Reworld Marion, previously knows as Covanta Marion, announced that will be ceasing operations at their Oregon incinerator facility along with the last two mass burn facilities in California by December 31, 2024. This is a huge win for Oregon PSR! We have been working for over 10 years to expose the realities of potential health risks from air toxins, green washing of waste-to-energy incinerator campaigns (which U.S. Environmental Protection Agency data says produces more pollution and global warming emissions per unit of electricity produced than coal-fired power plants), and the environmental racism around incinerators locations (Energy Justice Network). All of our hard work will pay off on December 31st, when Reworld intends to close their mass burn facility in Marion County, Oregon.
Last year, Oregon increased the stringency of its emissions regulations through SB 488. The law lengthened the list of pollutants that facilities must continuously monitor beyond what federal law requires. It also limited the amount of regulated medical waste that a MSW incinerator could accept to 18,000 tons at most each year. While this is not the specified reason for their closure, Reworld has struggled to meet reporting requirements included in the law since it was passed (Waste Dive).
Oregon PSR is proud to have done the hard work to help dismantle Reworld's incinerator by lobbying to legislators, canvassing, creating multi-lingual one-pagers and other educational content since 2014. There is still misinformation and greenwashing being put out into the world around incineration.
While this is a huge accomplishment and improvement for Oregon residents, Reworld's contract worth up to $550 million to build the nation’s largest new waste-to-energy plant in Pasco County, Florida should not be overlooked. Additionally, the Reworld Marion facility was the only medical waste incinerator on the West Coast, and while burning cancerous dioxins won't be occurring in Oregon anymore, that waste will be shipped to Kansas City, Kansas, the next closest facility (Waste Dive).
Oregon Department of Environmental Quality officials said they have not received a closure plan from Reworld so far.
Resources
The Dangers of Incinerator Ash
Reworld to close Oregon facility, further limiting West Coast incinerator presence
Energy Justice Network: Trash Incineration ("Waste-to-Energy") Factsheet