks, Robert R
I can't remember which state it was, but I did see that at least one state had a bill in their legislature this session that would require them to come up with a mechanism for allowing people to actually bring their own container from home to be refilled.
1:28:27.90 --> 1:28:42.260
Burks, Robert R
I'm not sure how, how or whether that would work out, because I know there are concerns with, you know, valid concerns for health and safety reasons, but we do have an allowance in our laws now that restaurants or businesses can provide refillable containers.
1:28:42.390 --> 1:28:43.840
Burks, Robert R
So that's currently legal.
1:28:43.850 --> 1:28:44.630
Burks, Robert R
It did not used to be.
1:28:46.130 --> 1:28:47.220
Burks, Robert R
Jackie, did you have a comment?
1:28:49.880 --> 1:28:52.210
Jackie Elliott
Yes, first I want to thank Ken.
1:28:52.420 --> 1:28:56.590
Jackie Elliott
I was getting a little anal about the hurdles, so I'm glad he took care of that.
1:28:57.420 --> 1:28:59.600
Jackie Elliott
And Brian's comment about funding.
1:29:0.370 --> 1:29:20.950
Jackie Elliott
Umm yeah, this is so real for you guys and my hope would be that as you begin to pull together this revision on the waste plan that you perhaps could come up with ideas of legislation.
1:29:22.0 --> 1:29:24.160
Jackie Elliott
Uh, they would be helpful.
1:29:25.130 --> 1:29:28.500
Jackie Elliott
Uh, for you folks to do your job in a better way.
1:29:28.950 --> 1:29:38.610
Jackie Elliott
And I know that's pushing a mighty boulder up a mighty hill, but be assured that there are folks out here in the public.
1:29:39.560 --> 1:29:42.730
Jackie Elliott
Who care about this and would be very supportive?
1:29:43.510 --> 1:30:31.770
Jackie Elliott
Ohm and and efforts to move things in a better direction and and we acknowledge the fact that that's going to take resources and I'm glad they brought you brought up the garbage to garden too because as you would do your audit of what waste is in Maine how it's generated and so on and so forth you probably going to settle on the idea that a lot of the organics organics could be managed on smaller scales with these garbage to garden efforts and then I just wanna speak to the MRC you wish you I'm sorry umm though it's not labeled advanced recycling.
1:30:31.780 --> 1:31:7.500
Jackie Elliott
Keep in mind that that lovely little fuel briquette product that they were focusing on contains some of the very same nasties that anything that would go through a chemical advanced recycling process would have, and the initial permitting around that little piece of the operation over there had some real concerns about worker safety relative to the toxics involved in that process and the resultant product.
1:31:8.540 --> 1:31:12.480
Jackie Elliott
So we're not talking about a benign briquette.
1:31:15.340 --> 1:31:15.970
Burks, Robert R
Thank you, Jackie.
1:31:15.980 --> 1:31:16.700
Burks, Robert R
And they would have to.
1:31:16.710 --> 1:31:29.30
Burks, Robert R
I mean, if if those products were to be sold the the facility that accepted them would have to pass stack test, there would be, I mean there would be there's a lot of permitting and and regulation and inspections that would go on before something like that where take place.
1:31:28.910 --> 1:31:29.70
Jackie Elliott
But.
1:31:29.40 --> 1:31:30.60
Burks, Robert R
I think Nora has a comment.
1:31:32.920 --> 1:31:34.500
Burks, Robert R
Nor yes.
1:33:43.90 --> 1:33:43.390
Burks, Robert R
Brian.
1:33:44.110 --> 1:33:44.580
Beneski, Brian
Yeah.
1:33:44.590 --> 1:33:55.550
Beneski, Brian
So yeah, so that we I mean to implement that type of the law that type of program, we do not have the staff that could handle that type of program right now.
1:33:56.450 --> 1:34:5.270
Beneski, Brian
Uh, and in fact, just like the the study, you know, we're we ourselves aren't going to to stop doing that study.
1:34:5.280 --> 1:34:6.620
Beneski, Brian
We are going to bid that out.
1:34:6.630 --> 1:34:17.70
Beneski, Brian
So, so the staff time for doing that study is going to be minimal because we were blessed by getting a grant to do that.
1:34:17.80 --> 1:34:28.920
Beneski, Brian
So umm and I guess that's just the way it comes down to any new program we the the department is working at the level now for the programs.
1:34:29.350 --> 1:34:31.60
Beneski, Brian
We don't have any spare capacity.
1:34:31.270 --> 1:34:39.270
Beneski, Brian
I guess what I'm I'm my bottom line is saying so anything new, any type of new program whether it's that type of program or any other?
1:34:39.990 --> 1:34:56.990
Beneski, Brian
Uh, umm, uh, whether it's whether it's us in sustainability or something over in the land and water side, any new program would need to have a fiscal note in order to be able to hire the staff to to actually work the program.
1:35:14.890 --> 1:35:23.180
Beneski, Brian
Uh, yeah, I guess part of that is gonna be the kind of actually find out what the, what the universe is out there for food waste and and what the infrastructure needs are.
1:35:23.190 --> 1:35:28.760
Beneski, Brian
So you know that's part of identifying.
1:35:28.770 --> 1:35:44.420
Beneski, Brian
That's part of identifying the, you know, the the scope of the need, and then you'll identify the the the scope of the oversight that the department will need once you determine you know how big of a project or program you'll actually need.
1:35:46.440 --> 1:35:48.310
Beneski, Brian
So I'm sorry to say it's gonna take.
1:35:48.380 --> 1:35:49.570
Beneski, Brian
It's gonna take.
1:35:50.70 --> 1:35:53.550
Beneski, Brian
It's gonna take some time because of the the way the funding is working.
1:35:53.560 --> 1:35:57.90
Beneski, Brian
You know, we've gotta kind of go step by step process to do it this way.
1:35:57.560 --> 1:36:9.910
Beneski, Brian
But but yeah, so that's just the and once we find out how large of a program we would need, we could then have a better idea of projecting what the staff level would be.
1:36:13.780 --> 1:36:13.940
Beneski, Brian
Sure.
1:36:18.440 --> 1:36:18.750
Burks, Robert R
A bot?
1:36:20.680 --> 1:36:22.250
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, Pat, you run.
1:36:23.900 --> 1:36:24.340
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
OK.
1:36:24.350 --> 1:36:24.700
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Thank you.
1:36:25.180 --> 1:36:25.770
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I.
1:36:26.120 --> 1:36:26.690
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Let's see.
1:36:26.740 --> 1:36:34.630
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Composting a lot of municipalities do not allow people to have a compost pile in their backyard.
1:36:35.420 --> 1:36:57.260
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
There are however other alternatives, such as composting barrels, things like that, perhaps like the efficiency main campaign to get everyone to use LED light bulbs and return their mercury lights to Home Depot or or Lowe's or wherever that could be utilized and and also again back to the eating an elephant and bite at a time.
1:36:57.550 --> 1:37:8.650
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
And my last comments I said about localization to reward good stewardship of communities that are taking these efforts on by themselves.
1:37:9.0 --> 1:37:18.260
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I mean, you could give them the startup cost to help them create their own solution because it is site specific.
1:37:18.270 --> 1:37:23.640
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
You know the the needs of Machias are not the same as the needs of Argyle.
1:37:23.830 --> 1:37:29.150
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So I think the people who live in the area are best suited to decide for themselves.
1:37:29.450 --> 1:37:42.840
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
But state support like you're saying about funding to just get them off the ground, I don't know how arduous your grant application process is, if it's anything like the university, Yep.
1:37:41.410 --> 1:37:44.470
Burks, Robert R
It's it's quite minimal compared to.
1:37:45.60 --> 1:37:45.400
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
OK.
1:37:44.480 --> 1:37:49.380
Burks, Robert R
I mean, I've had to a federal grant applications and they're nothing like that.
1:37:49.390 --> 1:37:50.590
Burks, Robert R
They're much easier.
1:37:49.540 --> 1:37:51.420
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Right start.
1:37:50.800 --> 1:37:51.830
Burks, Robert R
It's 4 pages.
1:37:51.840 --> 1:37:55.560
Burks, Robert R
I mean they they can be longer, but umm, I I.
1:37:54.710 --> 1:37:55.660
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Well, I've done some.
1:37:55.710 --> 1:38:2.840
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I've done them for for the University of Maine and they're horrible that if you don't use the right font or the right page setup, they just throw them out.
1:38:3.590 --> 1:38:10.460
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So and that can be an impediment to a lot of people, but again, you had up here about mailings.
1:38:10.470 --> 1:38:14.620
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I think I sent that in my comments today about being proactive.
1:38:14.630 --> 1:38:15.240
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
The DEP.
1:38:15.250 --> 1:38:36.830
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Being proactive, the municipalities and contacting town officials and in our case, of unorganized territories, the county commissioners who in charge of them and the directors to let them know that there is a startup, you know, for communities that wanna do these things and then it is of course going to be based on population, you know.
1:38:36.880 --> 1:38:37.190
Burks, Robert R
Yes.
1:38:37.200 --> 1:38:43.990
Burks, Robert R
So I will say that we added in our municipal biennial recycling progress report, which all towns are supposed to complete.
1:38:44.0 --> 1:38:47.670
Burks, Robert R
We did add information specifically into that report.
1:38:47.680 --> 1:38:57.60
Burks, Robert R
We added information on the PR for packaging program as well as the Waste Diversion grant program, so that and every community that fills out their report will have that information available.
1:38:58.120 --> 1:39:6.70
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Are these communities that participate in a large scale waste management?
1:39:5.460 --> 1:39:7.230
Burks, Robert R
It's for every single municipal.
1:39:7.240 --> 1:39:11.840
Burks, Robert R
I mean, theoretically every single municipality and maintenance is supposed to complete these reports every two years.
1:39:13.0 --> 1:39:36.830
Burks, Robert R
So every every sent postcards to, you know, the just shy of 500 municipalities in Maine with a link to the the information and saying please fill out your report and and in in the report itself if they went and looked at the report there's information in there saying talking about how communities can take advantage of the grant program which prioritizes applications from municipalities as well as regional organizations.
1:39:37.0 --> 1:39:38.580
Burks, Robert R
Brian, it looks like you have something to add here.
1:39:38.970 --> 1:39:40.520
Beneski, Brian
Yeah, it's actually gonna just I wanna.
1:39:40.730 --> 1:39:43.80
Beneski, Brian
I'm gonna clarify, I think a little bit.
1:39:43.90 --> 1:39:44.760
Beneski, Brian
Megan, what you were saying?
1:39:44.850 --> 1:39:59.760
Beneski, Brian
We send that postcard reminder to every municipality that they have to fill out that recycling form and in that in that postcard reminder to every municipality was and by the way, there's the EPR grant and there's a divergent grant.
1:39:59.770 --> 1:40:5.180
Beneski, Brian
So we are trying to conduct outreach to all the municipalities.
1:40:5.190 --> 1:40:13.600
Beneski, Brian
It's not like they have to go looking for it as part of what we're sending out, we're saying these are available, go to the website.
1:40:13.650 --> 1:40:14.860
Beneski, Brian
This is your information.
1:40:16.900 --> 1:40:17.20
Burks, Robert R
Yeah.
1:40:21.690 --> 1:40:22.0
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Right.
1:40:14.870 --> 1:40:23.120
Beneski, Brian
So we are, you know, I mean that's what we're we're sending out emails to all the municipalities we're sending out postcards to all the municipalities.
1:40:23.960 --> 1:40:24.100
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
And.
1:40:23.130 --> 1:40:32.120
Beneski, Brian
So I think short of actually calling everyone up and actually saying it, you know, telling them, you know, we're we're trying as as much outreach as we can.
1:40:33.250 --> 1:40:33.600
Burks, Robert R
Cheap.
1:40:32.750 --> 1:40:33.820
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Well, but how?
1:40:33.830 --> 1:40:34.980
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
How successful?
1:40:35.210 --> 1:40:42.650
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I'm curious, how successful are you in getting reports back from the municipalities about recycling and grant application?
1:40:44.320 --> 1:40:58.930
Burks, Robert R
So the two different things but but for the Munich for the reports, umm we we have our intern Riley on here to who's on the meeting today and she's been working on outreach to towns that didn't submit the reports by the deadline of the report.
1:40:58.940 --> 1:41:11.710
Burks, Robert R
I think we had just over 100 reports that came in on time, but I've we've been hearing from a lot of towns that, you know, maybe the postcard ended up in the wrong hands when it got to the town office, they they missed the postcard.
1:41:12.100 --> 1:41:14.850
Burks, Robert R
So we are having a lot of reports are coming in currently.
1:41:14.860 --> 1:41:22.800
Burks, Robert R
I don't know exactly how many have come in so far, but let's just say it's a work in progress and we're we're doing as much outreach as we can this summer to try to get the rest in.
1:41:23.350 --> 1:41:32.940
Burks, Robert R
As far as the grant applications, I'd say it's been about an even split between businesses and municipalities applying, but again, we are trying to get the word out.
1:41:32.950 --> 1:41:37.600
Burks, Robert R
I mean, we want every we want people to apply and use the funding to divert material.
1:41:37.730 --> 1:41:40.780
Burks, Robert R
So we're we're doing our best to to get the word out.
1:41:41.810 --> 1:41:43.430
Burks, Robert R
Cat, can I ask a question?
1:41:45.20 --> 1:42:6.60
Burks, Robert R
I think that sometimes I, I imagine sometimes that on some of these issues municipalities and municipal leaders or perhaps county commissioners and unorganized territories are, I think sometimes more interested in what their residents think.
1:42:6.170 --> 1:42:8.30
Burks, Robert R
Then what DEP is trying to promote?
1:42:8.730 --> 1:42:9.200
Burks, Robert R
Umm.
1:42:9.470 --> 1:42:21.540
Burks, Robert R
And I imagine that as a person interested in waste and as a person who had sounds like the only thing you can do is hire a waste hauler to take your trash away, that you have approached someone about this.
1:42:21.600 --> 1:42:31.650
Burks, Robert R
And I'm wondering what sort of response you received and and what you heard were the roadblocks when you talked to, I guess it would be a county Commissioner.
1:42:32.470 --> 1:42:39.240
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Because hello there are contracts with MRC, the Municipal Review Committee can.
1:42:39.430 --> 1:42:40.680
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Sorry about that.
1:42:40.760 --> 1:42:47.790
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
And Cassella have locked in contracts that are predatory with people.
1:42:48.280 --> 1:43:1.430
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
When MRC went offline with coastal resources three years ago and about just a little over, and stopped recycling in this area, Hancock County decided to send five towns in Hancock County.
1:43:1.440 --> 1:43:4.770
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Thanks to Aunt, I forget his last name.
1:43:4.780 --> 1:43:5.930
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I'm sorry I can't watch it.
1:43:6.0 --> 1:43:18.710
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Blasio, I think, and they were fined $60,000 by MRC because they sent their their ways to perk rather than to either Juniper Ridge or Crossroads.
1:43:19.910 --> 1:43:25.560
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Casella has a stranglehold on waste services in the state.
1:43:25.570 --> 1:43:33.640
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
They don't own the landfills, but they do own the trucks and they suck in every little waste management service they can.
1:43:33.650 --> 1:43:40.130
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
They're called tuck Inns, where which has really padded their bottom line and turned them into a billion dollar industry.
1:43:40.430 --> 1:44:2.110
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
The elephant in the room that I think is that we have got to halt out-of-state waste coming in here for commercial landfills because until we do that, all they're going to do is just in import more waste, which we have absolutely no control over to make up the revenue gap that responsible Mainers are are causing by going through all of this effort.
1:44:2.240 --> 1:44:13.370
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So to answer your question, the people in this area and the administrators are worn out, OK?
1:44:18.940 --> 1:44:20.100
Burks, Robert R
To get what she means and I'm sorry.
1:44:13.420 --> 1:44:33.170
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
They have fought for decades to try to get this changed and it falls to try to get recycling back in our area to try to get out from under contracts with the Municipal Review Committee to try to get Casella to get some competition with Casella.
1:44:33.240 --> 1:44:36.210
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I even talked to Eco Maine about coming up.
1:44:36.220 --> 1:45:2.110
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
They have recycling as far north as Ellsworth and I said, well, the perk plants being auctioned off and the MRC hadn't signed their contract yet with innovative resources, which is a newly formed just for this purpose company of two people, OK, and this is the problem that there's no vetting of these companies that I mentioned, the global migration of contracts in my comments today.
1:45:2.620 --> 1:45:12.30
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
And this is allowing a Marcie to take their original contracts for recycling and waste management and transferring them over to this new entity.
1:45:12.580 --> 1:45:23.430
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Just with, you know, carte blanche, like their grandfathered in with everything when they still haven't been successful in their previous method methodologies.
1:45:23.560 --> 1:45:25.680
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So it doesn't really matter, they said.
1:45:25.690 --> 1:45:27.310
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
They're gonna do everything new.
1:45:27.420 --> 1:45:39.220
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So how can a license or a permit be transferred to a new owner when they're going to change everything that the original permit was structured by?
1:45:39.530 --> 1:45:41.430
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I don't understand how that can happen.
1:45:42.690 --> 1:45:43.50
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Thank you.
1:45:44.270 --> 1:45:52.520
Burks, Robert R
Well, I think Brian could clarify this more than I can, but my understanding is that they the permits, they'll still have to get permits, right?
1:45:52.530 --> 1:45:53.610
Burks, Robert R
Brian, do you want to speak to us?
1:45:54.540 --> 1:45:57.440
Beneski, Brian
Yeah, actually tell you a little bit out of my bailiwick, 'cause, I don't.
1:45:57.450 --> 1:46:1.750
Beneski, Brian
I'm not being in the facility licensing sector.
1:46:1.760 --> 1:46:3.310
Beneski, Brian
I don't really know.
