The recent letters to the editor discussing the toxic legacy of waste incinerators have been shockingly emotional, ignoring the facts. Of course, plastic bag and styrofoam bans have their validity for green policies, but they make very little difference with regard to plastic waste that ends up in our environment.
For now, incineration is still largely employed for plastic wastes (such as from medical facilities) that cannot be deposited in an open landfill. With the advancement of clean incinerators, many countries in Europe, especially Scandinavia, saved significant amounts of energy that otherwise would have been produced from new fossil fuel resources.
Landfills are only economical in areas with low population densities, and only incineration will guarantee that micro-plastics will not (eventually) affect the environment. Incineration when combined with recycling is a green technology that powers large population centers in Europe and Asia.
While toxics are present in the fumes of waste incineration, they can be filtered out and deposited with about the same risk a landfill is posing long-term for nearby populations.
Michael Lindenmaier
Eugene
A Note From the Publisher
Dear Readers,
The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.
That’s because of you!
Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.
Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.
We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.
And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.
None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.
As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.
Thank you for standing with us!
Publisher
Eugene Weekly
P.S. If you’d like to talk about supporting EW, I’d love to hear from you!
jody@eugeneweekly.com
(541) 484-0519
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