The Sierra Club, Connecticut Zero Waste Coalition, and others are holding a Zero Waste Lobby Day on April 11, 2025, to advocate for policies that reduce waste, promote sustainability, and protect our environment. This is a great opportunity to draw attention to waste issues including air and noise pollution from incineration:
- The need for strong regulations to ensure that any burning of medical waste does not release highly toxic pollutants that build up in our environment and in our bodies and that create unacceptable, elevated risks of serious illnesses, such cancer, cardiovascular disease, neurological damage, endocrine disruption, and developmental and birth defects. SENATE BILL 80 WILL DO THIS BUT LEGISLATORS STATEWIDE WILL NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU FOR IT TO PASS INTO LAW.
- Enforcement of opearitng permit conditions, to ensure that incinerators do not burden communities with noise pollution that impacts quality of life and results in a range of adverse health impacts, including disrupted sleep, learning deficits, stress, anxiety and depression, and cardiovascular disease and heart attacks.
Event Details:
Date: April 11, 2025
Time: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Location: Legislative Office Building, Room 1A
Address: 300 Capitol Ave, Hartford, CT 06106
Event organizenirs will be advocating in support of the following two key bills; however, attendees may raise other bills (such as SB 80):
H.B. 6229: An Act Concerning the Reduction of Single-Use Plastics and Polystyrene Waste
This bill would ban polystyrene food ware and packing products. Single-use plastic straws, plastic stirrers, splash sticks, and food ware accessories may be provided upon request. It also requires all state and municipal buildings, including schools, to install bottle-filling stations to promote the use of reusable water bottles.
H.B. 6917: An Act Concerning the Management of Solid WWaste in the State
This bill allocates crucial funding for recycling education and enforcement. It also implements a food donation plan for entities included in the Commercial Organics Recycling Law to encourage food waste reduction and the redistribution of edible food to communities in need. Fees collected from waste facilities in the state would be allocated to the Sustainable Materials Management account under this bill, providing funding for waste reduction initiatives and grants.
This is your chance to meet with legislators, share your voice, and push for meaningful waste reduction policies in Connecticut.
More information is here.