1:46:3.320 --> 1:46:6.640
Beneski, Brian
I can't really actually speak to that, but I will say that you know there is.
1:46:21.120 --> 1:46:21.300
Burks, Robert R
Yeah.
1:46:10.700 --> 1:46:23.840
Beneski, Brian
I mean actually something I just there there is they do have to go through transfer license transfer process but unfortunately I I'm rather I've got informed as to what they have to go through and I apologize for that.
1:46:24.940 --> 1:46:25.650
Burks, Robert R
Yeah. Sorry.
1:46:25.680 --> 1:46:26.600
Burks, Robert R
I don't think any of us are.
1:46:29.560 --> 1:46:29.980
Beneski, Brian
Right.
1:46:27.660 --> 1:46:31.560
Burks, Robert R
We're not quite the right unit for the for those willing contracting something.
1:46:29.290 --> 1:46:33.950
Jackie Elliott
I I can I can clarify that a bit for folks.
1:46:33.910 --> 1:46:34.370
Burks, Robert R
Thank you.
1:46:34.970 --> 1:46:44.220
Jackie Elliott
Umm, the permits are in licenses are what they call a global transfer.
1:46:45.420 --> 1:46:47.480
Jackie Elliott
So if this innovative?
1:46:48.260 --> 1:46:51.980
Jackie Elliott
Situation gets rectified or ratified.
1:46:53.340 --> 1:47:2.690
Jackie Elliott
They own 90% of the operations of MRC, so the existing licenses and permits that are now held.
1:47:3.660 --> 1:47:15.580
Jackie Elliott
By MRC will be globally transferred to innovative now that does not require any compliance changes.
1:47:16.780 --> 1:47:18.230
Jackie Elliott
Uh, necessarily.
1:47:18.880 --> 1:47:29.70
Jackie Elliott
Other than that, if they want to produce that fuel, the cat product, they are within six months of total.
1:47:30.30 --> 1:47:42.690
Jackie Elliott
Operation going to have to demonstrate a certain compliance with the existing license, but there is no actual process of relicensing.
1:47:43.260 --> 1:47:57.650
Jackie Elliott
There is no place for the public participation because with this global transfer of licenses and permits, there is no option in the process for a public hearing.
1:47:59.0 --> 1:48:7.530
Jackie Elliott
So from someone who watches these things carefully, that sort of makes my hair stand on end.
1:48:12.190 --> 1:48:28.280
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
And if I could, I'm sorry, I know someone else wants to speak and I the reason I sent you the wolf gem mining information was because Wolf den is trying to open up mining again and pick at Mountain, which is a a pristine area and an unorganized Township.
1:48:28.590 --> 1:48:45.920
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
And also they are not a mining company, they are speculation company, they come in, they get the permits, OK, they get everything zoned and then they sell to an entity who is actually going to do the mining and the global migration of permits allows them to do this.
1:48:46.910 --> 1:48:47.290
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Thank you.
1:48:53.820 --> 1:48:56.150
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Wow, my up next.
1:49:1.430 --> 1:49:3.70
Burks, Robert R
Quit after Kenneth goes.
1:49:3.80 --> 1:49:7.70
Burks, Robert R
We wanted to talk quickly about some of the stewardship programs.
1:49:7.110 --> 1:49:10.30
Burks, Robert R
So back to our yeah, our goal here.
1:49:11.570 --> 1:49:21.400
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
But I've actually going to refer to the section on the slide about E PR and maybe help me understand as it relates to bottles.
1:49:22.690 --> 1:49:29.60
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Does that mean we send our the bottles back to the producer or we just get a credit from them or how?
1:49:29.70 --> 1:49:30.240
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
How does E PR work?
1:49:30.250 --> 1:49:35.70
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Is it a actual return of materials to producer?
1:49:36.510 --> 1:49:43.420
Burks, Robert R
That comment about bottle specifically is just referring to our bottle Bill program, which has been around since 1978.
1:49:43.560 --> 1:49:46.990
Burks, Robert R
Umm, so just talking and and that's undergoing major changes.
1:49:47.0 --> 1:50:0.370
Burks, Robert R
If anyones been following the legislature this year, but mostly we just wanted to kind of get feedback on how these programs are working and also Rob Burks is here and he's in charge of our new farmers suitables program.
1:50:2.990 --> 1:50:3.140
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
OK.
1:50:0.380 --> 1:50:5.80
Burks, Robert R
So he wanted to talk and given a brief overview of that, because that's our new program.
1:50:5.990 --> 1:50:10.870
Burks, Robert R
Umm is and we can also talk about the PR for packaging Roger Leonard.
1:50:9.810 --> 1:50:19.300
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
OK, so so so if I can interject here like 4 bottles if we're talking glass bottles or plastic bottles.
1:50:20.150 --> 1:50:20.890
Burks, Robert R
It's the beverage.
1:50:19.630 --> 1:50:23.700
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
But if we're talking glass bottles, we're talking glass bottles.
1:50:22.170 --> 1:50:24.90
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, it's for the beverage container program.
1:50:25.870 --> 1:50:27.390
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
You know, glass bottles.
1:50:27.400 --> 1:50:32.250
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
I could break them up into little pieces and throw them in the ocean and get beach glass, which is highly valued.
1:50:33.440 --> 1:50:49.700
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
I I'm being humorous obviously, but I I'm just looking at ways to to to look at each of those items, like recovering the mercury and selling it and becoming a source for mercury where we've become the.
1:50:49.130 --> 1:50:52.800
Burks, Robert R
No, the mercury actually is the mercury is stored at this point.
1:50:52.810 --> 1:50:53.370
Burks, Robert R
There's not.
1:50:53.380 --> 1:50:59.500
Burks, Robert R
There's not mercury going into new new products really, so that mercury is actually recycle.
1:51:0.770 --> 1:51:1.10
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
OK.
1:51:7.630 --> 1:51:8.40
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
OK.
1:50:59.510 --> 1:51:8.240
Burks, Robert R
Doesn't the the correct term in that in that case, when those when those it's recovered and it's stored there's there's no yeah humans.
1:51:8.540 --> 1:51:10.400
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
And yeah, it's just important.
1:51:10.410 --> 1:51:18.10
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
I mean, I think at some point down the road, maybe a century or so, we we need to get to a point where everything we bring in is is.
1:51:18.990 --> 1:51:23.440
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Recovered into its original components so it can be reused.
1:51:24.170 --> 1:51:24.560
Burks, Robert R
Yes.
1:51:24.400 --> 1:51:24.870
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Umm.
1:51:24.570 --> 1:51:25.790
Burks, Robert R
So it's definitely the priority.
1:51:25.240 --> 1:51:32.860
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
And that that, that chemistry is a long ways off, but it's something that we we compete pursuing. Umm.
1:51:32.650 --> 1:51:35.530
Burks, Robert R
While simpler than, chemistry is just refilling something so.
1:51:37.730 --> 1:51:38.360
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
I agree.
1:51:38.990 --> 1:51:39.370
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Thank you.
1:51:40.380 --> 1:51:41.930
Burks, Robert R
Thank you, rob.
1:51:41.940 --> 1:51:43.650
Burks, Robert R
Rob's gonna give a quick chat.
1:51:43.660 --> 1:51:44.90
Burks, Robert R
Do you wanna?
1:51:44.100 --> 1:52:4.160
Burks, Robert R
If you wanna turn the camera to you or OK, who's gonna just talk about the pharmaceuticals program just to give an overview, so, so basically uh main, we have new pharmaceutical, my expertise is in aquatic ecology, toxicology and our program started on June the 15th of this year.
1:52:4.170 --> 1:52:6.950
Burks, Robert R
We have two stewardship organizations.
1:52:7.650 --> 1:52:16.50
Burks, Robert R
Med project and Anmar, who actually have kiosk in every pharmacy, were there throughout the state of Maine.
1:52:16.560 --> 1:52:20.380
Burks, Robert R
And also there's a possibility of mail back envelopes at the pharmacies as well.
1:52:21.220 --> 1:52:36.380
Burks, Robert R
The idea is to take prescription drugs and unwanted drugs that people don't need and prevent exposure or exposure or diversion to people who would misuse them or to prevent accidental exposure to pets or children.
1:52:37.570 --> 1:52:41.480
Burks, Robert R
The secondary tacked on that is to prevent these pharmaceuticals.
1:52:41.780 --> 1:52:51.360
Burks, Robert R
We call him an API for active pharmaceutical ingredients, from getting into the streams, rivers, lakes and drinking water for Maine residents.
1:52:52.190 --> 1:52:54.80
Burks, Robert R
What's the API is?
1:52:54.90 --> 1:53:11.60
Burks, Robert R
We've found out that once they enter the river streams and the lakes that they can damage the ecology, the entire ecosystem, they could change the DNA from some of the species and they can be cumulative, just like some of the metals can.
1:53:11.70 --> 1:53:13.790
Burks, Robert R
And some of the fisheries species and so forth.
1:53:14.590 --> 1:53:32.290
Burks, Robert R
So we're promoting the program on to try to keep pharmaceuticals out of the waters if you are, if you have a septic system in Maine and you flush it, it can actually leak into the groundwater and eventually get into the rivers, lakes and streams.
1:53:32.930 --> 1:53:42.740
Burks, Robert R
If you're hooked into a public water treatment system, these systems are not designed to remove the API before they go into the streams.
1:53:43.120 --> 1:53:57.580
Burks, Robert R
They do not have the technology at this point, so this idea is to both umm, I have the kiosk and the mailback envelopes where they will go out of state to an incinerator instead of into our waterways.
1:53:58.730 --> 1:54:6.560
Burks, Robert R
And so we're hoping that this will be a model for other states within the Union to currently only five states do this.
1:54:7.230 --> 1:54:14.480
Burks, Robert R
It's also gonna take care of those little orange prescription bottles that are not, even though they're technically recyclable.
1:54:14.490 --> 1:54:22.900
Burks, Robert R
They're just so small that no one really takes them or recycles them, so that will go into the kiosk as well and be transferred out of state.
1:54:22.950 --> 1:54:25.800
Burks, Robert R
So that's where we're at at this point.
1:54:25.810 --> 1:54:28.510
Burks, Robert R
So if there are any questions that people have, I'm happy to take them.
1:54:32.760 --> 1:54:34.810
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Gee, if only we had an incinerator.
1:54:37.190 --> 1:54:37.900
Burks, Robert R
They're different.
1:54:37.910 --> 1:54:43.220
Burks, Robert R
I think Rob can can clarify, but I think the hazardous waste and senators burn in a much higher temperature.
1:54:43.230 --> 1:54:43.840
Burks, Robert R
Yeah.
1:54:43.850 --> 1:54:44.680
Burks, Robert R
Don't waste energy.
1:54:44.690 --> 1:54:48.940
Burks, Robert R
They have Eric quality requirements, so they're much different. Temperature.
1:54:49.930 --> 1:54:50.150
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Uh.
1:54:48.950 --> 1:54:53.300
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, incinerators would have here, which also have air quality requirements.
1:54:53.310 --> 1:54:54.790
Burks, Robert R
Not it's not that they don't.
1:54:55.450 --> 1:54:55.730
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Right.
1:54:55.770 --> 1:54:59.330
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
But my guess my point is, is that here's the thing.
1:54:59.340 --> 1:55:0.320
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Single use plastic?
1:55:1.230 --> 1:55:5.120
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I asked clink during a A I think it was at RCM.
1:55:5.130 --> 1:55:8.960
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Put on the the meeting what they do with their bags.
1:55:9.410 --> 1:55:22.770
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
That everyone puts their recycling in are the returnables apologies, and she says, well, we send them to be recycled and in the chat I'm asking her where we'd really like to know where you take them because I tried to track down.
1:55:22.780 --> 1:55:24.250
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
You're asking what?
1:55:24.340 --> 1:55:25.230
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
What's the question?
1:55:25.300 --> 1:55:27.590
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
What's your biggest obstacle to recycling?
1:55:27.640 --> 1:55:36.930
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
One not having recycling in my area 2 when I try to recycle like my single use plastic bags which in the country they're never single use uh.
1:55:37.520 --> 1:55:41.780
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I asked Hannaford and Old Town where they what they do with their bags.
1:55:42.160 --> 1:55:43.350
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
They said good question.
1:55:43.600 --> 1:55:44.710
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Then they asked the manager.
1:55:44.720 --> 1:55:46.510
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
He said they send them to our corporate.
1:55:46.520 --> 1:55:49.250
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
We shipped them down to our corporate headquarters in Portland.
1:55:49.400 --> 1:55:49.830
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Great.
1:55:49.840 --> 1:55:50.730
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
What's their number?
1:55:50.840 --> 1:55:52.610
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Call them Gee.
1:55:52.960 --> 1:55:57.280
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Here's a link you can go to in a phone number you can call the phone number was disconnected.
1:55:57.470 --> 1:55:59.70
Burks, Robert R
Cat, I don't interrupt, but I'm.
1:55:59.80 --> 1:56:1.830
Burks, Robert R
I'm just gonna tell you because we know where they're the recycling.
1:56:1.920 --> 1:56:6.270
Burks, Robert R
Get that gets collected from Hannover goes and it's still a company called tracks Links goes there too.
1:56:6.280 --> 1:56:7.190
Burks, Robert R
Thanks goes there as well.
1:56:7.990 --> 1:56:8.720
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
The bags?
1:56:7.200 --> 1:56:9.740
Burks, Robert R
They all route through through trunk, yes.
1:56:9.90 --> 1:56:10.120
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Ohh that's good to know.
1:56:10.130 --> 1:56:11.150
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Where are they located.
1:56:12.220 --> 1:56:13.850
Burks, Robert R
I believe they're in Virginia.
1:56:13.940 --> 1:56:15.850
Burks, Robert R
They have a they have a couple different plans.
1:56:15.860 --> 1:56:17.350
Burks, Robert R
Their headquarters is in Virginia.
1:56:17.460 --> 1:56:20.690
Burks, Robert R
They make decking and benches and outdoor furniture.
1:56:21.400 --> 1:56:22.580
Burks, Robert R
They make that plastic.
1:56:22.590 --> 1:56:23.200
Burks, Robert R
Wood is what they.
1:56:23.210 --> 1:56:24.450
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, it's a composite.
1:56:24.800 --> 1:56:25.170
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
What's up?
1:56:24.460 --> 1:56:27.180
Burks, Robert R
So they use wood and the plastic bags to make it.
1:56:27.200 --> 1:56:29.650
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I thought that was only made out of one and two.
1:56:29.760 --> 1:56:37.330
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I thought plastics through that were anything beyond that were not viable anymore for reuse.
1:56:36.810 --> 1:56:38.40
Burks, Robert R
It's well for it.
1:56:38.50 --> 1:56:47.980
Burks, Robert R
Two and four is the plastic film that's low density and high density polyethylene, and that's what's accepted through all those film recycling programs were there, and that's what Trex uses.
1:56:47.990 --> 1:56:49.840
Burks, Robert R
Is the two and the four no.
1:56:50.680 --> 1:56:51.100
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So.
1:56:50.860 --> 1:56:51.600
Burks, Robert R
Not yet.
1:56:51.740 --> 1:56:52.580
Burks, Robert R
Unless Ken has one.
1:56:53.580 --> 1:56:59.650
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So it's more cost effective to collect all of the bags and ship them to Virginia.
1:57:0.730 --> 1:57:5.440
Burks, Robert R
We don't have a processor in Maine that recycles play almost all the well.
1:57:5.450 --> 1:57:22.600
Burks, Robert R
I shouldn't say all, but there are very few processors that recycle materials in main, so material gets collected in main, but it by far and large mostly gets shipped to processors that actually process the material into a farm where it can be used to make new products and most of that processing.
1:57:22.610 --> 1:57:29.880
Burks, Robert R
For example, a lot of the outlets are in Canada or in the southern US, so they're not in Maine specifically.
1:57:29.970 --> 1:57:31.420
Burks, Robert R
That's how material gets recycled.
1:57:31.430 --> 1:57:31.990
Burks, Robert R
It gets collected.
1:57:32.200 --> 1:57:33.940
Burks, Robert R
Make central processor.
1:57:35.480 --> 1:57:36.630
Burks, Robert R
Brian, did you only change?
1:57:42.400 --> 1:57:43.150
Burks, Robert R
And then back on.
1:57:35.270 --> 1:57:44.510
Beneski, Brian
So I I also I mean I think they actually they use their delivery trucks that's delivering materials to the their their back.
1:57:44.560 --> 1:57:48.680
Beneski, Brian
So it's not like there's a special truck that's going from store to store to pick up the bags.
1:57:48.810 --> 1:57:54.10
Beneski, Brian
They're filling that they're they're they're delivery trucks are going back with those that material.
1:57:56.680 --> 1:58:6.710
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
But they're not getting recycled the the law that was put up or the bill that was put up this year said to put a recycling bin within 20 feet of the entrance of the store.
1:58:7.40 --> 1:58:10.720
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
The one in my Hannaford is the size of a kitchen garbage can.
1:58:11.730 --> 1:58:15.890
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So I I wonder how effective that is sweet.
1:58:15.760 --> 1:58:17.770
Burks, Robert R
So you're saying the store has a recycling bin?
1:58:18.980 --> 1:58:21.840
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Yes, the size of the kitchen cat.
1:58:20.570 --> 1:58:26.330
Burks, Robert R
This OK, so well, it could be bigger, but so pat, keep filling it up.
1:58:26.340 --> 1:58:26.560
Burks, Robert R
Yeah.
1:58:26.570 --> 1:58:28.280
Burks, Robert R
Fill it up every time you go in.
1:58:28.330 --> 1:58:28.540
Burks, Robert R
Yeah.
1:58:28.550 --> 1:58:29.490
Burks, Robert R
And if you can't fill it up.
