Chaleski Meets With Danbury Waste & Recycling Execs

**News Release Submitted by Connecticut House Republicans**

Jan. 9, 2024

Ahead of the start to the 2024 General Assembly session in February, State Representative Rachel Chaleski (R-138) sat down with officials from Oak Ridge Waste & Recycling to talk about issues that could be raised by the legislature and to learn more about their operations.

"There are many pieces of legislation that impact this industry. We had a constructive conversation about waste to energy operations, glass recycling, extended produce responsibility and other topics," said Chaleski.

Oak Ridge operates two facilities, one in Danbury and one in Shelton. Their service area covers municipalities in the Housatonic Resources Recovery Authority (HRRA) region and the Greater Bridgeport Recycling Interlocal (GBRI), as well as those in Putnam and Westchester counties. They also operate the Ridgefield and Newtown transfer stations. The company has made improvements to the White Street site in Danbury since purchasing the business from Winters Brothers.

CEO John Decker noted that just after the holidays is the busiest time of year in terms of volume for waste and recycling companies. During a tour of the sprawling site, he pointed out the various buildings and the services they provide. Oak Ridge takes in construction debris and scrap metal, recycling, household trash and solid waste. They also have on-site confidential paper shredding.

Chaleski and the Oak Ridge officials discussed a bill passed last session, Public Act 23-170, An Act Concerning the Management of Solid Waste and Establishing the MIRA Dissolution Authority. The Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority (MIRA) waste-to-energy plant closed in 2022.

"Connecticut needs a way forward to help the environment and the hauling industry to cut down on the tons of material exported out of state by truck to be landfilled," said Chaleski. "The waste-to-energy plant in Bridgeport is already strained and with the shutdown of MIRA, there aren't a lot of options left."

With weight restrictions on bridges along Connecticut and Pennsylvania roads, Decker noted that companies here need three to five trucks for every one that goes through New York or Massachusetts.

"I was pleased to hear that temporary overweight permits were issued during the COVID-19 emergency but hope at the state Department of Transportation now puts some of that COVID/ARPA funding into improving our bridges to handle more weight," said Chaleski. "That would cut down significantly on truck traffic and improve air quality."

"Our commitment to recycling and landfill diversion is a pathway for a better tomorrow. We think burning this material and producing energy should be considered first and landfilling it last. The state is currently at capacity, and we need quick and viable alternatives such as rail," said Decker.