Miami-Dade Invests in Composting While Approving $1.9 Billion Incinerator Project

Miami-Dade County has awarded $300,000 to three companies to pilot composting and waste-diversion technologies, aiming for a zero-waste system. However, the county also approved a $1.9 billion incinerator, which contradicts its waste-reduction goals.

Organic material constitutes 40% of the waste stream, and incinerators cannot efficiently operate without diverting organics. The county's waste bond ordinance restricts programs that compete with the incinerator's business model, risking composting, recycling, and other waste reduction initiatives.

The National Resource Defense Council highlights that incineration releases harmful pollutants affecting public health, particularly in low-income communities. A full zero-waste system is estimated to cost between $900 million and $1.4 billion, significantly less than the incinerator, while creating more jobs in local communities. The dual approach of funding composting while committing to incineration is unsustainable.