1:58:28.490 --> 1:58:34.840
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I don't throw my bags anyway, I reuse them and repurpose them until they are nothing anymore.
1:58:34.850 --> 1:58:38.900
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So I don't really contribute that much, but yeah, I used to.
1:58:38.970 --> 1:58:45.550
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
You know, before I found out that that nothing was getting recycled, so I am glad to hear that Hannaford is doing their part.
1:58:45.610 --> 1:58:45.950
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Thank you.
1:58:46.110 --> 1:58:46.720
Burks, Robert R
Yeah.
1:58:46.770 --> 1:58:54.180
Burks, Robert R
And if they have a bin and they're technically in compliance, as long as it's and we do know that Hannaford has a recycling outlet, yes, they definitely do. They're.
1:58:54.610 --> 1:58:56.240
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
But that's the trick, isn't it?
1:58:56.650 --> 1:59:1.630
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
They're in compliance, so a kitchen trash can is in compliance.
1:59:2.570 --> 1:59:5.200
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Uh, that's a pretty low bar, you know?
1:59:5.210 --> 1:59:12.580
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So maybe that should be one of the rule changes that maybe they could have something outside the store for.
1:59:14.320 --> 1:59:14.540
Burks, Robert R
Didn't.
1:59:12.590 --> 1:59:24.900
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Also for beverage bottles, because that's another thing that they used to have huge bins for and they would put out of the box, it's going to the animal orphanage or the YMCA or some other organization for charity.
1:59:25.10 --> 1:59:27.90
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
And that's where I would put my returnables.
1:59:27.100 --> 1:59:29.520
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I wouldn't bother taking them back to the redemption center.
1:59:29.890 --> 1:59:32.410
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
And then I figured that was money well spent.
1:59:32.900 --> 1:59:34.270
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
But now they don't do that anymore.
1:59:34.280 --> 1:59:37.310
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
They have Clank and Clank has put out of business.
1:59:37.320 --> 1:59:51.490
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
A lot of these little local redemption centers because they just can't stay in business and and thank God we passed the bottle bill because at least they'll be compensated more fairly, but still all the ones that have been closed, it's too late for them.
1:59:51.660 --> 2:0:9.730
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
You know, so these large scale and this gets back to local and regional, these large scale businesses put efforts on the wayside and that is why most people, at least in rural Maine and I'm sure in urban Maine too, because they get it's anonymous.
2:0:9.780 --> 2:0:14.210
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
You know what you do if you live in an apartment building or complex or something?
2:0:14.220 --> 2:0:17.290
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Nobody knows who throws anything away or what they throw away.
2:0:17.640 --> 2:0:22.150
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So yeah, it just seems like everyone just says.
2:0:22.160 --> 2:0:23.40
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Ohh yeah right.
2:0:23.180 --> 2:0:24.790
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
You know, like they're gonna recycle.
2:0:32.880 --> 2:0:33.690
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, we can do that.
2:0:24.920 --> 2:0:37.60
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
And so when you come up against, umm, impediments by trying to find out responsibility, you get disconnected phone numbers and websites that don't go anywhere.
2:0:37.110 --> 2:0:38.790
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So I'm just saying.
2:0:39.80 --> 2:0:39.970
Burks, Robert R
Hey, thank you, Kat.
2:0:39.980 --> 2:0:43.880
Burks, Robert R
Kinda has a comment and then we wanna move on to keep a going through our topics here.
2:0:45.280 --> 2:1:3.940
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Yeah, I my question is about incineration and and my my training or my schooling taught me that when you incinerate something, you just convert existing chemicals into other chemicals and neither, which is as good for you.
2:1:3.950 --> 2:1:17.590
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
So I'm just curious at what point do we feel safe about incinerating waste of any kind because it just becomes an oxide and that's all incineration is?
2:1:17.600 --> 2:1:20.390
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Is oxidization of the material that you're burning.
2:1:21.670 --> 2:1:22.140
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
So how?
2:1:22.150 --> 2:1:22.780
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
How safe is?
2:1:21.820 --> 2:1:24.650
Burks, Robert R
And you can oxidize it at various levels, right?
2:1:24.660 --> 2:1:26.620
Burks, Robert R
You can, you know, the the hot.
2:1:26.660 --> 2:1:27.360
Burks, Robert R
There's a lot of.
2:1:28.560 --> 2:1:52.170
Burks, Robert R
It's above landfilling on the waste hierarchy for a few reasons being we we need to save landfill space and and they are, they're highly these are highly regulated facilities, they've got everything on those stacks, everything on those stacks and they have to burn at high temperatures and that include that that full oxidation complete combustion is is is very important.
2:1:52.270 --> 2:2:3.590
Burks, Robert R
You can, I will tell you that the incinerators that burn the pharmaceuticals over to talking about highly tested regulated DEA is barely tested.
2:2:2.550 --> 2:2:5.560
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Yeah, I'd love to get information on incineration.
2:2:5.570 --> 2:2:8.160
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
I think that's a really big question.
2:2:8.170 --> 2:2:8.540
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Thank you.
2:2:6.280 --> 2:2:9.620
Burks, Robert R
I yeah, sure.
2:2:9.630 --> 2:2:17.880
Burks, Robert R
OK, so the conversation focused on reduced and wanted to move down to talk a little bit more.
2:2:18.310 --> 2:2:26.400
Burks, Robert R
About specifically the waste hierarchy and what people see as the biggest roadblocks.
2:2:27.230 --> 2:2:31.790
Burks, Robert R
Obviously, we've heard about contracts, we've heard about lack of competition.
2:2:32.730 --> 2:2:41.60
Burks, Robert R
Umm, so there's there's some factors that we've we've already heard about, but trying to do, you wanna?
2:2:41.350 --> 2:2:43.120
Burks, Robert R
OK, think about this.
2:2:43.540 --> 2:2:46.310
Burks, Robert R
Trying I'm thinking about like what?
2:2:46.320 --> 2:2:47.400
Burks, Robert R
What are the biggest obstacles?
2:2:47.410 --> 2:2:55.380
Burks, Robert R
What are some things that that you see as opportunities to reduction for reduction, for reducing waste, not not recycling for reducing waste?
2:2:56.570 --> 2:2:57.90
Burks, Robert R
Uh, Jackie.
2:3:1.610 --> 2:3:5.100
Burks, Robert R
Ohh Jackie was arguing that Ken, did you have a comment on on this?
2:3:6.250 --> 2:3:7.40
Burks, Robert R
Where is your handsome?
2:3:6.370 --> 2:3:22.810
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Yeah, it this this is not on your list of of ideas I suspect, but I attribute minimum wage going up to making the cost of recycling uh much higher than it needs to be.
2:3:22.820 --> 2:3:23.810
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
And I I shouldn't.
2:3:23.860 --> 2:3:39.590
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
I should probably say that I I support the minimum wage in general, but when you look at some of the people who work in a recycling center, you know beer and soda bottles, it's not an overly skilled job they're doing.
2:3:39.680 --> 2:3:52.190
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
I mean, they do deserve to make a fair wage, but as that price goes up as that bottle Bill indicated, it makes it very difficult for a recycler to stay in business.
2:3:52.200 --> 2:3:59.490
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
And I suspect that's true for whether they're at garbage to garden or bottle recycling, or whatever type of recycling.
2:4:0.510 --> 2:4:10.150
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Umm, the higher the wages go, the the fewer employees are going to you get hired to do the job.
2:4:10.160 --> 2:4:12.430
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
So just my thoughts.
2:4:11.800 --> 2:4:12.450
Burks, Robert R
Did you have a comment?
2:4:13.370 --> 2:4:13.840
Beneski, Brian
I'm well.
2:4:13.850 --> 2:4:14.940
Beneski, Brian
I'm just going to pipe in the.
2:4:18.530 --> 2:4:18.690
Burks, Robert R
Yeah.
2:4:14.990 --> 2:4:19.40
Beneski, Brian
I mean the whole wage issue is kind of a separate issue from what we're dealing with.
2:4:19.130 --> 2:4:21.110
Beneski, Brian
I mean the other thing too is now I'm just gonna would.
2:4:21.120 --> 2:4:28.680
Beneski, Brian
That being said, I'm just gonna say, I mean, it's not just the wage you pay, but it's the wage that you are competing for.
2:4:28.690 --> 2:4:30.700
Beneski, Brian
So you know, so the.
2:4:30.790 --> 2:4:34.890
Beneski, Brian
So I mean, I'm just gonna throw this out.
2:4:34.900 --> 2:4:46.490
Beneski, Brian
My understanding is one of the reasons why Burger King closed and in Waterville was because they literally could not find people to work because they were competing with other businesses for that wage.
2:4:46.720 --> 2:5:4.410
Beneski, Brian
So it's you can it's it's not just an issue of wage, it's the issue of the what other what you can make and what the competition is so but that being said, I think wage is not really an issue, but that's part of this discussion so.
2:5:5.210 --> 2:5:5.980
Burks, Robert R
Thank you, Brian.
2:5:6.970 --> 2:5:8.500
Vanessa Berry
Can I ask something, Megan?
2:5:6.550 --> 2:5:8.580
Burks, Robert R
I think Jackie was first and then Vanessa.
2:5:8.990 --> 2:5:9.710
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, yeah, go ahead.
2:5:8.550 --> 2:5:15.880
Vanessa Berry
Sorry, I was just going to add to Brian's comment and then I'm happy to defer to Jackie.
2:5:15.890 --> 2:5:26.620
Vanessa Berry
But from a workplace safety concern, I would say that like recycling industry deals with a lot of kind of scary materials that end up in sorting equipment and whatnot.
2:5:26.880 --> 2:5:38.270
Vanessa Berry
And I think that, you know that can sometimes be a deterrent in finding, you know, the right, the right people for the job, because there's a lot of occupational hazards that waste workers have to deal with.
2:5:38.340 --> 2:5:52.620
Vanessa Berry
Whether you're collecting at the curb and you have to worry about traffic and being, you know, outside of a moving vehicle with lots of other moving vehicles, or if you're working in a Murph, you're handling materials that could be really dangerous.
2:5:53.410 --> 2:5:55.900
Vanessa Berry
So yeah, I just wanted to also kind of throw that into the mixes.
2:5:55.910 --> 2:6:3.610
Vanessa Berry
That's a point of concern for the waste industry, is how do we keep people safe and also have them manage these materials?
2:6:3.620 --> 2:6:7.260
Vanessa Berry
And like, there's gotta be some, like, educational stuff.
2:6:7.270 --> 2:6:9.860
Vanessa Berry
Maybe that can help eliminate that risk.
2:6:9.870 --> 2:6:20.20
Vanessa Berry
But, umm, you know what other things can we do to kind of intervene and make that a safer place for people to handle our materials and make sure things get recycled?
2:6:22.110 --> 2:6:22.990
Burks, Robert R
Thank you, Vanessa.
2:6:23.270 --> 2:6:25.920
Burks, Robert R
Jackie, did you have a comment about the waste reduction piece?
2:6:26.470 --> 2:6:28.960
Jackie Elliott
Well, yes, I wanna.
2:6:29.450 --> 2:6:36.910
Jackie Elliott
I just wanna say how I appreciate the fact that we're bringing the the labor discussion to the table.
2:6:38.150 --> 2:6:48.920
Jackie Elliott
Which points to the importance of getting toxics and hazards out of the front end of the waist stream.
2:6:49.830 --> 2:7:6.540
Jackie Elliott
That would have the effect of making the job of the people handling this Morse be safer, and I'm just going to backtrack to the emissions piece on incineration, if I may.
2:7:6.550 --> 2:7:19.710
Jackie Elliott
Please, we have to keep in mind that the emissions around incineration, not all emissions are measured on a continuous basis.
2:7:20.940 --> 2:7:25.280
Jackie Elliott
In fact, dioxin is one of the most hazardous elements.
2:7:25.970 --> 2:7:28.50
Jackie Elliott
And within soon arrangement.
2:7:31.710 --> 2:7:33.240
Jackie Elliott
Well, this is focused.
2:7:27.210 --> 2:7:33.410
Burks, Robert R
You know, I never say, but we really wanna keep this focused on our on the materials management plan.
2:7:33.250 --> 2:7:36.20
Jackie Elliott
This has to do with managing waste.
2:7:36.150 --> 2:7:38.880
Burks, Robert R
You need this this this level of conversation.
2:7:41.830 --> 2:7:42.120
Burks, Robert R
Can we?
2:7:51.540 --> 2:7:52.880
Burks, Robert R
Very true, yes.
2:7:56.510 --> 2:7:56.720
Burks, Robert R
Right.
2:7:36.890 --> 2:7:59.410
Jackie Elliott
The incineration is on the hierarchy and we need to be looking at landfills, create hazards, incineration creates hazards and we must work within an honest framework of understanding of how we're going to deal with our discards.
2:7:59.830 --> 2:8:2.440
Burks, Robert R
Which is why we're talking about moving material.
2:7:59.960 --> 2:8:8.370
Jackie Elliott
So the conversation has to be has to be based on what is factual and incineration has it set.
2:8:6.600 --> 2:8:11.590
Burks, Robert R
Yes, that's why we want to talk about waste reduction and opportunities to reduce waste.
2:8:11.600 --> 2:8:13.440
Burks, Robert R
That's exactly what we're trying to focus on.
2:8:8.420 --> 2:8:15.490
Jackie Elliott
It has its hazards that are not adequately controlled to protect public health and the environment.
2:8:15.500 --> 2:8:15.970
Jackie Elliott
Thank you.
2:8:16.880 --> 2:8:17.450
Burks, Robert R
Thank you.
2:8:17.970 --> 2:8:18.350
Burks, Robert R
The message.
2:8:18.360 --> 2:8:19.330
Burks, Robert R
Did you have something to add?
2:8:20.70 --> 2:8:20.820
Burks, Robert R
Can. Yeah.
2:8:20.470 --> 2:8:20.860
Vanessa Berry
Yeah.
2:8:30.290 --> 2:8:31.220
Burks, Robert R
That'd be great.
2:8:20.870 --> 2:8:31.440
Vanessa Berry
I I'm just wanting to maybe talk a little bit about why we're not seeing the waste reduction, you know, targets that we're hoping to get.
2:8:31.230 --> 2:8:32.150
Burks, Robert R
Yes, thank you.
2:8:33.950 --> 2:8:51.10
Vanessa Berry
I think I think part of it is when you compare, you know costs of disposal for certain types of things, it's cheaper to landfill than it is to recycle, it's it's cheaper to throw things away than create, reuse infrastructure.
2:8:51.170 --> 2:9:11.350
Vanessa Berry
And so it's not, there's not a lot of financial incentives right now for businesses, for producers and of course with E PR, hopefully we'll see a major shift in this, but there's no financial incentives for reducing waste at this point because it's an externality on the people that are producing it.
2:9:11.580 --> 2:9:23.230
Vanessa Berry
So currently they're passing that off to main taxpayers to manage, and so they're not seeing that true cost and hopefully under EPR they'll start realizing this and it'll lead to some dramatic changes.
2:9:23.500 --> 2:9:26.210
Vanessa Berry
But I think that that's probably, you know, getting to the heart of it.
2:9:27.440 --> 2:9:31.170
Vanessa Berry
You know, options are limited for people when they're shopping in the stores.
2:9:48.340 --> 2:9:48.490
Burks, Robert R
Yeah.
2:9:31.180 --> 2:9:48.790
Vanessa Berry
What they have access to, they can't always choose the thing that makes the least amount of trash and and the system is not set up that way right now because of the way that producers are not really incentivized to create more sustainable products that they're putting out into the market.
2:9:48.800 --> 2:9:57.920
Vanessa Berry
So I think that that's a huge challenge and I think EPR is, you know, hopefully we'll see a lot of progress with that over the next few years.
2:9:58.120 --> 2:9:59.920
Vanessa Berry
But I think that that's probably a big one.
2:9:59.930 --> 2:10:3.690
Vanessa Berry
And then I think that the reuse infrastructure is just not there right now.
2:10:3.760 --> 2:10:19.70
Vanessa Berry
So there's not a great alternative for consumers and and as you said, Megan, like we're just now starting to see retailers and restaurants allow people to use reusable containers, but they then have to provide those containers.
2:10:19.400 --> 2:10:29.300
Vanessa Berry
So working on those systems to improve, reuse infrastructure and making it more accessible for people across the state to participate and reuse.
2:10:29.750 --> 2:10:33.800
Vanessa Berry
Umm, that will hopefully yield more waste reduction over time.
2:10:35.660 --> 2:10:36.410
Burks, Robert R
Thank you, Vanessa.
2:10:36.420 --> 2:10:37.260
Burks, Robert R
That's that's.
2:10:38.810 --> 2:10:50.830
Burks, Robert R
I think there's a huge opportunity, especially with kind of the the single use throw away packaging, that there's a lot of opportunity there financially and in terms of reducing waste.
2:10:50.840 --> 2:10:52.220
Burks, Robert R
So I'm glad that you brought that up.
2:10:53.330 --> 2:10:53.620
Burks, Robert R
What?
2:10:53.630 --> 2:10:59.910
Burks, Robert R
What are some of the UM roadblocks that I know you've done a fair amount of looking at reuse with schools?
2:11:0.870 --> 2:11:6.760
Burks, Robert R
What are the roadblocks that you have found there and where have you found that it works?
2:11:5.120 --> 2:11:8.450
Vanessa Berry
I think some of that, yeah.
2:11:8.960 --> 2:11:18.290
Vanessa Berry
For schools in particular, like thinking about like reusables at lunch, because that's, I think, a great starting point, it has the most bang for your buck.
2:11:18.360 --> 2:11:22.350
Vanessa Berry
But you know it's staff time I think has been a concern.
2:11:22.360 --> 2:11:30.690
Vanessa Berry
People who you know are currently working in the lunch lines and they're serving the students and they've got short windows of time.
