Green Newton

MassDEP is currently in the process of shaping its PCAP (Priority Climate Action Plan) which will open up access to federal funding from the EPA for municipalities. We believe composting should be on the docket. With the state’s trash being shipped thousands of miles away, landfills reaching their cap and rising GHG emissions, waste management is a critical pillar of climate change that should be front and center. Your input can help influence the state’s approach.

If we get enough comments to include composting initiatives, MassDEP has agreed to include it in their plan. You can help by submitting comments on the short Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Survey and urging the Commonwealth of MA to include waste reduction strategies including food waste, compositing, reuse, and refill ( and other circular economy strategies) into its PCAP.

Take the MA Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Survey

There are only three questions. The following are some examples for filling out these fields, but we also encourage you to write your own comments:

Do you have input on how to expand, accelerate, or eliminate barriers to greenhouse gas emissions reduction through the measures in this plan?
Waste reduction strategies should be included in the Massachusetts plan because:

• organics make up to 40% of waste being sent to landfills and produce methane, a GHG stronger than CO2. Composting these organics effectively prevents the formation of methane contributing to a reduction in emissions
• compost enhances soil health and acts as a carbon sink, helping to sequester carbon and mitigate impacts of climate change
• having regional, decentralized composting sites throughout Mass minimizes transportation distances for organic waste and creates a circular economy benefit

Do you have input on how to better target benefits to low-income and disadvantaged communities and alleviate potential harms of climate actions?

• Providing funding and support for composting initiatives in low income and disadvantaged communities will help drive participation, educate and spread awareness

Do you require any modification to an existing measure to cover an eligible entity’s implementation grant application?

• No response is needed here or you can help by letting them know that opening up access to funding to all organizations, including for profit and non profit increases the competitiveness and therefore the quality of projects and applications being submitted.