By
TIM FAULKNER/ecoRI.org News staff
PROVIDENCE
— Opposing sides staked their positions as two new bills to support statewide
composting were recently debated. Hearings in the House and Senate pitted
environmentalists against the restaurant industry.
Terrance
Martiesian, lobbyist for the Rhode Island Hospitality Association,
which represents hundreds of Rhode Island restaurants, opposed bills H7033 and H7482, saying small restaurants,
particularly those on Federal Hill, don’t have the space to segregate food
scrap. Ultimately, he said, collecting food scrap would hurt tourism.
“This
is Rhode Island, it’s an expensive place to do business,” Martiesian said
during the March 6 hearing of the House Committee on the Environment and
Natural Resources.
Criticism
of the bills received support from a surprising source: Kristin Gennuso,
co-owner of Chez Pascal on Hope Street. For several years, the East Side
restaurant has composted its food scrap and voiced support for comprehensive
food-reduction efforts.
“There’s
nothing in (the legislation) to help us,” she said.
Rep.
Donna Walsh, D-Charlestown, sponsor of both bills, noted that many smaller
restaurants would be exempt from segregating food scrap for at least five
years, during which time the transportation infrastructure would be developed
as other larger institutions such as universities and hospitals lead the way.
“By
that time, I think a lot of the issues we’re talking about (such as) costs ...
would be worked out by then,” she said.
Both
bills target large institutions. H7482, which was drafted by the state
Department of Environmental Management (DEM), would require entities that
create at least 104 tons of organic waste a year to compost or have the
material processed separately. H7033 would require institutions that produce at
least 52 tons of food scrap a year to comply. Each year, additional
institutions would be required to comply.
Other
large institutions that would be required to comply would include food
wholesalers and distributors, food manufacturers and processors, conference
centers, banquet halls, religious institutions, military installations,
prisons, corporations, hospitals and casinos.
The
bills received support from the Environment Council of Rhode Island, Clean
Water Action, the Conservation Law Foundation, the state Office of Energy
Resources, the Audubon Society of Rhode Island and the Sierra Club of Rhode
Island.
The
bills also have bipartisan support. Rep. Michael Chippendale, R-Foster, said
the bills would create innovative technologies that students can create and use
in the classroom.
Although
Rhode Island has only one large facility to compost food scrap — Earth Care
Farm in Charlestown — advocates said creating new organic waste regulations
will spur innovation for new facilities and create jobs. Anthony Callendrello,
chief operating officer of NEO Energy, said his company is moving ahead with
building an anaerobic digester at the Quonset
Business Park. A second, by a different company, is planned for Johnston.
“It
will encourage companies like mine that develop the infrastructure to process
food residuals,” Callendrello said of the legislation. “We certainly would like
to build some facilities.”
Meanwhile,
Leo Pollock and Nat Harris will soon be kicking off their industrial-scale
composting initiative with a pilot program that will initially collect food
scrap from schools and restaurants and deliver the material to Earth Care Farm.
Eventually, The Compost Plant will accept food
scrap from the urban communities around Greater Providence and turn it into
nutrient-rich compost.
Neither
bill mandates residential composting. However, Walsh said she hopes the bills
would lead to some form of curbside collection like those in Seattle and San
Francisco.
Bill
H7033 was modeled on Connecticut
legislation passed in 2011. That law requires comprehensive
food-scrap management for large institutions. It exempts religious
institutions, hospitals and schools. Advocates for the law expect all
institutions will join the program in order to receive the expected cost-savings.
At
the annual Rhode Island Compost Conference & Trade Show, held March 10 at
Salve Regina University in Newport, K.C. Alexander of the Connecticut
Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said Connecticut only has
three composting facilities while other organic waste facilities are being
planned. Many details, however, are being addressed as the law takes effect,
she said.
“I
think Rhode Island can do this. It may take a while,” Alexander said.
Both
the House and Senate versions of the bill were held for further study.