2:11:30.700 --> 2:11:41.560
Vanessa Berry
To do this, they have a hard time also creating capacity for washing the dishes and you know, in order to have reuse happen you have to clean the things that you served the first time.
2:11:41.570 --> 2:11:46.360
Vanessa Berry
Otherwise they're just single use, so I think that that's a problem.
2:11:46.410 --> 2:11:55.960
Vanessa Berry
I think sometimes funding is an issue, which is, you know, an area where NRCM tries to support where we can when we have the capacity to fund schools, we'll do that.
2:11:56.150 --> 2:12:3.600
Vanessa Berry
And I know that deep could potentially do some of that through the waste reduction, waste diversion grants.
2:12:4.430 --> 2:12:7.80
Vanessa Berry
But yeah, those tend to be, I think, the big barriers.
2:12:7.90 --> 2:12:28.570
Vanessa Berry
And then also just like not having the right buy in from all the different stakeholders, so you need facilities to be supportive of this, you need you need the cafeteria staff, you need teachers to remind students where things need to go, you need buy in from administration if you're gonna have them pay for this stuff and finance it.
2:12:29.40 --> 2:12:29.670
Vanessa Berry
Umm.
2:12:29.820 --> 2:12:36.90
Vanessa Berry
And then I I think a lot of them are concerned that students will throw away reusables and then it's a wasted investment.
2:12:36.800 --> 2:12:37.970
Vanessa Berry
So yeah, I can.
2:12:40.960 --> 2:12:41.460
Burks, Robert R
I have one more.
2:12:37.980 --> 2:12:42.520
Vanessa Berry
I can speak to that more if you have other questions, but I think those are, yeah, sure.
2:12:43.320 --> 2:12:45.650
Burks, Robert R
Umm, where you've seen that it's worked.
2:12:46.0 --> 2:12:47.70
Burks, Robert R
Why do you think it's worked?
2:12:48.890 --> 2:12:54.730
Vanessa Berry
I think I think it it's all about creating the culture UM and you have to have.
2:12:54.740 --> 2:12:56.490
Vanessa Berry
Yeah, you have to have the right stakeholder support.
2:12:58.370 --> 2:13:7.720
Vanessa Berry
You know, because we again like we can overcome some of those barriers, like if it's a financial barrier then you know it's easy enough to apply for a grant and get the money to to do that.
2:13:8.400 --> 2:13:22.110
Vanessa Berry
Umm, but I think you can't buy, you know Superintendent support and umm, you know more collaboration between all of the different players and within a school system.
2:13:22.690 --> 2:13:31.950
Vanessa Berry
So I think that that really helps, you know, ensure the success you need like a champion to carry the torch on a program or else it just fades away.
2:13:32.400 --> 2:13:37.180
Vanessa Berry
So I think that that that's probably the most important thing that a school would need.
2:13:42.380 --> 2:13:42.540
Vanessa Berry
Yes.
2:13:39.930 --> 2:13:42.860
Burks, Robert R
And the hardest thing for DEP to provide right.
2:13:44.350 --> 2:13:44.980
Burks, Robert R
Thanks, Vanessa.
2:13:45.490 --> 2:13:46.80
Vanessa Berry
Yeah, of course.
2:13:47.30 --> 2:13:53.980
Burks, Robert R
They what else have any experience with reuse on a on a like an institutional level or a municipal level?
2:14:3.440 --> 2:14:7.0
Burks, Robert R
To be moved down on our or any other thoughts on reuse.
2:14:20.0 --> 2:14:20.120
Burks, Robert R
Yes.
2:14:9.790 --> 2:14:20.560
Vanessa Berry
Can I also just add umm, maybe that we need more education and supports for retailers to have bulk for food?
2:14:20.570 --> 2:14:24.740
Vanessa Berry
I think as especially an issue, there's a lot of concerns about that.
2:14:24.750 --> 2:14:29.580
Vanessa Berry
I think it also the same thing could be said about composting unwanted food.
2:14:29.590 --> 2:14:34.640
Vanessa Berry
People are worried that if they donate food that's still edible, that they're liable somehow.
2:14:34.650 --> 2:14:36.580
Vanessa Berry
There's a lot of misconceptions around that stuff.
2:14:37.350 --> 2:14:52.460
Vanessa Berry
Umm, so I think that, you know, we're gonna need more education on that from the business perspective because they could save a lot of money and tipping fee reduction and and all of those things if they're, you know, doing reuse and doing composting.
2:14:52.550 --> 2:15:1.70
Vanessa Berry
But I think there's a lot of concerns about liability that, you know, founded or unfounded caused problems.
2:15:0.780 --> 2:15:5.650
Burks, Robert R
That's the thing that's really helpful because that is the kind of thing that we can think about what we're writing.
2:15:5.760 --> 2:15:7.850
Burks, Robert R
The plan I benessa.
2:15:12.60 --> 2:15:12.200
Vanessa Berry
Yes.
2:15:10.470 --> 2:15:13.130
Burks, Robert R
NASA the nesting here.
2:15:13.410 --> 2:15:15.640
Vanessa Berry
Yeah, sure.
2:15:13.380 --> 2:15:34.170
Burks, Robert R
Can I ask you a quick question on this is Rob, did you see during the COVID when everything got packaged even to apples and everything that forbid the spread of in fact she did, you see that take hold and it's harder to get out of that or is it still in trained into the system from your perspective?
2:15:51.350 --> 2:15:51.650
Burks, Robert R
Right.
2:15:35.290 --> 2:15:53.50
Vanessa Berry
I think that we're there are schools that went to single use packaging for all of the different things that are still in that as a result of COVID like they made that decision and they got stuck in a loop and now they're still doing it.
2:15:53.250 --> 2:15:53.860
Vanessa Berry
Umm.
2:15:54.320 --> 2:15:59.750
Vanessa Berry
And so I I would say that that's not happening everywhere, but it is happening in some places.
2:16:0.440 --> 2:16:18.420
Vanessa Berry
I know that Mitchell Center did some work with like we worked with the Mitchell Center for a few schools that they piloted this year, and some of them were kind of on that spectrum a little bit where some were already doing reusables and some were packaging everything in single use plastic and bagging apples, for example.
2:16:20.630 --> 2:16:26.220
Vanessa Berry
And so I think, yeah, I I think different schools land somewhere on that spectrum.
2:16:26.310 --> 2:16:37.740
Vanessa Berry
But with more education and more, you know kind of troubleshooting and removing barriers that perceived or otherwise, you know, it's it requires work.
2:16:37.750 --> 2:16:49.20
Vanessa Berry
It's a lot of Labor that goes into kind of doing that work with schools, education wise and resources and and you know driving these changes.
2:16:49.30 --> 2:17:1.700
Vanessa Berry
But but yeah, I think different schools land in different places, but I we're coming away from the COVID single use plastic stuff cause a lot of teachers are upset about it and they want it to change.
2:17:1.750 --> 2:17:5.720
Vanessa Berry
And a lot of school nutrition directors are saying, alright, can we be done with this now?
2:17:8.290 --> 2:17:8.550
Burks, Robert R
OK.
2:17:6.460 --> 2:17:9.160
Vanessa Berry
So I think it's hopefully we're shifting away.
2:17:10.610 --> 2:17:11.0
Burks, Robert R
Thank you.
2:17:11.10 --> 2:17:11.390
Burks, Robert R
That's good.
2:17:12.600 --> 2:17:13.980
Burks, Robert R
Umm Cat, did you have comment?
2:17:14.860 --> 2:17:15.790
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Yeah.
2:17:15.880 --> 2:17:16.550
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Gary, drink.
2:17:16.560 --> 2:17:16.870
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Water.
2:17:16.880 --> 2:17:22.280
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
My representative and I've had this discussion many times about home economics being brought back into schools.
2:17:22.890 --> 2:17:23.110
Burks, Robert R
Yes.
2:17:23.590 --> 2:17:26.220
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
You know, when I was a kid we had home economics.
2:17:26.230 --> 2:17:27.680
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Everyone learned how to do laundry.
2:17:27.690 --> 2:17:30.990
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Cook, from scratch, budget their household, etcetera.
2:17:31.240 --> 2:17:50.830
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I think that we could reboot that into a curriculum at an age appropriate level, starting with, you know, K through 12 and showing them that how to cook from scratch and how to buy groceries, and the effect that they're spending has on the waste stream.
2:17:51.80 --> 2:18:9.30
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I think if you and if you make it part of the curriculum and they have to actually write papers on it and investigate and maybe do, here's a radical thought, some critical thinking, that you would start to see a shift at least from the students graduating in the next, you know, five or ten years.
2:18:9.240 --> 2:18:17.540
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So I think that if we could just put that one thing back into the curriculum for all levels through K through 12, that you would start to see a shift.
2:18:17.870 --> 2:18:18.270
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Thank you.
2:18:18.940 --> 2:18:19.440
Burks, Robert R
Agreed.
2:18:21.390 --> 2:18:21.710
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Right.
2:18:21.910 --> 2:18:23.940
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
I agree wholeheartedly with with cat.
2:18:23.950 --> 2:18:26.530
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
I'm just wondering if she's related to Martha Stewart or just.
2:18:28.850 --> 2:18:29.970
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Now only in spirit.
2:18:38.420 --> 2:18:41.190
Burks, Robert R
That's why did you said that Ken?
2:18:30.640 --> 2:18:48.690
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
We we really this is really a message that we need to beat into people politely, but we have lost a lot of the skills since those old the home that course has made a big difference in people's lives and educating them as to better way to make it better.
2:18:48.700 --> 2:18:49.980
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Brownie, let's put it that way.
2:18:50.990 --> 2:18:52.680
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
So I think that would be it.
2:18:52.730 --> 2:18:54.430
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Education is a big piece of this.
2:18:55.440 --> 2:18:55.890
Burks, Robert R
Because.
2:18:55.0 --> 2:18:59.190
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Well, for one thing, you make a brownie with eggs, sugar, flour, and butter.
2:18:59.580 --> 2:19:1.590
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
How much packaging are in those things?
2:19:2.120 --> 2:19:10.390
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
OK, but you buy a box of brownie mix and you've got a cardboard box with a cellophane or a wax paper bag inside of it.
2:19:10.700 --> 2:19:11.190
Burks, Robert R
Plastic.
2:19:10.740 --> 2:19:19.30
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So the the pandemic wasn't the cause of our disposable lifestyle, but it exacerbated it.
2:19:19.80 --> 2:19:20.220
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
And now we have people.
2:19:20.230 --> 2:19:21.650
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Don't even go grocery shopping.
2:19:21.740 --> 2:19:28.640
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
They they order online, somebody shops for them and they sit in their car and wait for someone to bring them their bag of groceries.
2:19:29.160 --> 2:19:31.420
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Granted, they do use plastic or paper bags.
2:19:31.430 --> 2:19:39.910
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
That's good, you know, but we're losing the skills of critical thinking in our lives, and we really need to bring back and.
2:19:39.920 --> 2:19:54.820
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
And like Ken said before, let's take a step back and revisit the old ways with the new technology and armored, with the knowledge that we've gained over the last 50 years in pollution and environmental stewardship. Thanks.
2:19:56.400 --> 2:19:58.350
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
I have an old Betty Crocker cookbook.
2:19:58.410 --> 2:19:59.410
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
Same one wants 1.
2:20:0.710 --> 2:20:1.220
Burks, Robert R
We have two.
2:20:1.520 --> 2:20:2.620
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I have about 20.
2:20:4.190 --> 2:20:4.390
Burks, Robert R
Yeah.
2:20:5.200 --> 2:20:6.230
Burks, Robert R
Why do you stand this too?
2:20:5.970 --> 2:20:7.600
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
I I'm I've gotta go.
2:20:7.610 --> 2:20:10.490
SkyWay by MicroRail (Guest)
But have enjoyed this immensely and I hope it continues.
2:20:11.230 --> 2:20:11.600
Burks, Robert R
Thanks.
2:20:11.610 --> 2:20:12.780
Burks, Robert R
Thank you for feedback.
2:20:12.790 --> 2:20:13.140
Burks, Robert R
Thank you.
2:20:15.200 --> 2:20:19.370
Burks, Robert R
The the sewing and stuff makes me think of our our repair cafes.
2:20:19.380 --> 2:20:20.270
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
2:20:21.330 --> 2:20:23.240
Burks, Robert R
You and I are fighting Jim over the miles.
2:20:23.490 --> 2:20:24.120
Burks, Robert R
Well, here.
2:20:24.530 --> 2:20:25.840
Burks, Robert R
No, I'm gonna have got this one.
2:20:25.850 --> 2:20:26.510
Burks, Robert R
I don't need that one.
2:20:26.520 --> 2:20:33.150
Burks, Robert R
I'm trying to move our didn't keep them with our discussion about the hierarchy and opportunities to reuse.
2:20:34.460 --> 2:20:35.310
Burks, Robert R
Ohh do we not?
2:20:35.350 --> 2:20:44.870
Burks, Robert R
Ohh, I think we have a separate bullet for repair below, but ohh they're just yes and that fits that conversation that preceded this fits right into that.
2:20:44.880 --> 2:20:46.840
Burks, Robert R
Yes, it fits completely into.
2:20:46.850 --> 2:21:0.840
Burks, Robert R
That does so just open open to the store, but we want to talk a little bit about repair because there's a pretty strong culture of umm, you know, fixing things and keeping them in use as long as possible.
2:21:0.850 --> 2:21:5.630
Burks, Robert R
And mean and we're seeing newer events happening like the repair cafes.
2:21:6.610 --> 2:21:15.370
Burks, Robert R
Umm for example my my townhouse repair cafes, where they're hosted at the library and people come in and they can bring their broken lamp or so.
2:21:15.380 --> 2:21:19.690
Burks, Robert R
I'm machine or whatnot and people will help them learn how to fix it.
2:21:20.40 --> 2:21:37.440
Burks, Robert R
So just bringing this up as a topic or people seeing good repair options in your area or have have anybody in your community talked about hosting something like a repair cafe, is that something that you see people using using the local repair shops, that kind of thing?
2:21:39.660 --> 2:21:41.740
Burks, Robert R
I can't see you answer.
2:21:41.930 --> 2:21:43.80
Burks, Robert R
Well, there's no pins.
2:21:43.90 --> 2:21:43.580
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, you would.
2:21:43.590 --> 2:21:45.80
Burks, Robert R
Do you think I was just moving that one?
2:21:45.90 --> 2:21:47.540
Burks, Robert R
There's no means you would see.
2:21:47.620 --> 2:21:48.650
Burks, Robert R
They're gonna come down the top.
2:21:48.660 --> 2:21:49.770
Burks, Robert R
Ohh, there's there's Vanessa.
2:21:52.280 --> 2:21:52.990
Burks, Robert R
I've been asleep.
2:21:50.490 --> 2:22:25.490
Vanessa Berry
Hi friends on a on this thread I actually I have to scoot in a minute here to head off to a recycling committee meeting but but yeah to talk about repair cafes I've noticed there are a couple new ones that have recently opened up and I know Megan you've been looped in on just kind of connecting with some of them like for example Curtis Memorial Library and Brunswick cohosts one with the Bath Library and they they kind of switch off month to month who's hosting those.
2:22:25.600 --> 2:22:28.30
Vanessa Berry
And I've heard that those have been pretty successful.
2:22:28.480 --> 2:22:38.890
Vanessa Berry
They get a lot of volunteers that are skilled in very diverse repair, but I can't speak to exactly which you know what, what sort of services they offer.
2:22:39.520 --> 2:22:46.560
Vanessa Berry
I've heard that it's like mending bike repair, fixing a lamp, those sorts of things.
2:22:55.70 --> 2:22:55.190
Burks, Robert R
Yes.
2:22:46.960 --> 2:22:58.100
Vanessa Berry
Umm, I would also just say that, umm, you know, right to repair for things like electronics would be really important to continue to look at.
2:22:58.110 --> 2:23:19.220
Vanessa Berry
I know that what there was a automotive right to repair legislation that was brought forward this year and I just I think that there's going to be a lot more avenues for that because there's this planned obsolescence of our materials from washing machines to cell phones where you can have them for a couple of years.
2:23:19.230 --> 2:23:22.740
Vanessa Berry
But then after that, if something goes wrong, you're kind of on your own.
2:23:27.420 --> 2:23:27.770
Burks, Robert R
Upper.
2:23:22.750 --> 2:23:28.380
Vanessa Berry
And there's really not a lot of infrastructure to keep those things in circularity.
2:23:28.390 --> 2:23:40.330
Vanessa Berry
They want you to dispose of them and buy something new, so that could be a potential Ave for the state of Maine to kind of investigate, giving consumers the right to repair and keep things in circularity a little bit longer.
2:23:41.120 --> 2:23:41.790
Vanessa Berry
Umm.
2:23:42.420 --> 2:23:45.270
Vanessa Berry
And then yeah, the repair cafes, we're seeing a lot more of that.
2:23:45.280 --> 2:23:49.260
Vanessa Berry
I know there's a few more in southern Maine that are popping up.
2:23:56.630 --> 2:23:56.830
Burks, Robert R
Yep.
2:23:50.580 --> 2:24:8.350
Vanessa Berry
Mid Coast has done repair cafes and through their transfer station I believe too they were they were doing repair and kind of using the swap shop as another Ave to to gift those items away and taking donations to kind of help fund that I believe.
2:24:9.320 --> 2:24:11.740
Vanessa Berry
But yeah, I would love to see more of this throughout the state.
2:24:12.850 --> 2:24:13.630
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, that's great.
2:24:13.640 --> 2:24:32.620
Burks, Robert R
And then when we heard we're at our Prestile meeting too, there's a woman who runs the charitable organization up there, and they're also taking things in and fixing them and seeing a lot of people that will take something that you might think was just writing for the trash and fixing it up and reselling it or, umm, you know, holding on to a little bit longer.
