Executive Watch: Cooper Vetoes Garbage Fog

Late last week, Governor Cooper vetoed the bill which would unwisely require the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to permit garbage fogging. (That’s CIB’s name for the unproven technology for “aerosolization” of leachate and wastewater from garbage landfills.)

HB 576, “Allow Aerosolization of Leachate,” is based on the theory that taking the wastewater that collects at the bottom of landfills and misting it into the air will somehow make the pollution magically disappear. Sorry, guys, but misting a fine spray of garbage fog just evaporates some of the water. The contaminants settle right back onto the ground (or into a nearby surface water)—possibly after drifting under neighbors’ noses.

Why mandate the approval of this process, then? It’s a patented process, so someone who owns the patent stands to benefit from new customers. Please excuse our cynicism in wondering whether that consideration may somehow factor in to the legislative decision.

In any event, in his veto message Gov. Cooper notes that scientists, not legislators, should be making the technical evaluations of whether such a process is a winner for North Carolina’s environment and public health. “Scientists, not the legislature, should decide whether a patented technology can safely dispose of contaminated liquids from landfills,” declared Cooper.

Dan Crawford, NCLCV’s director of governmental relations, praised the Governor’s veto: “Allowing companies to spray potentially toxic garbage juice back into the air that North Carolinians breathe is appalling, especially when lawmakers could not point to any peer reviewed scientific evidence showing this process was safe. The extent to which our legislative leaders are willing to sell out our natural resources and health to the highest bidder would be laughable if the safety of North Carolina families wasn’t at stake. Fortunately, the voters of this state elected Governor Roy Cooper, who doesn’t just say he will stand up for people: he actually does. North Carolinians are grateful to have an elected official who won’t risk their health on an unproven technology.”

The vetoed bill will return to the legislature for consideration of whether to attempt an override.

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