Editor:

According to the PA Dept. of Environmental Protection, the state of Pennsylvania is ranked the number one state that accepts the most garbage and waste from other states.

This is not good for our environment or our bank accounts. Waste from other states fills up our landfills leading to higher disposal costs for municipalities and residents.

As for the environment, abandoned coal mines are often seen as an easy way to dispose of industrial waste. The waste is dumped into defunct coal mines and then called, “mine reclamation.” Putting unknown toxins into an unlined coal mine invites pollution of our aquifers.

There are examples from our own Carbon County. The toxic soil that was imported from New York and dumped on the West Plant site in Palmerton is one example. The tire shreds that are proposed for burning in Nesquehoning are another. Those tire shreds will include tires imported from other states (per company spokesperson, shreds would be “trucked in from as far away as New York state,” 6/30/14 article in Times News).

Even some of the sewage sludge spread on local farm fields comes from Delaware.

Why are we solving the waste disposal problems of other states? We have enough problems of our own without importing them.

Linda Christman, President

Save Carbon County

Lehighton