2:24:33.20 --> 2:24:34.310
Vanessa Berry
Yeah, Maine is.
2:24:32.630 --> 2:24:34.800
Burks, Robert R
So it's a really good way to reduce the waste.
2:24:37.600 --> 2:24:37.700
Burks, Robert R
Yeah.
2:24:34.820 --> 2:24:49.270
Vanessa Berry
Maine is inherently very thrifty, and we don't like to throw things away generally in our society, and I think that, you know, I think this plays in really nicely to that and learning, learning new trades and homec and all of those things tie in together.
2:24:49.700 --> 2:24:50.140
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, yeah.
2:24:52.310 --> 2:24:52.920
Burks, Robert R
Bye.
2:24:50.140 --> 2:24:53.0
Vanessa Berry
I've got to hop off, but thank you all very very much for your time.
2:24:52.930 --> 2:24:53.310
Burks, Robert R
Thank you.
2:24:53.520 --> 2:24:54.910
Burks, Robert R
Would do.
2:24:54.920 --> 2:24:57.70
Burks, Robert R
You should we go back up and look at the the demo.
2:24:57.120 --> 2:25:1.480
Burks, Robert R
I think we have good topic there and actually that's what was mentioning demo.
2:25:1.490 --> 2:25:2.660
Burks, Robert R
I think it was John.
2:25:3.250 --> 2:25:4.600
Burks, Robert R
It was talking about demos.
2:25:4.610 --> 2:25:5.780
Burks, Robert R
He's still here, right?
2:25:5.790 --> 2:25:6.110
Burks, Robert R
Jance.
2:25:6.120 --> 2:25:6.730
Burks, Robert R
Where's he gone?
2:25:6.740 --> 2:25:7.670
Burks, Robert R
No, it's gone.
2:25:10.60 --> 2:25:10.670
Burks, Robert R
Understand.
2:25:10.740 --> 2:25:12.630
Burks, Robert R
Trying to, we move us up to the.
2:25:14.990 --> 2:25:15.210
Burks, Robert R
Sorry.
2:25:16.280 --> 2:25:23.740
Burks, Robert R
Hey I think the the the demo one like right, uh deconstruction for sort of mixing with a couple other points.
2:25:23.870 --> 2:25:25.80
Burks, Robert R
We don't have either of the.
2:25:25.160 --> 2:25:27.30
Burks, Robert R
I think it's, yeah, definitely.
2:25:27.40 --> 2:25:28.770
Burks, Robert R
Just wait until people here.
2:25:28.900 --> 2:25:29.240
Burks, Robert R
Thank you.
2:25:29.570 --> 2:25:31.630
Burks, Robert R
That's, but it's still.
2:25:35.230 --> 2:25:35.530
Burks, Robert R
Umm.
2:25:37.570 --> 2:25:52.40
Burks, Robert R
Actually, the before we leave repair, there's umm, one of the things we're wondering is we are hearing some things about you know, I used to be able to take this to some guy to get it repaired and it's not getting repaired.
2:25:52.480 --> 2:26:12.790
Burks, Robert R
And so we are a little bit interested in in what those items are and any ideas on how we can, you know, well, Maine does pretty well in this area, how we can promote more repair or deal with and identify those products that are really breaking all over the place and and could be fixed.
2:26:12.800 --> 2:26:14.610
Burks, Robert R
But there's no one to help fix them.
2:26:14.920 --> 2:26:17.820
Burks, Robert R
If anyone has any thoughts on that before we leave or maybe not.
2:26:19.660 --> 2:26:22.310
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Community colleges start.
2:26:22.230 --> 2:26:22.850
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, training.
2:26:23.480 --> 2:26:32.820
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Yeah, we've got a a brand new set of community colleges in the state, start teaching people as well as auto repair and plumbing and electrical electronics.
2:26:43.150 --> 2:26:43.300
Burks, Robert R
Yep.
2:26:33.230 --> 2:26:49.20
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
You know, you're really not going to get any traction on this as long as manufacturers make more money making disposable products, they just iPhones come out every five minutes and they want you to buy a new one every time.
2:26:49.30 --> 2:26:57.260
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
And this is another thing that manufacturers do is they force migration, they make your device stop working so that you have to get another one.
2:26:57.410 --> 2:26:58.840
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
This happens with track phone.
2:26:58.850 --> 2:27:1.90
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Cell phone companies are notorious for it.
2:27:1.990 --> 2:27:10.440
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I'm old and remember when you used to take your TV set to the guy in the shot, you know who had a shop and then you got it back a couple of days later.
2:27:11.70 --> 2:27:13.80
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
We mentioned the last conversation.
2:27:13.90 --> 2:27:14.20
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I won't be long on this.
2:27:14.30 --> 2:27:17.710
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I promise about how can we get that message out?
2:27:17.720 --> 2:27:19.830
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
And I mentioned that and Amazon.
2:27:21.160 --> 2:27:26.150
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Some things in California, you just aren't allowed to buy online because they just aren't allowed in California.
2:27:26.660 --> 2:27:45.670
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So if we could put notes and fees on when people buy things for main destined for Maine, that they tack on a surcharge and say this is a surcharge because your item is not repairable, we're going to have to pay to have it recycled or landfilled or something like that.
2:27:45.820 --> 2:27:56.740
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
And so this is an instant way to show people with their pocketbook that and we already do it with sales tax, we already do it with like I said, blocking things that are not allowed for environmental reasons.
2:27:56.870 --> 2:28:11.0
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So at the same time, you can educate people who do that impulse buying, you know, this shirt is made and by synthetic materials and cannot be recycled, you know, so you're going to be charged $0.50 more or a dollar more or whatever.
2:28:11.10 --> 2:28:20.90
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
For this shirt, it gives people pause to think, and you're educating them against their will, sometimes at the same time. Thanks.
2:28:22.90 --> 2:28:22.620
Burks, Robert R
Thank you.
2:28:33.590 --> 2:28:34.590
Burks, Robert R
There's the construction.
2:28:37.190 --> 2:28:37.440
Burks, Robert R
Yeah.
2:28:37.450 --> 2:28:45.170
Burks, Robert R
One of the things we were talking wanted to talk about was repairs, specifically was building umm deconstruction or designing for?
2:28:45.530 --> 2:29:9.400
Burks, Robert R
Deconstruction and I think this is another one that could play really well into what Kat was saying about community colleges having training programs to teach people, because it's definitely more labor intensive and takes more time to take a building apart and take out the resources that could be reused as opposed to just failing it over and landfilling everything.
2:29:10.10 --> 2:29:22.930
Burks, Robert R
But it seems like it's a very large waste stream and there is some potential there and there are a couple small businesses in Maine that work in areas of deconstruction like the the Restore for example.
2:29:22.940 --> 2:29:24.840
Burks, Robert R
Does has some deconstruction?
2:29:25.350 --> 2:29:34.960
Burks, Robert R
There's a couple of businesses that will do what's called, I think, a soft strip where they go in and take some of the more valuable pieces out of a house before it gets demolished.
2:29:35.430 --> 2:29:38.880
Burks, Robert R
But it's just this has been a topic that's been coming up and seems to be of interest.
2:29:38.890 --> 2:29:54.640
Burks, Robert R
So we're just curious whether people have any thoughts to share or comments on that topic specifically or or even on construction and demolition debris related to that or or not related because it is, as I said, one of the large waste rooms, Jackie.
2:29:56.940 --> 2:30:0.170
Jackie Elliott
Yes, and you're absolutely right.
2:30:0.480 --> 2:30:7.230
Jackie Elliott
Construction demolition debris is a huge problem in the waste stream.
2:30:7.450 --> 2:30:12.620
Jackie Elliott
There's potential for toxic exposure with some of the elements.
2:30:13.190 --> 2:30:15.340
Jackie Elliott
I think part of the solution to the.
2:30:16.330 --> 2:30:27.810
Jackie Elliott
Deconstruction piece is the green building piece again focusing on getting toxic elements out of the waste stream on the front end.
2:30:28.520 --> 2:30:31.290
Jackie Elliott
You built something with less toxic materials.
2:30:31.880 --> 2:30:37.310
Jackie Elliott
You've got something that's recyclable at the end of life, as opposed to this toxic mess.
2:30:37.320 --> 2:30:38.510
Jackie Elliott
Now, what do we do with it?
2:30:39.200 --> 2:30:44.840
Jackie Elliott
And obviously green building is going to play into building codes.
2:30:45.810 --> 2:30:46.700
Jackie Elliott
Umm.
2:30:47.190 --> 2:30:53.640
Jackie Elliott
The fact of what is required in construction, all of this comes at a price tag.
2:30:54.790 --> 2:30:59.440
Jackie Elliott
People don't necessarily wanna pay more to build better.
2:31:0.700 --> 2:31:17.960
Jackie Elliott
Umm, so again the the education piece is huge, helping people to understand that a a choice they make is connected to something else as well that has a bearing on the quality of life that they live.
2:31:17.970 --> 2:31:23.600
Jackie Elliott
Eventually, Umm, as well as the quality of life their neighbor lives.
2:31:24.590 --> 2:31:29.650
Jackie Elliott
Umm, we we've gotten into this.
2:31:30.100 --> 2:31:34.280
Jackie Elliott
There's an away somewhere for the things that are unpleasant.
2:31:34.290 --> 2:31:36.310
Jackie Elliott
We put our trash out to the curb.
2:31:36.360 --> 2:31:38.350
Jackie Elliott
Somebody gathers it, it's gone.
2:31:38.360 --> 2:31:51.790
Jackie Elliott
I don't have to think about it anymore, but we have to make the connection that your bag of trash may go away, but it ends up building a mountain, a forever toxic trash and somebody's neighborhood.
2:31:51.860 --> 2:32:0.440
Jackie Elliott
Or it goes into an incinerator that creates toxic smoke and toxic ash that becomes a problem of the people living around that.
2:32:1.310 --> 2:32:8.100
Jackie Elliott
So we need to help people understand that we're looking at systems.
2:32:8.820 --> 2:32:13.560
Jackie Elliott
Umm, repair is better than throwing away or buying new.
2:32:14.560 --> 2:32:31.430
Jackie Elliott
And as has been mentioned, getting back into the school system, the idea of home economics, classes and shop classes, you get a you get a little bit of an idea that there was a connection with one thing to another.
2:32:31.780 --> 2:32:35.310
Jackie Elliott
So to get this back into the curriculum on every level.
2:32:36.220 --> 2:32:38.780
Jackie Elliott
Umm would be a good start.
2:32:40.650 --> 2:32:41.570
Burks, Robert R
Thank you.
2:32:41.660 --> 2:32:43.470
Burks, Robert R
If only we had some teachers on here.
2:32:46.670 --> 2:32:47.90
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
You did.
2:32:43.780 --> 2:32:49.830
Burks, Robert R
I know we need the Department of Education well and that type, please, something that someone brought up, right.
2:32:49.840 --> 2:32:50.850
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, it is.
2:32:50.930 --> 2:32:52.830
Burks, Robert R
It is operation, yeah.
2:32:58.430 --> 2:32:58.670
Burks, Robert R
Store.
2:32:59.580 --> 2:33:3.520
Burks, Robert R
OK, OK umm so.
2:33:4.720 --> 2:33:7.710
Burks, Robert R
Actually, Jackie was noted, noting toxins.
2:33:8.500 --> 2:33:22.530
Burks, Robert R
I think one of the things that actually sometimes is is used to require deconstruction is that in in urban settings they worry about the emissions air emissions of knocking these buildings down right.
2:33:25.290 --> 2:33:26.780
Burks, Robert R
And and that's what we are seeing.
2:33:26.790 --> 2:33:32.410
Burks, Robert R
I mean, in a national level, that's what we're seeing in terms of deconstruction is that you're getting it.
2:33:32.800 --> 2:33:38.570
Burks, Robert R
When municipalities are requiring it, is there anything you know are there?
2:33:42.160 --> 2:33:48.490
Burks, Robert R
Do we feel like there are things that that we can do other than that to to facilitate the deconstruction?
2:33:48.500 --> 2:33:52.230
Burks, Robert R
It's like John mentioned, this is a big waste stream.
2:33:52.240 --> 2:33:55.260
Burks, Robert R
Are there parts of the waste stream that?
2:33:57.420 --> 2:34:0.420
Burks, Robert R
Umm might be a focus.
2:34:5.660 --> 2:34:6.20
Burks, Robert R
Cat.
2:34:10.800 --> 2:34:11.980
Burks, Robert R
Go ahead, please go ahead, Kat.
2:34:14.550 --> 2:34:15.480
Burks, Robert R
You muted cat.
2:34:15.690 --> 2:34:18.460
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I know my mouse died on me and 2nd I probably.
2:34:17.960 --> 2:34:19.290
Burks, Robert R
Ohh, those darn nice.
2:34:18.990 --> 2:34:20.610
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Now it's an Apple product.
2:34:20.620 --> 2:34:21.380
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
What do you want?
2:34:22.290 --> 2:34:23.860
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Yeah, I worked.
2:34:23.870 --> 2:34:30.280
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
And then my brother was a master builder and I've worked in the building industry myself and sold building supplies.
2:34:30.610 --> 2:34:34.730
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So we're seeing now a lot of the same as the car industry.
2:34:34.740 --> 2:34:38.660
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
We're seeing a lot of prefab homes coming up and not a lot of stick build.
2:34:39.50 --> 2:34:46.420
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
They're using more materials that are recycled or can be or not as as unhealthy as we had in the past.
2:34:47.300 --> 2:34:50.440
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
You know arsenic and asbestos and things like that.
2:34:50.590 --> 2:34:57.830
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So a lot of building today could be done in a modular capacity where everything is already inspected.
2:34:57.940 --> 2:34:59.820
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
It's already certified to be safe.
2:34:59.830 --> 2:35:6.350
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Recyclable gleaning is a great way to get rid of a lot of old construction.
2:35:6.360 --> 2:35:22.290
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
If you allow small contractors or people, I remember when they tore down the hotel in Bangor, they were throwing cloth foot tubs out the windows of the upper stories and they would smash them on the sidewalk.
2:35:23.200 --> 2:35:32.530
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So Maine has used furniture or a antique store every 10 feet, especially along the coastal areas.
2:35:32.640 --> 2:35:58.530
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
If you could have a especially government contracts if you could allow independent contractors to come in and glean what they can, the copper, the wiring, the fixtures, the, the you know, the bricks, the the decorative items, the lighting, all these things could be taken out and repurposed rather than bringing in our claw back hoe, which would just smash it, grab it and throw it in a roll off.
2:35:59.390 --> 2:36:0.280
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So that's just denied.
2:35:59.980 --> 2:36:1.110
Burks, Robert R
Are you aware of that?
2:36:1.120 --> 2:36:2.310
Burks, Robert R
Have it's an interesting idea.
2:36:2.320 --> 2:36:3.290
Burks, Robert R
Are you aware of that?
2:36:3.300 --> 2:36:7.90
Burks, Robert R
Having, you know, can you point to some example of that having happened?
2:36:7.360 --> 2:36:7.570
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Yeah.
2:36:7.580 --> 2:36:9.340
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
And the rurals we do that anyway.
2:36:9.720 --> 2:36:13.990
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
You know, we we rip everything out of the house before we demolish it.
2:36:14.40 --> 2:36:21.330
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
We take everything of value, matter of fact, you can't leave on occupied houses without watching them, because someone will come in and do it for you.
2:36:21.450 --> 2:36:26.780
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So you, you know, you've got a different problem in the rural areas in the urban areas.
2:36:26.790 --> 2:36:40.620
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Again, you have to worry about contaminants because you have such close proximity to each other, but in the rurals it's pretty much uh, you know, open air and and people here tend to like you, say, hang on to everything.
2:36:40.630 --> 2:36:41.780
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So we don't throw.
2:36:41.790 --> 2:36:43.900
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I have lighting fixtures in my attic.
2:36:44.50 --> 2:36:51.220
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
You know that I remodeled and took out and I have them to give away to somebody if they make the mistake of admiring them so.
2:36:57.610 --> 2:36:58.150
Burks, Robert R
Will be over.
2:36:58.490 --> 2:36:59.960
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
That's a great way to get rid of staff.
2:36:59.970 --> 2:37:1.900
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
If somebody eyeballs and go hey, you want it?
2:37:2.110 --> 2:37:2.630
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I got rid of.
2:37:2.810 --> 2:37:3.430
Burks, Robert R
It's yours.
2:37:4.180 --> 2:37:4.730
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
That's right.
2:37:4.740 --> 2:37:5.370
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
It's yours.
2:37:5.380 --> 2:37:5.840
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Take it away.
2:37:8.50 --> 2:37:15.880
Burks, Robert R
We had a an old woolen mill in Camden years back that was being disassembled.
2:37:15.890 --> 2:37:33.50
Burks, Robert R
This is 2530 years ago and the company that was doing it was very forward thinking and making just huge landlines, soaked floor joists and beams available to people who could cart them off and use them right down to the bricks.
2:37:33.480 --> 2:37:43.990
Burks, Robert R
But a new owner came along and said Nope, I want my building up now and it went into the landfill and largely filled the landfill that they were filling in the town.
2:37:44.500 --> 2:37:49.660
Burks, Robert R
So it's the whole push for time is money is a fallacy that's choking us.
2:37:53.920 --> 2:37:54.660
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
No, I agree.
2:37:51.390 --> 2:37:56.950
Burks, Robert R
But I digress is an interesting idea though, where we have a little bit more control, yeah.
2:38:0.30 --> 2:38:4.540
Burks, Robert R
And then you got, you know it's it's tough because we're faced with the housing shortage now too.
2:38:4.550 --> 2:38:12.260
Burks, Robert R
So, I mean, we gotta keep things affordable and maybe these three built units are a good way to go.
