Personal Impact*

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Waste Diversion

 

 

Solid waste management is a significant challenge in the state.

In 2021, (most recent data available) approximately 43 percent of the state’s solid waste was diverted** from disposal. Almost 1.8 million tons of the state’s solid waste were disposed of at one of the resource recovery facilities (RRF) in the state, while more than 350,000 tons were transported out of state for disposal. In addition, approximately 460,000 tons of designated recyclables and an estimated 70,000 tons recovered through the beverage container redemption program were sent to end markets and reuse facilities.⁶¹ With the closure of the Material Innovation and Recycling Authority’s RRF in Hartford in July 2022, and limited capacity for additional material at the other in-state RRFs, an estimated 860,000 tons of solid waste might be exported out of state for disposal in the near term.⁶²

Beverage Container Redemption

The redemption rate in Connecticut in fiscal year (FY) 2022 was 45.2 percent, which was lower than in FY 2021, continuing the trend of decline for more than a decade.  The redemption rate for FY 2022 was also less than the ten-year average of 51.4 percent. In the Council’s 2020 special report, Low Deposit, Low Return, the Council recommended ways to increase the redemption rate and divert more beverage containers from disposal. Public Act 21-58 revised the beverage container redemption program with several provisions to expand the deposit to more types of beverage containers, increase the beverage container deposit and expand the capacity of redemption centers. Public Act 22-118, expanded the availability of grants under the beverage container recycling grant program to be used to expand redemption centers and to eliminate the $150,000 funding cap.

 

<sub>Goal: The diversion goal of 60 percent by 2024 was established with the adoption of Public Act 14-94 and is identified in Connecticut’s 2016 Comprehensive Materials Management Strategy, The Connecticut Solid Waste Management Plan.

Technical Note: *Personal Impact indicators illustrate trends in behavior or practices that can be expected to influence the condition of tomorrow’s air, water, land and wildlife. **“Diversion" includes the reduction of materials before it makes it into the waste stream for disposal (i.e., reuse, recycling, composting). Estimated "Diversion" is based on the 2005 baseline of 3.8 million tons, which is a planning value taken from the Solid Waste Management Plan; it is not actual solid waste generation.</sub>

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⁶¹ _{DEEP, Bureau of Materials Management and Compliance Assurance; personal communication from B. Toman, February 3, 2023.}
⁶² _{DEEP, Bureau of Materials Management and Compliance Assurance; Comprehensive Materials Management Strategy (CMMS) AMENDMENT- JANUARY 2023(draft); portal.ct.gov/-/media/DEEP/waste_management_and_disposal/Solid_Waste_Management_Plan/January2023/CMMS-Amendment-2023-DRAFT.pdf.}
⁶³ _{DEEP, Bureau of Materials Management and Compliance Assurance; CT Bottle Bill Redemption Data, accessed 3-15-2023; portal.ct.gov/-/media/DEEP/reduce_reuse_recycle/bottles/bottle-bill-data---Dec-2022---thru-Q3-2021.pdf.}