BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August 1, 2024
Maine is on the verge of a trash crisis, as overall waste sent to landfills increased by 34 percent from 2018 to 2022. Juniper Ridge, a state-owned landfill in Old Town, has a capacity of 10 million cubic yards and accepts trash from dozens of municipalities across the state, as well as 25,000 tons of waste from out-of-state. At the current rate Juniper Ridge is accepting trash, it will run out of room in 2028. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection will decide by Aug. 23 if a proposed 11.9-million-cubic-yard expansion at Juniper Ridge will have a substantial public benefit. It is the first time environmental justice must be considered.