2:38:12.450 --> 2:38:16.280
Burks, Robert R
I know the quality of them is increasing and we should probably look into that.
2:38:16.290 --> 2:38:16.700
Burks, Robert R
Sort of thing.
2:38:17.630 --> 2:38:22.70
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
You mean has a project right now of 3D printing houses?
2:38:22.300 --> 2:38:23.360
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, yeah.
2:38:22.920 --> 2:38:23.710
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
They're off.
2:38:23.760 --> 2:38:24.580
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
You should check into it.
2:38:25.190 --> 2:38:27.320
Burks, Robert R
Yep, I wonder how insulated they are.
2:38:27.370 --> 2:38:28.840
Burks, Robert R
I think they're pretty insulated, aren't they?
2:38:28.820 --> 2:38:28.990
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
There.
2:38:29.0 --> 2:38:34.640
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Yeah, they've got a really good R factor and and they're using recycled products.
2:38:35.360 --> 2:38:36.910
Burks, Robert R
Yep. Nice.
2:38:34.690 --> 2:38:37.530
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So again, you know a step in the direction.
2:38:39.320 --> 2:38:41.150
Burks, Robert R
I think our next meeting is in Orono, right?
2:38:41.200 --> 2:38:41.720
Burks, Robert R
Yes, yes.
2:38:41.730 --> 2:38:42.760
Burks, Robert R
We're gonna have some humane.
2:38:42.770 --> 2:38:44.210
Burks, Robert R
Hopefully we'll have some humans.
2:38:44.220 --> 2:38:44.740
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, yeah.
2:38:44.200 --> 2:38:45.570
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I. Ohh.
2:38:45.580 --> 2:38:46.690
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
You're gonna be sorry.
2:38:47.0 --> 2:38:48.290
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
When is that, by the way?
2:38:48.960 --> 2:38:49.870
Burks, Robert R
It's gonna be.
2:38:48.330 --> 2:38:50.260
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Can you can you share that information?
2:38:50.220 --> 2:38:51.940
Burks, Robert R
It's gonna be July the 10th.
2:38:52.690 --> 2:38:52.990
Burks, Robert R
No.
2:38:53.560 --> 2:38:53.720
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
The.
2:38:53.500 --> 2:38:59.520
Burks, Robert R
July the 17th for investment and July the 29th Floor, Portland.
2:39:0.670 --> 2:39:1.820
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I'm sorry I you kinda.
2:39:2.850 --> 2:39:4.0
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I'm sorry I couldn't understand.
2:39:1.570 --> 2:39:7.770
Burks, Robert R
Indeed, yeah, it's the one in Orno is going to be July the 10th.
2:39:9.820 --> 2:39:9.940
Burks, Robert R
Yes.
2:39:8.680 --> 2:39:11.100
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
10th, OK.
2:39:11.160 --> 2:39:11.510
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
OK.
2:39:11.520 --> 2:39:11.860
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Thank you.
2:39:11.650 --> 2:39:22.770
Burks, Robert R
And then the one for Augustus, July 17th, we come down and then the last one will be in Augusta will be July the 29th.
2:39:27.170 --> 2:39:29.740
Burks, Robert R
And we'll send out emails about them beforehand.
2:39:29.750 --> 2:39:31.720
Burks, Robert R
So with links to writing. Yeah.
2:39:31.770 --> 2:39:33.60
Burks, Robert R
And then agenda with it.
2:39:33.70 --> 2:39:33.660
Burks, Robert R
Yeah.
2:39:34.300 --> 2:39:35.570
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Well, I don't know if you were aware.
2:39:34.50 --> 2:39:36.10
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, with no typos.
2:39:37.0 --> 2:39:38.70
Burks, Robert R
We want to fix that.
2:39:38.80 --> 2:39:38.570
Burks, Robert R
Hurdles.
2:39:39.210 --> 2:39:40.60
Burks, Robert R
Maybe a typo?
2:39:36.840 --> 2:39:44.900
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I don't know this, but all no university Maine was very, very much against Juniper Ridge Landfill being started.
2:39:44.910 --> 2:39:59.160
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I've been involved in this since 2003 when I attended university and there were teachers who were actively protesting in class to students about this and trying to get them involved.
2:39:59.250 --> 2:40:4.480
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So and again with the spreading of the sludge, they said you that sludge is contaminated.
2:40:4.560 --> 2:40:9.600
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
You can't actually promote farmers to put it on their land, and ohh no, the state says it's safe.
2:40:10.130 --> 2:40:10.550
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Here we are.
2:40:13.50 --> 2:40:21.190
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So I look forward to seeing you all in person and and knowing what you look like because all I see now is a pretty blonde woman and the rest of you are hiding.
2:40:22.50 --> 2:40:24.340
Burks, Robert R
That's why we're we're what?
2:40:23.480 --> 2:40:25.890
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
You know, currently works.
2:40:26.660 --> 2:40:27.960
Burks, Robert R
We want people to stick around.
2:40:29.600 --> 2:40:35.370
Burks, Robert R
They would have other ideas on other these products here, like we tend to.
2:40:37.210 --> 2:40:41.790
Burks, Robert R
Our thought process is that it generally works better if it's local, right?
2:40:41.800 --> 2:40:49.410
Burks, Robert R
Because then you're not moving the the containers as far Iams used frequently with potential to return.
2:40:50.450 --> 2:40:56.210
Burks, Robert R
Umm, any thoughts on on good, good candidate products there?
2:40:59.590 --> 2:41:1.350
Burks, Robert R
So for example, go ahead.
2:40:59.480 --> 2:41:2.300
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Well, I I I use bags.
2:41:2.730 --> 2:41:4.380
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I, horse and chickens.
2:41:5.250 --> 2:41:7.760
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I use empty feedbacks to line my trash.
2:41:7.770 --> 2:41:21.600
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Can I do not buy plastic bags of any kind and UM also milk used to come in glass bottles delivered by someone early in the morning and put in a cooler on your porch?
2:41:21.610 --> 2:41:23.620
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
This is my grandmother's house in Falmouth.
2:41:24.10 --> 2:41:29.70
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So again, if you're looking at plastic bags that can't be.
2:41:30.80 --> 2:41:30.880
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Uh.
2:41:31.100 --> 2:41:39.130
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Recycled or plastic bottles that can't be recycled, someone would keep a milk bottle to reuse it to put something else in it.
2:41:39.540 --> 2:41:42.290
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Canning jars or another way to package things?
2:41:42.300 --> 2:41:47.270
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
If I'm going to buy spaghetti sauce, it's gonna come home in a jar that I that is a ball jar.
2:41:47.340 --> 2:41:54.250
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So I can use it for canning when I when I put up, but all this whole economics I can't stress this enough.
2:41:54.300 --> 2:41:58.530
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
You know, we really need to start bringing that back, and you've all.
2:41:58.540 --> 2:42:1.120
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
You're only missed it by one generation.
2:42:1.130 --> 2:42:1.620
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Really.
2:42:1.730 --> 2:42:4.360
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I talked whoever I talked to and I you can tell.
2:42:4.370 --> 2:42:5.100
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I talked a lot.
2:42:5.510 --> 2:42:14.780
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I will talk to people in waiting rooms and I will talk to people standing in the grocery store and I will talk to people when everyone agrees with me on this.
2:42:14.850 --> 2:42:21.170
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Everyone without fail agrees with me that we need to bring home economics, rebooted back to the schools.
2:42:23.520 --> 2:42:23.860
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Thank you.
2:42:24.950 --> 2:42:28.460
Burks, Robert R
My my mother-in-law's was a home back teacher, but they called it.
2:42:28.470 --> 2:42:39.600
Burks, Robert R
I think domestic and consumer sciences and so I've had the same conversation with her many times too, so I don't even know that they saw button.
2:42:37.590 --> 2:42:43.860
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Well, how skilled you know, we don't have to go at home economics cause that has a stigma attached to it.
2:42:46.460 --> 2:42:46.600
Burks, Robert R
Yes.
2:42:43.870 --> 2:42:48.220
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Just like shot, I took shot because I was taught how to cook and clean a house.
2:42:51.630 --> 2:42:51.810
Burks, Robert R
Yeah.
2:42:56.600 --> 2:42:56.780
Burks, Robert R
Yeah.
2:42:48.230 --> 2:43:0.140
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Since I was five years old, so I didn't really need all my economics, but I really liked shot and so life skills and again, age appropriate, you know, starting with K and working your way up until through high school.
2:43:0.150 --> 2:43:10.430
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So by the time they graduate, they had 1213 years of training and that should hold them well to be able to know how to braid a rug from old clothes.
2:43:10.520 --> 2:43:11.710
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
How to do laundry?
2:43:11.780 --> 2:43:12.760
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
How to buy clothes?
2:43:12.770 --> 2:43:14.380
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
How to shop in the 1st place?
2:43:18.270 --> 2:43:18.490
Burks, Robert R
Alright.
2:43:14.390 --> 2:43:24.50
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Because I think people are losing that skill and it's all to the benefit of the large stores, you know, so they're not going encourage anybody to cook from scratch.
2:43:24.120 --> 2:43:25.870
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
They don't make any money on that.
2:43:25.880 --> 2:43:27.950
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
That's probably a a loss leader.
2:43:31.390 --> 2:43:37.210
Burks, Robert R
There's something like curriculum planning fall under the solid waste grants would would that?
2:43:37.340 --> 2:43:42.700
Burks, Robert R
Could that be sort of finagled to would be shown method into version?
2:43:42.710 --> 2:43:44.50
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, absolutely.
2:43:44.60 --> 2:43:46.310
Burks, Robert R
I mean education, education, outreach are eligible.
2:43:46.700 --> 2:43:47.910
Burks, Robert R
That's something education.
2:43:48.910 --> 2:43:49.750
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, we're doing that.
2:43:49.760 --> 2:43:50.800
Burks, Robert R
They can make a case for it.
2:43:50.810 --> 2:43:51.360
Burks, Robert R
Yeah.
2:43:51.420 --> 2:43:55.330
Burks, Robert R
And I didn't know this to tag on to what you were saying about women.
2:43:55.580 --> 2:43:56.750
Burks, Robert R
And teaching skills.
2:43:56.760 --> 2:44:2.910
Burks, Robert R
But when you educate children, the investment expands exponentially.
2:44:3.80 --> 2:44:11.750
Burks, Robert R
Because my wife's a teacher and when she teaches environmental responsibility, the children will actually keep the parents in line.
2:44:11.760 --> 2:44:12.550
Burks, Robert R
Line. Yeah.
2:44:12.560 --> 2:44:14.250
Burks, Robert R
And it goes up the chain.
2:44:14.560 --> 2:44:17.130
Burks, Robert R
So the children are actually educating the parents.
2:44:17.520 --> 2:44:30.200
Burks, Robert R
Plus, the children will be educated to go into future generations, so I think that's a big, big, big, big bonus to to direct education towards children and education groups.
2:44:30.450 --> 2:44:36.840
Burks, Robert R
We have to teach the teachers how to teach environmental stuff, right, or reward them when they do.
2:44:36.850 --> 2:44:41.670
Burks, Robert R
I mean, yeah, I think there's likely just play good waste management practices.
2:44:41.680 --> 2:44:59.900
Burks, Robert R
There's places throughout the state where this is happening is the matter of recognizing those people and and yeah, and recognizing their practices and spreading their practice as a transfer station manager, I'd be invited into the local schools and we'd have a great time going through everything I could with them.
2:45:1.390 --> 2:45:4.0
Burks, Robert R
First, second, third, fourth graders, 5th graders.
2:45:4.410 --> 2:45:8.430
Burks, Robert R
But I knew that after I left it was done, you know.
2:45:8.480 --> 2:45:14.670
Burks, Robert R
Uh, because a lot of the teachers didn't have the the background, they have to focus on other things.
2:45:14.680 --> 2:45:24.850
Burks, Robert R
They have to focus on the test and all the rest of the stuff totally, so we've got to come up with a means of, of working this into curriculum.
2:45:24.860 --> 2:45:28.630
Burks, Robert R
This will last incentivize and evolve.
2:45:28.720 --> 2:45:34.310
Burks, Robert R
Ohh they have things like if they have like you could have competitions.
2:45:34.600 --> 2:45:34.960
Burks, Robert R
Yeah.
2:45:34.970 --> 2:45:37.610
Burks, Robert R
It's kind of like a poster competition, but it's a curriculum competition.
2:45:37.620 --> 2:45:44.490
Burks, Robert R
Have all the teachers cause someone doing it and they're doing a much better job than we would ever be able to do if we tried to do? Yeah.
2:45:47.230 --> 2:45:47.790
Burks, Robert R
Yes, we do.
2:45:44.970 --> 2:45:47.810
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
We do it for sports and what?
2:45:47.890 --> 2:45:58.940
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
When I was teaching at Brewer High School, I'm a big tech person, so I was teaching multimedia and web design to students and they had a a a dance and I said.
2:45:58.950 --> 2:46:4.800
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
And of course, all the kids in my class were like the nerds, and so they weren't really dance enthusiasts.
2:46:5.130 --> 2:46:16.20
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
And so I said, why don't we have an Xbox tournament and at the same time, and we set up a monitors in the what was the conference room?
2:46:16.30 --> 2:46:19.870
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
We just overtook it and that room was packed.
2:46:20.170 --> 2:46:20.870
Burks, Robert R
No doubt.
2:46:19.930 --> 2:46:25.520
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
We had standing in line waiting for their turn to play, and we kept score.
2:46:25.580 --> 2:46:29.560
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Well, I didn't, but somebody who was used to that stuff did, you know, like a round Robin.
2:46:29.790 --> 2:46:54.290
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
And so I think intramural competitions with school gardens, cooking competitions, you know, we have spelling bees, for God's sakes, let's see who can sew, who can nip, who can braid rugs, who can repair a car, who can repair a faucet, who can change out a socket, who can take their, you know, run their washing machine or fix their washing machine.
2:46:54.420 --> 2:47:2.190
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
You know, you talk about all these programs of of teaching, but have you seen this new invention called YouTube?
2:47:2.260 --> 2:47:10.390
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
You know where all you have to do is if you want to find out how to repair something is you just Google it on YouTube, you know?
2:47:10.400 --> 2:47:11.550
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
And I'm dropping names here.
2:47:11.560 --> 2:47:13.370
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Crazy, but it's true.
2:47:13.600 --> 2:47:16.210
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Somebody, somewhere out there, you know?
2:47:16.220 --> 2:47:28.790
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
And this could be part of the curriculum, as sending students out and say, look, I want you to find me 3 sites that show you how to change a spark plug or or change a a faucet or repair a faucet.
2:47:28.920 --> 2:47:33.130
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
How do you take the faucet apart and put a new o-ring in it, and how do you put?
2:47:33.140 --> 2:47:36.30
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Putty around it and what type of tool do you use?
2:47:36.240 --> 2:47:46.40
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I mean, these are the possibilities for curriculum development are endless, and and there's an untapped resource in the retirees in this state.
2:47:46.90 --> 2:47:56.560
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I mean, you could have an endless parade of people, whether the teachers know what they're talking about or not, all they have to do is just get other people who do know and get them to come into class and help teach.
2:47:59.140 --> 2:48:0.280
Burks, Robert R
Jackie has something to say.
2:48:2.480 --> 2:48:3.250
Jackie Elliott
Thank you.
2:48:3.320 --> 2:48:20.280
Jackie Elliott
I'm enjoying this conversation and I hope that it's not getting lost, but the theme of the the recent conversation is Speaking of community building.
2:48:21.640 --> 2:48:26.190
Jackie Elliott
All these different aspects of how do we get to where we wanna go?
2:48:26.510 --> 2:48:49.230
Jackie Elliott
We're talking about building community building relationships, which just points up the fact of what we're trying to get to here has to be rested from the grip of the impersonal 4 profit at any cost.
2:48:50.850 --> 2:48:55.60
Jackie Elliott
Structure that we are currently held captive to.
2:48:56.880 --> 2:49:1.330
Jackie Elliott
The importance of getting things back to our local level?
2:49:2.440 --> 2:49:2.940
Jackie Elliott
Umm.
2:49:3.890 --> 2:49:7.620
Jackie Elliott
We're gonna find out about our neighbors, and we're gonna find out.
2:49:7.640 --> 2:49:22.970
Jackie Elliott
We like one another and we can help one another and it just it begins to go against the horrible paradigm that is literally killing us and killing our world.
2:49:24.90 --> 2:49:35.990
Jackie Elliott
And I just hope some young people can get involved in this cause some of us are kind of old and we might not have a whole lot of time left to get stuff done.
2:49:36.0 --> 2:49:44.260
Jackie Elliott
But what's being discussed here is very important and I hope we don't Blues the overall concept.
2:49:46.150 --> 2:49:49.940
Burks, Robert R
I think we're hearing keeping things local is a huge theme.
2:49:49.950 --> 2:49:53.140
Burks, Robert R
I mean, this is only our second meeting, but that's come up a lot.
2:49:53.150 --> 2:49:57.470
Burks, Robert R
Is the local local control, which is.
2:49:57.480 --> 2:50:0.330
Burks, Robert R
You know, that's very, very just weirded in Maine.
2:50:0.340 --> 2:50:6.870
Burks, Robert R
That's that's how we've always and it's where the statutes place statutes, responsibility for waste management. Yeah.
2:50:6.930 --> 2:50:7.540
Burks, Robert R
Tell the truth.
2:50:7.550 --> 2:50:8.30
Burks, Robert R
That's weird.
2:50:8.40 --> 2:50:8.620
Burks, Robert R
That's where it is.
2:50:8.630 --> 2:50:16.640
Burks, Robert R
It's with the municipalities and we've seen local organizations do an amazing job for the chance at doing right.
2:50:16.650 --> 2:50:20.620
Burks, Robert R
A lot of the work talking, yeah, so.
