COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
ONE WINTER STREET, BOSTON, MA 02108  617-292-5500


DEVAL L. PATRICK
Governor

TIMOTHY P. MURRAY
Lieutenant Governor


IAN A. BOWLES
Secretary

LAURIE BURT
Commissioner

December 2008

Dear Citizen:  

I am pleased to announce the availability of a new report on the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) website. This report, titled "Assessment of Materials Management Options for the Massachusetts Solid Waste Master Plan Review" was completed by the Tellus Institute under contract to MassDEP.

The report is a literature review that summarizes data and information regarding the lifecycle energy and environmental aspects of various solid waste (materials) management approaches, including recycling, composting, landfilling, municipal waste combustion, and alternative technologies such as anaerobic digestion, gasification, and pyrolysis. The report provides some broad recommendations for an improved integrated materials management system. The report also summarizes successful programs from other jurisdictions.

For a full copy of the report, please visit the MassDEP web site at http://www.mass.gov/dep/recycle/priorities/dswmpu01.htm. 

Sincerely,

John Fischer
Branch Chief, Waste and Toxics Planning


This information is available in alternate format. Call Donald M. Gomes, ADA Coordinator at 617-556-1057. TDD# 1-866-539-7622 or 1-617-574-6868. 
MassDEP on the World Wide Web:  http://www.mass.gov/dep
  Printed on Recycled Paper