2:50:20.530 --> 2:50:23.900
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
People will get involved if they know they're gonna be.
2:50:23.950 --> 2:50:29.410
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
If it's gonna be recognized, you know, and if they if you give them an outlet or something.
2:50:36.970 --> 2:50:37.130
Burks, Robert R
And.
2:50:29.830 --> 2:50:39.140
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I don't think there's anyone that wouldn't wanna have to to be able to fix their computer rather than having to throw it away, you know?
2:50:39.150 --> 2:50:47.860
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So there and again, boycott is one of the best, most effective ways of change in manufacturing.
2:50:48.90 --> 2:50:52.70
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
If people stop buying your product, you're going to change.
2:50:52.80 --> 2:50:59.790
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
That's how the whole me too movement got started was that sponsors would drop advertising with shows that had questionable people on.
2:50:59.800 --> 2:51:1.130
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
It happened so fast.
2:51:1.220 --> 2:51:5.210
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
It was a viral thing and so that's what we need to do.
2:51:5.220 --> 2:51:8.250
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
We need to make this a viral thing in Maine.
2:51:8.320 --> 2:51:14.850
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
To start with, the outlying areas and work their way into the centers and at some point some tipping point.
2:51:14.900 --> 2:51:23.890
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
There will be a a, an existential change where it will be where someone watches you throw something away and they'll say why are you throwing that away?
2:51:23.900 --> 2:51:30.450
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
You know, people will speak out and we will have peer review, you know, on on behavior.
2:51:30.580 --> 2:51:35.150
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
And you know, it won't be perfect, but progress is what we're seeking, not perfection.
2:51:35.620 --> 2:51:36.0
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Thank you.
2:51:36.950 --> 2:51:37.290
Burks, Robert R
Right.
2:51:40.640 --> 2:51:44.150
Burks, Robert R
Progress is definitely our goal at this point.
2:51:44.460 --> 2:51:48.650
Burks, Robert R
It can't say there's officially, but I agree with you good.
2:51:50.390 --> 2:52:4.60
Burks, Robert R
So we wanted to change gears a little bit and we pulled up this section of the talking points to talk about if you had extra funding for waste and recycling and your communities, what would you, what would you use it for?
2:52:4.70 --> 2:52:8.520
Burks, Robert R
What would it look like and what are some limitations that you can see beyond the financial?
2:52:8.730 --> 2:52:17.670
Burks, Robert R
And we've talked a lot about culture and people buying in, but we just like to hear some some thoughts on what the ideal situation would be.
2:52:21.700 --> 2:52:22.150
Burks, Robert R
We're down.
2:52:22.160 --> 2:52:22.800
Burks, Robert R
We're down.
2:52:22.810 --> 2:52:27.240
Burks, Robert R
There's not a lot of us left on the meeting, so feel free to do if you've got something to say.
2:52:27.370 --> 2:52:34.810
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Well, if you're gonna have local control, then the proceeds from recycling should go to the locals.
2:52:36.10 --> 2:52:46.20
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So you know, I'm all for recycling, but if it's a one way street where the money goes in somebody else's pocket, who pays for the transportation and the shipping and all that stuff?
2:52:46.90 --> 2:52:47.700
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
And nothing is reciprocal.
2:52:48.210 --> 2:52:51.60
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Then people will start to lose interest.
2:52:51.330 --> 2:53:1.190
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
They have to know that it's effective, like the bottles that you know in the 70s when we had the returnables, that was a new, innovative and everyone hated it.
2:53:1.320 --> 2:53:4.610
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Everyone hated it even recently with LePage administration.
2:53:4.800 --> 2:53:9.410
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
They were against those little tiny bottles, you know, putting putting a deposit on them.
2:53:9.420 --> 2:53:10.290
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I don't know what they're called.
2:53:10.310 --> 2:53:12.830
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
They're called something, but what?
2:53:11.390 --> 2:53:15.450
Burks, Robert R
That's do you have their nips and they do have a deposit now.
2:53:15.10 --> 2:53:15.630
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
OK.
2:53:15.670 --> 2:53:16.620
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Ohh yeah, yeah, that's right.
2:53:16.630 --> 2:53:17.720
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
You're you're in Augusta.
2:53:17.730 --> 2:53:22.530
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
You probably smuggle those in during your for your lunch break or something, just so you can bear your job.
2:53:22.620 --> 2:53:23.230
Burks, Robert R
Now, now.
2:53:23.240 --> 2:53:24.660
Burks, Robert R
Now we do not do something.
2:53:25.100 --> 2:53:25.960
Burks, Robert R
It's definitely not.
2:53:26.430 --> 2:53:28.540
Burks, Robert R
We're working remotely these days, yeah.
2:53:26.60 --> 2:53:33.910
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
But I change is always met with resistance, but now we wear seat belts.
2:53:34.340 --> 2:53:42.250
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
You know, most people don't smoke anymore and we understand the dangers of our behavior. Now.
2:53:42.260 --> 2:53:48.580
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Of course, there are still those who just go Pell Mell into destruction, which there's not much you can do about that.
2:53:48.660 --> 2:53:57.500
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
But we can make a sea change, you know, in the way things Maine is often lifted up as an example to other states.
2:53:57.510 --> 2:54:0.380
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
And there's a reason why our motto is dirago.
2:54:0.440 --> 2:54:5.380
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
You know I league because we're ranked choice voting and bottle.
2:54:13.480 --> 2:54:14.30
Burks, Robert R
Good evening.
2:54:5.490 --> 2:54:17.740
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I don't even know how many states even participate in the bottle the returnables anymore, but I know Hawaii does and and so you know, it's not enough to just stamp a recycling emblem on something.
2:54:17.930 --> 2:54:23.740
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
And then you throw it in a in a bin wish cycling that it's gonna be taken care of by somebody else.
2:54:23.910 --> 2:54:25.90
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
It has to be personal.
2:54:25.530 --> 2:54:28.120
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
It has to be a public service.
2:54:28.130 --> 2:54:36.860
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Announcements have to be made to show people the effects of their of their consumerism, you know, and they're disposable lifestyle.
2:54:37.10 --> 2:54:43.330
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So getting information out there first, you know to the people that just impulse buy and then just throw away.
2:54:44.890 --> 2:54:48.720
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Making them pay for that and then take those proceeds like does any.
2:54:48.730 --> 2:54:49.800
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Can anyone tell me?
2:54:49.850 --> 2:54:52.20
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
And this is another discussion Gary and I had.
2:54:52.430 --> 2:54:57.500
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Where does that nickel they charge for the bags at the stores now, where does that go? Thank.
2:54:57.390 --> 2:54:59.480
Burks, Robert R
It stays with the retailer.
2:55:1.850 --> 2:55:2.110
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
OK.
2:55:6.920 --> 2:55:7.150
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
How?
2:54:59.490 --> 2:55:19.840
Burks, Robert R
It's a fee, not a tax, so part of that, and I can well, I can't explain why, but one potential benefit of that is that for retailers, the bags that they have to buy to be compliant with the law, if they wanna have bags on hand tend to be more expensive than those flimsy little plastic bags.
2:55:20.50 --> 2:55:30.490
Burks, Robert R
So being able to keep the revenues from the these more expensive bags, they're charging $0.05, but it helps offset the higher cost I that's not the official reason.
2:55:30.500 --> 2:55:32.420
Burks, Robert R
I'm just saying I think that's one potential benefit.
2:55:32.430 --> 2:55:34.710
Burks, Robert R
It came up during the like, yeah, yeah.
2:55:35.150 --> 2:55:39.870
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
But it seems in counterintuitive to me.
2:55:39.960 --> 2:55:45.220
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Or counterproductive to ban single use and see that's the thing.
2:55:47.960 --> 2:55:48.220
Burks, Robert R
Like.
2:55:45.230 --> 2:55:52.780
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
They were branded single use, OK like I before I reuse them, I use them to like I just bought a watermelon.
2:55:52.850 --> 2:55:55.740
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Do you know you can't wrap a watermelon in the zip lock?
2:55:55.810 --> 2:55:59.940
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
You know you have to take a grocery bag and tie it over the over the melon.
2:56:0.930 --> 2:56:2.420
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
You can use these things.
2:56:2.530 --> 2:56:7.400
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
You have to rebrand them, you know, show people what they can be used for.
2:56:7.610 --> 2:56:13.580
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Rural people know this, you know, because we live a a good distance from any store. You know?
2:56:13.670 --> 2:56:17.700
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So really we try to make use of everything that we bring home.
2:56:18.180 --> 2:56:34.860
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
And I think if you have some public service announcement and and an information to the public on how they could reuse things rather than just throwing them away because they're called disposable or single use, no.
2:56:35.250 --> 2:56:36.570
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So and just a thought.
2:56:37.540 --> 2:56:38.110
Burks, Robert R
Thank you.
2:56:38.120 --> 2:56:39.340
Burks, Robert R
I think, Jackie, all the comment.
2:56:40.250 --> 2:56:55.60
Jackie Elliott
Well, just kind of picking up on what cat introduced the idea of Maine being a leader and we are we we have some things to be proud of on the waste management realm.
2:56:56.10 --> 2:57:0.520
Jackie Elliott
Our bottle Bill is one of the few in the nation and one of the most successful.
2:57:1.510 --> 2:57:9.660
Jackie Elliott
Uh, we're doing some really good work on extended producer responsibility and and this gets to be a carrot and stick.
2:57:9.670 --> 2:57:11.640
Jackie Elliott
That's pretty, umm.
2:57:11.970 --> 2:57:38.130
Jackie Elliott
Effective because we have to OK part of the problem here and I haven't heard it stated as such, the cost around waste and resource management are externalized to the effect that it is the consumer and the taxpayer who's paying picking up the tab on the back end of the system.
2:57:39.150 --> 2:57:42.840
Jackie Elliott
We've got to get the cost built into the front end of the system.
2:57:44.100 --> 2:57:46.590
Jackie Elliott
Uh and reflected and handled.
2:57:47.780 --> 2:57:54.790
Jackie Elliott
Response ability wise by the ones who are producing the things that need handling on the back end.
2:57:55.820 --> 2:58:3.750
Jackie Elliott
So you know any system rearrangement that we can figure out to help us get there is going to be useful.
2:58:4.760 --> 2:58:5.390
Jackie Elliott
Umm.
2:58:6.20 --> 2:58:10.980
Jackie Elliott
And I just think I can't help but think of the fact that, OK, so Maine is a leader.
2:58:12.460 --> 2:58:22.870
Jackie Elliott
We've been a leader in good things and very sadly, we've had to become a leader and a very a about a very bad thing.
2:58:22.980 --> 2:58:28.230
Jackie Elliott
And that's the P fast contamination nightmare that we are dealing with.
2:58:29.440 --> 2:58:33.100
Jackie Elliott
And you know, you gotta give maintenance credit.
2:58:33.280 --> 2:58:45.890
Jackie Elliott
Our farmers stood up and went public about what was happening and we were the first in the nation to do that on, and we're not the only farmers that are facing this.
2:58:45.900 --> 2:59:7.310
Jackie Elliott
So how if we can just figure out how to lead on the front end of things rather than being pressed into the need to be the leader on the back end of things dealing with all the unfavorable outcomes of our poor choices are the front end.
2:59:8.270 --> 2:59:8.710
Jackie Elliott
Umm.
2:59:10.30 --> 2:59:12.680
Jackie Elliott
I want my money to go there.
2:59:13.50 --> 2:59:13.760
Jackie Elliott
OK.
2:59:13.810 --> 2:59:17.330
Jackie Elliott
How do I want my taxes spent on the front end?
2:59:18.700 --> 2:59:19.180
Jackie Elliott
Umm.
2:59:19.460 --> 2:59:29.590
Jackie Elliott
And I'm glad that Maine is involved in the efforts of trying to recoup some of the costs around P fast from the ones that got us into this mess in the 1st place.
2:59:30.560 --> 2:59:36.120
Jackie Elliott
Umm, but that's a arduous process with no guaranteed outcomes.
2:59:36.550 --> 2:59:46.220
Jackie Elliott
And the thing we're learning is there might not really be any truly effective way to remediate this damage that has come.
2:59:46.770 --> 2:59:52.360
Jackie Elliott
So maybe we ought to put some real, serious effort into thinking on the front end.
2:59:52.370 --> 2:59:56.940
Jackie Elliott
How we can avoid getting to where we are at this point?
2:59:58.760 --> 2:59:59.480
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, yeah.
2:59:59.490 --> 3:0:0.190
Burks, Robert R
The front end?
3:0:0.320 --> 3:0:18.710
Burks, Robert R
Well, I think one of the examples, Jackie is a pharmaceutical program where the drug manufacturers are 100% responsible for this program on the front end, not the taxpayers, not the people that are using the system, but the drug manufacturers on the front end.
3:0:18.770 --> 3:0:19.10
Burks, Robert R
So.
3:0:19.860 --> 3:0:21.780
Burks, Robert R
So that's a good, good model I think.
3:0:22.690 --> 3:0:22.930
Jackie Elliott
Yep.
3:0:22.960 --> 3:0:35.280
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, I think they are generally is easier for me to to pursue than like a band say, because we just don't have the market power for the.
3:0:38.510 --> 3:0:42.20
Burks, Robert R
PR EP has been a good, good tool for us.
3:0:42.290 --> 3:0:43.950
Burks, Robert R
Are there any eat?
3:0:43.960 --> 3:0:47.580
Burks, Robert R
There's another one of our talking sections here.
3:0:49.330 --> 3:0:51.320
Burks, Robert R
Wait a second, yeah.
3:0:54.970 --> 3:0:57.200
Burks, Robert R
You're stealing my hand is still up.
3:0:58.540 --> 3:0:59.380
Burks, Robert R
I don't put it down.
3:1:3.470 --> 3:1:3.770
Burks, Robert R
OK.
3:1:9.50 --> 3:1:9.950
Burks, Robert R
You're still in my mouth.
3:1:10.120 --> 3:1:14.120
Burks, Robert R
Few more with that jacking cat here. It's lasted.
3:1:14.230 --> 3:1:15.500
Burks, Robert R
We're gonna get the metal.
3:1:15.750 --> 3:1:16.160
Burks, Robert R
I know.
3:1:18.750 --> 3:1:20.180
Jackie Elliott
I'm going to have to leave soon.
3:1:18.710 --> 3:1:20.290
Burks, Robert R
So we I think we had left.
3:1:21.340 --> 3:1:24.140
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Yeah, I'll leave it.
3:1:24.560 --> 3:1:25.800
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Leave it. Jackie leaves.
3:1:21.440 --> 3:1:26.580
Burks, Robert R
Ohh well, maybe you can check out children starve and sign up.
3:1:26.710 --> 3:1:27.210
Burks, Robert R
Yeah. What?
3:1:25.810 --> 3:1:27.230
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
That will make you stay.
3:1:29.540 --> 3:1:35.370
Burks, Robert R
Why don't we like Elena just said we could talk about ER for a bit and then you guys didn't know.
3:1:35.380 --> 3:1:41.580
Burks, Robert R
You call it a day because it's the meeting is really swindled down to to DP staff and YouTube so.
3:1:44.120 --> 3:1:44.290
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
What?
3:1:44.0 --> 3:1:44.350
Jackie Elliott
I'm.
3:1:44.400 --> 3:1:52.220
Jackie Elliott
I'm just gonna jump in here and we really need to get serious about how.
3:1:55.770 --> 3:1:55.950
Burks, Robert R
Yeah.
3:1:52.420 --> 3:2:8.160
Jackie Elliott
How we're handling batteries, I mean, we've had all over the country and likely even here there are fires and murphs landfills, OK.
3:2:8.330 --> 3:2:16.540
Jackie Elliott
These lithium batteries are nightmare and I I singled them out of my waist dream.
3:2:17.760 --> 3:2:22.220
Jackie Elliott
I show up at my transfer station and I say what can I do with these?
3:2:23.30 --> 3:2:24.20
Jackie Elliott
The guy says Ohh.
3:2:24.30 --> 3:2:28.330
Jackie Elliott
I'll take care of them and I drive away.
3:2:29.760 --> 3:2:33.700
Jackie Elliott
Where the horrible thought in my mind, I bet they're just going to end up in the trash.
3:2:36.540 --> 3:2:37.240
Burks, Robert R
Well, hopefully.
3:2:36.40 --> 3:2:40.950
Jackie Elliott
We really need to figure out a way to get these out of the waste stream.
3:2:41.80 --> 3:2:49.450
Jackie Elliott
It's got to be convenient, and there's gonna be a huge education piece about it because these things are dangerous.
3:2:51.740 --> 3:2:54.590
Burks, Robert R
Do you think that's the best tax for education is?
3:2:55.140 --> 3:3:1.10
Burks, Robert R
So we do have we have, we have a battery program that accepts the rechargeable lithium ions.
3:3:1.300 --> 3:3:13.900
Burks, Robert R
It doesn't help you with the non rechargeable ones, although there is an option for that for municipalities to participate in at a low cost and it doesn't help you with the ones that are stuck in in products.
3:3:16.150 --> 3:3:21.690
Burks, Robert R
But but we also have this, I would say the call to recycle is one of the better.
3:3:21.800 --> 3:3:34.520
Burks, Robert R
So a lot of these programs are managed by they're called producer responsibility organizations and the one that manages the batteries is actually better than than many of the others in terms of being willing to do education and stuff.
3:3:34.530 --> 3:3:44.410
Burks, Robert R
And so if we had, I have a feeling that if we could go to them with a few messaging ideas, this is a message and this is how we think it's sent out that that might be something they could pursue.
3:3:44.500 --> 3:3:51.890
Burks, Robert R
So if we got some thoughts on what the best way to do that would be, I think I think that's like a step that we could take.
3:3:51.940 --> 3:3:52.270
Burks, Robert R
Yeah.
3:3:52.340 --> 3:3:53.110
Burks, Robert R
And to use your.
3:3:53.660 --> 3:3:54.530
Burks, Robert R
Sorry, go ahead.
3:3:54.540 --> 3:3:57.130
Burks, Robert R
No, I don't have anything to say to to ease your mind on the safety front.
3:3:57.140 --> 3:4:6.730
Burks, Robert R
If your facility where you dropped your batteries, participates and that call to recycle program, they're required to do safety training specifically for the fire risks and proper management the batteries.
3:4:6.830 --> 3:4:7.330
Burks, Robert R
So it's.
3:4:7.380 --> 3:4:9.290
Burks, Robert R
I wouldn't be too disheartened.
3:4:9.340 --> 3:4:20.630
Burks, Robert R
It's quite possible that they did properly manage the batteries that they're doing call to recycle because they're all required to go through the training and they're very specific steps they have to take to package and send them for a cycling.
3:4:20.910 --> 3:4:25.510
Burks, Robert R
And I think the industry is aware of the problems, absolutely if anybody's aware it's the waste industry.
3:4:26.250 --> 3:4:26.580
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
OK.
3:4:26.590 --> 3:4:28.460
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Yeah, because it cost them money.
3:4:28.590 --> 3:4:42.400
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
How about this with every cell phone and computer that it runs on a battery, you know, laptops and such a tablets and whatnot, you get an envelope when you buy it.
3:4:42.570 --> 3:5:7.140
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
That has a postage free mailing to a a center that allows you to that allows you to dispose of your batteries and they will go to the plant and take that step out of the end user having to take the battery, transport it, find a facility and then the facility bags it up and ships it.
3:5:7.230 --> 3:5:15.890
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Why don't we just cut right to making the manufacturers mail in a return envelope bubble wrap made out of recycled materials, of course.
3:5:16.340 --> 3:5:20.550
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
And that would go directly to the source rather than this whole.
3:5:19.910 --> 3:5:29.400
Burks, Robert R
Well, the problem is the shipping thing I just mentioned is one reason why you might not want to do that, because then the people who are managing the batteries were shipping them undergoes specific safety training.
3:5:29.880 --> 3:5:30.80
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Why?
3:5:29.410 --> 3:5:30.720
Burks, Robert R
So they're doing it the right way.
3:5:30.790 --> 3:5:39.440
Burks, Robert R
If everybody was shipping lithium ion batteries, that could be potentially not a great situation in terms of keeping fires under control or preventing them.
3:5:39.490 --> 3:5:41.980
Burks, Robert R
And their restrictions on how to ship lithium.
3:5:41.990 --> 3:5:42.760
Burks, Robert R
Yeah.
3:5:42.650 --> 3:5:42.810
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Yeah.
3:5:42.810 --> 3:5:54.500
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, there's really strict requirements for the transportation and have them, but that collection mechanism is a collection mechanism that they're using in the in, in the pharmaceutical program for instance, it.
3:5:55.470 --> 3:5:55.970
Burks, Robert R
It's.
3:5:56.390 --> 3:5:57.280
Burks, Robert R
Yes, that's that.
3:5:57.290 --> 3:6:6.380
Burks, Robert R
Your agreed that that's a nice mechanism for collection for for where appropriate pharmaceuticals is gonna take advantage of that.
3:6:6.390 --> 3:6:7.410
Burks, Robert R
We hope absolute.
3:6:7.950 --> 3:6:16.270
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Then maybe kiosks that would allow people to have, you know, get the envelope and drop it off there, there has to be a way of tracking these things.
3:6:16.280 --> 3:6:22.550
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I I approached the don't waste people the other day about I'm an idea I had.
3:6:23.50 --> 3:6:25.730
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
For what was it, Jackie?
3:6:26.40 --> 3:6:29.690
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Was something about Ohh RFID tags right now?
3:6:30.240 --> 3:6:31.130
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Yeah right.
3:6:29.260 --> 3:6:32.300
Jackie Elliott
Yeah, tracking waste generated in Maine.
3:6:32.610 --> 3:6:34.80
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Tracking waste.
3:6:34.160 --> 3:6:37.500
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Uh manufacturers use this right now with tracking shipments.
3:6:41.30 --> 3:6:41.490
Burks, Robert R
I don't want to.
3:6:37.510 --> 3:6:54.460
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
That's how when you go to UPS to find out where your package is, they know where it is because it it was tracked using a cloud storage for a tiny little postage side stamp tracking device that allows them to know exactly where and when it was delivered.
3:6:54.690 --> 3:7:6.290
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
And so this is something that I think could be incorporated into batteries or any other disposable items that we can't repair to find out where they eventually go.
3:7:6.840 --> 3:7:8.790
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
You know, it's a benign thing.
3:7:8.860 --> 3:7:10.700
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
It doesn't really cost a lot.
3:7:10.760 --> 3:7:12.90
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
They're pretty cheap.
3:7:12.840 --> 3:7:28.330
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Pretty small, and if you stick one or in integrate 1 into a laptop or a cell phone then it would be very easy to track the life of that of that device and now and find out where it eventually ends up.
3:7:29.530 --> 3:7:29.930
Burks, Robert R
Yet.
3:7:28.940 --> 3:7:41.710
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I mean, you know, the pretty much doing it now with GPS, with cell phones and things, you know you can and cars you can kind of tell now if anything has GPS on it where it is at any one time.
3:7:46.810 --> 3:7:49.90
Burks, Robert R
You don't have it made and.
3:7:41.720 --> 3:7:54.40
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So there are probably security issues with that, but to find out where something ultimately gets disposed of, you know it would be a feasible method you know of, of tracking that stuff.
3:7:54.50 --> 3:7:55.50
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So just though.
3:7:55.910 --> 3:7:57.270
Burks, Robert R
I think Rob has a comment on that.
3:7:58.180 --> 3:7:59.100
Burks, Robert R
You know, one.
3:7:59.200 --> 3:8:3.730
Burks, Robert R
I can't believe I'm saying this, but Florida actually has an example of.
3:8:6.170 --> 3:8:7.580
Burks, Robert R
Vaping is a big deal.
3:8:7.590 --> 3:8:28.480
Burks, Robert R
I don't know how prevalent is in Maine, but a lot of the big shops use lithium ion batteries to power the baby pens and they're so dangerous that they had explosions and fires forces state of Florida required everyone who sold the vaping pen or sold the products that are used in vaping pens.
3:8:29.450 --> 3:8:34.590
Burks, Robert R
They required to take them back and the requirements were that they taped over the.
3:8:35.660 --> 3:8:37.550
Burks, Robert R
Contacts for the batteries.
3:8:37.760 --> 3:8:41.220
Burks, Robert R
They're tiny, but they're still that the AMI on and they cost a lot of fires.
3:8:42.230 --> 3:8:53.750
Burks, Robert R
The requirements were specific in how they packaged them or taped them over for safe transport and then a professional stewardship organization.
3:8:53.760 --> 3:8:59.330
Burks, Robert R
We come by and pick them up and take them to the proper disposal, but they had so many problems with them.
3:8:59.880 --> 3:9:0.810
Burks, Robert R
Again, that's Florida.
3:9:0.820 --> 3:9:7.370
Burks, Robert R
I don't know what main situation is that they actually created a rule on how to dispose and they're lithium ion.
3:9:7.380 --> 3:9:8.450
Burks, Robert R
They're just very tiny.
3:9:8.970 --> 3:9:14.180
Burks, Robert R
They still created problems, so they created that to safely dispose of them.
3:9:15.240 --> 3:9:17.10
Burks, Robert R
Can we do the full time cycle?
3:9:19.100 --> 3:9:34.670
Burks, Robert R
Would not work since I still have the state, but one issue is that very few municipalities that I've noticed that I'm aware of participate in the auction where you can take the primary batteries back and just charge a small fee.
3:9:35.600 --> 3:9:38.110
Burks, Robert R
So they're they're the infrastructure is here.
3:9:38.120 --> 3:9:41.210
Burks, Robert R
I mean, we've got lots of places that are taking batteries back.
3:9:42.80 --> 3:9:53.390
Burks, Robert R
It would be great if more municipal transfer stations participate in the program and if they opted into the program where they can take those single use lithium batteries or it really any primary battery for a small fee.
3:9:53.820 --> 3:9:55.860
Burks, Robert R
So we're trying to get the word out about that, that program too.
3:9:56.520 --> 3:10:6.440
Burks, Robert R
Umm, but also just I think there is, I think education as far as the lithium ion batteries go is a big thing because we have the E waste program, we have the battery collection program.
3:10:6.450 --> 3:10:15.800
Burks, Robert R
So the the sites are there, it's just a matter of getting them, getting people to know what their options are and bring them to the correct place for recycling.
3:10:15.920 --> 3:10:21.280
Burks, Robert R
But there is the issue of in products right that that in products is in products that's the vaping pens.
3:10:21.340 --> 3:10:23.450
Burks, Robert R
That's a lot of other production cards.
3:10:23.460 --> 3:10:25.730
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, people perceive them differently.
3:10:25.740 --> 3:10:28.610
Burks, Robert R
It's like, let's just well, I mean, we don't have a tape back take back.
3:10:28.620 --> 3:10:33.490
Burks, Robert R
No option for those doesn't run crash and that's it.
3:10:33.460 --> 3:10:33.700
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
How?
3:10:33.500 --> 3:10:34.190
Burks, Robert R
Can't be recycled.
3:10:34.200 --> 3:10:36.180
Burks, Robert R
They're trash, and then they get to run through.
3:10:35.210 --> 3:10:45.850
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
How about this cycle are requiring the the stores that sell these things umm have a depository just like you have one for sharps at the hospital?
3:10:45.860 --> 3:10:49.870
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
You know, nobody throws away, you know, medical waste is a big problem too.
3:10:49.880 --> 3:11:0.200
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
But if if he smoke, shop or store that sells these products is mandates that right by where someone buys those things, there's a little metal.
3:11:1.400 --> 3:11:2.830
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Depository.
3:11:3.160 --> 3:11:17.860
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
You know that could be picked up by another service and that the store is required to pay for that service if they're gonna sell a toxic product, they should definitely pay the price.
3:11:17.870 --> 3:11:20.840
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Like the cigarette, the tobacco companies had to pay.
3:11:21.90 --> 3:11:30.390
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
You know, you know, to help fund, you know, health issues that were caused by their product, this is a health issue as well.
3:11:30.800 --> 3:11:34.720
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
And of course, landfills don't want to take them because they cause fires.
3:11:34.990 --> 3:11:51.850
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
And I'm I would imagine that that was probably a lithium battery caused the fire at Juniper Ridge that we had recently, but there were explosions along with the fire that one of the news crews said they sounded like propane tags flowing out.
3:11:51.910 --> 3:12:8.230
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So I'm not quite sure what happened or the I don't know if you guys know anything you work for the the investigative agency, so the DEP even said that they probably never know the cause of that fire, but I guess it doesn't really matter what caused it.
3:12:8.870 --> 3:12:22.0
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
It came within 60 feet of the lining and if Casella admitted to 60 feet, then my guess is that it came closer and that would be a catastrophic uh effect on the entire area.
3:12:22.130 --> 3:12:48.930
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I Bangor is in danger of becoming a sacrifice though, and now because we have now, uh, five major waste management services that are either sketchy or defunct or using untried processes to to process the waste that they take in and their bottom line is they're for profit.
3:12:49.60 --> 3:12:55.130
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
And so as long as we have for profit waste in this state, we're never going to get ahead of it.
3:12:55.220 --> 3:13:2.390
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Cause no matter what we do as responsible people, they're going to fill the revenue gap with more imported waste.
3:13:2.620 --> 3:13:13.360
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
That is the number one thing intervention we have to stop the in influx of of this highly profitable practice.
3:13:14.420 --> 3:13:14.800
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Thank you.
3:13:15.350 --> 3:13:16.30
Burks, Robert R
Thank you, Kat.
3:13:16.150 --> 3:13:16.760
Burks, Robert R
Thank you.
3:13:17.370 --> 3:13:19.690
Burks, Robert R
I think we're gonna wrap up at 5:00.
3:13:20.760 --> 3:13:22.370
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, it seems like a good time to wrap up.
3:13:22.380 --> 3:13:22.620
Beneski, Brian
Umm.
3:13:23.300 --> 3:13:25.950
Burks, Robert R
Brian, do you want to add some closing remarks?
3:13:25.720 --> 3:13:32.810
Beneski, Brian
Yeah, I just was gonna say I think it seems like, yeah, we're telling reaching that point of time to wrap it up.
3:13:34.130 --> 3:13:34.260
Burks, Robert R
Yeah.
3:13:33.670 --> 3:13:35.90
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Time to drive back home.
3:13:36.40 --> 3:13:37.360
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, we gotta drive.
3:13:37.830 --> 3:13:38.30
Beneski, Brian
Yeah.
3:13:37.370 --> 3:13:39.950
Burks, Robert R
Good thing we drove by, you know, talk to other people in the tribe.
3:13:39.70 --> 3:13:40.420
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Save this now I'm.
3:13:40.450 --> 3:13:40.800
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Thank you.
3:13:41.220 --> 3:13:41.640
Burks, Robert R
This you.
3:13:41.650 --> 3:13:43.970
Burks, Robert R
You're here on there, so thank you for participating.
3:13:45.210 --> 3:13:46.170
Burks, Robert R
Umm, sorry.
3:13:55.500 --> 3:13:55.970
Burks, Robert R
That.
3:13:56.420 --> 3:13:57.370
Burks, Robert R
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
3:13:46.130 --> 3:14:3.140
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Can can I ask if someone could send me this this presentation because I tried typing it in but then you kept scrolling up and down and I think I with my attention deficit disorder, you know, I was kind of like torn between talking and reading and typing.
3:14:3.150 --> 3:14:4.530
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So I'm not a good one.
3:14:4.130 --> 3:14:6.100
Burks, Robert R
That's why I was strolling cat.
3:14:6.290 --> 3:14:6.730
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
What's that?
3:14:6.150 --> 3:14:8.920
Burks, Robert R
I have a deficit too.
3:14:9.40 --> 3:14:10.70
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Well, yeah, I haven't.
3:14:8.990 --> 3:14:10.660
Burks, Robert R
Cat, cat, cat.
3:14:10.770 --> 3:14:11.550
Burks, Robert R
This is rob.
3:14:10.360 --> 3:14:12.70
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I haven't got you now.
3:14:12.900 --> 3:14:15.120
Burks, Robert R
That this is this is Rob.
3:14:15.130 --> 3:14:17.900
Burks, Robert R
I'll mail it to you with the corrected typo.
3:14:18.170 --> 3:14:19.450
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Ohh, thank you very much.
3:14:19.720 --> 3:14:21.520
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Yeah, hurdle was great.
3:14:21.530 --> 3:14:22.760
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I looked at that and I went.
3:14:22.930 --> 3:14:24.420
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Is that mean hurting turtles?
3:14:26.990 --> 3:14:30.650
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
There are problem right now because they're laying eggs, they cross the road.
3:14:30.250 --> 3:14:30.710
Burks, Robert R
They are.
3:14:31.90 --> 3:14:32.140
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Yeah, they are.
3:14:32.210 --> 3:14:35.780
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
And they lay their eggs in the sides, in the sand on the side of the roads.
3:14:36.170 --> 3:14:36.540
Burks, Robert R
Sadly.
3:14:35.910 --> 3:14:40.780
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So when you turtle crossing the road sounds like a joke, but it isn't.
3:14:41.50 --> 3:14:45.480
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Take the turtle and put it on the side of the road in the direction it's heading.
3:14:48.180 --> 3:14:50.70
Burks, Robert R
Which is that the day before yesterday.
3:14:45.750 --> 3:14:52.20
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Don't try to put it back in the water because it'll just come back out of the road again, you know, and become roadkill.
3:14:52.70 --> 3:14:53.600
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
So happy thoughts.
3:14:53.470 --> 3:14:53.870
Burks, Robert R
Thank you.
3:14:54.30 --> 3:14:55.340
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Nice talking to everybody.
3:14:55.350 --> 3:14:57.180
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
I think there's a real productive that.
3:14:56.920 --> 3:14:57.440
Burks, Robert R
My uncle.
3:14:57.450 --> 3:14:57.980
Burks, Robert R
I'm when I felt.
3:14:57.440 --> 3:14:59.240
Jackie Elliott
Thank you for your time everyone.
3:14:59.820 --> 3:15:0.290
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Thank you.
3:15:0.160 --> 3:15:1.290
Burks, Robert R
Aye, thank you.
3:15:1.330 --> 3:15:1.710
Burks, Robert R
Bye.
3:15:1.380 --> 3:15:2.330
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Send you an order now.
3:15:1.740 --> 3:15:5.120
Nadeau, Jessica
Thank you, you and or.
3:15:3.570 --> 3:15:5.130
Burks, Robert R
Yes. Thanks.
3:15:6.900 --> 3:15:7.540
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Fair warning.
3:15:5.540 --> 3:15:8.530
Burks, Robert R
Bye, everyone. Yeah.
3:15:5.130 --> 3:15:11.440
Nadeau, Jessica
No, be sure to end the recording before you end the meeting, OK?
3:15:10.890 --> 3:15:11.520
Kat Taylor - Argyle Twp.
Space just.
3:15:11.250 --> 3:15:12.480
Burks, Robert R
That's correct.
3:15:12.590 --> 3:15:13.560
Burks, Robert R
You got it.
3:15:13.630 --> 3:15:14.560
Burks, Robert R
Thank you, Jessica.
3:15:17.340 --> 3:15:18.970
Nadeau, Jessica
OK, drive safe.
3:15:17.800 --> 3:15:20.750
Burks, Robert R
I've got the mouse have a good night.
3:15:19.580 --> 3:15:21.480
Nadeau, Jessica
OK, me too.