{"id":101238,"date":"2025-07-10T06:53:47","date_gmt":"2025-07-09T22:53:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hiclover.com\/one\/burning-concerns-the-environmental-impact-of-prince-georges-upper-marlboro-waste-incinerator\/"},"modified":"2025-07-10T06:53:47","modified_gmt":"2025-07-09T22:53:47","slug":"burning-concerns-the-environmental-impact-of-prince-georges-upper-marlboro-waste-incinerator","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hiclover.com\/one\/burning-concerns-the-environmental-impact-of-prince-georges-upper-marlboro-waste-incinerator\/","title":{"rendered":"Burning Concerns: The Environmental Impact of Prince George’s Upper Marlboro Waste Incinerator"},"content":{"rendered":"

Burning<\/a> Concerns: The Environmental<\/a> Impact of Prince George’s Upper Marlboro Waste<\/a> Incinerator<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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The Prince George’s County waste<\/a> incinerator<\/a> in Upper Marlboro, Maryland has been a source of controversy and concern for local residents and environmental<\/a> advocates for years. The facility, which burns hundreds of thousands of tons of trash every year, has been linked to a range of environmental<\/a> and health<\/a> problems, from air and water pollution<\/a> to increased cancer risk and respiratory disease<\/a>. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the environmental<\/a> impact of the Upper Marlboro waste<\/a> incinerator<\/a> and explore the concerns of those who<\/a> are fighting to shut it down.<\/p>\n

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A History of Pollution<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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The Upper Marlboro waste<\/a> incinerator<\/a> has been in operation since 1992, burning<\/a> waste<\/a> from Prince George’s County and surrounding areas. Over the years, the facility has been the subject of numerous complaints and lawsuits, with residents and environmental<\/a> groups alleging that it is emitting toxic pollutants into the air and water. In 2019, the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) fined the facility’s operator, Covanta Energy<\/a>, $125,000 for violating air pollution<\/a> standards.<\/p>\n

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Air Pollution<\/a> Concerns<\/strong><\/p>\n

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One of the biggest concerns about the Upper Marlboro waste<\/a> incinerator<\/a> is the air pollution<\/a> it generates. The facility emits a range of toxic pollutants, including particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These pollutants can cause respiratory problems, such as asthma and bronchitis, and have been linked to increased risk of cancer and other health<\/a> problems.<\/p>\n

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According to data from the MDE, the Upper Marlboro waste<\/a> incinerator<\/a> is one of the largest sources of air pollution<\/a> in Prince George’s County, emitting over 100,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year. The facility’s emissions<\/a> have been shown to exceed federal standards for particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, and VOCs, posing a significant threat to the health<\/a> and well-being of nearby residents.<\/p>\n

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Water Pollution<\/a> Concerns<\/strong><\/p>\n

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In addition to air pollution<\/a>, the Upper Marlboro waste<\/a> incinerator<\/a> has also been linked to water pollution<\/a>. The facility generates a toxic ash byproduct, known as fly ash, which is contaminated with heavy metals such as lead, mercury, and arsenic. This fly ash is often disposed of in landfills, where it can leach into groundwater and contaminate nearby waterways.<\/p>\n

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In 2018, the MDE found that the Upper Marlboro waste<\/a> incinerator<\/a> was violating state water pollution<\/a> standards, with high levels of heavy metals and other pollutants detected in the facility’s wastewater. The agency ordered Covanta Energy<\/a> to take corrective action, but concerns about water pollution<\/a> from the facility remain.<\/p>\n

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Community Health<\/a> Concerns<\/strong><\/p>\n

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The environmental<\/a> impact of the Upper Marlboro waste<\/a> incinerator<\/a> is not just a concern for the local ecosystem – it also has significant implications for the health<\/a> and well-being of nearby residents. Studies have shown that communities living near waste<\/a> incinerators are at increased risk of respiratory disease<\/a>, cancer, and other health<\/a> problems.<\/p>\n

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In Prince George’s County, where the Upper Marlboro waste<\/a> incinerator<\/a> is located, residents have reported high rates of asthma, bronchitis, and other respiratory problems. The county also has some of the highest rates of cancer incidence and mortality in the state, with lung cancer and other pollution<\/a>-related diseases being particularly prevalent.<\/p>\n

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The Fight to Shut Down the Incinerator<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Despite the significant environmental<\/a> and health<\/a> concerns associated with the Upper Marlboro waste<\/a> incinerator<\/a>, the facility remains in operation. However, a growing coalition of community groups, environmental<\/a> organizations, and local residents are fighting to shut it down.<\/p>\n

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The Prince George’s County Chapter of the Sierra Club, the Maryland Environmental<\/a> Health<\/a> Network, and other groups have been actively advocating for the closure of the incinerator<\/a>, citing the facility’s poor environmental<\/a> record and the health<\/a> risks it poses to nearby communities.<\/p>\n

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In 2020, the Prince George’s County Council passed a resolution calling for the closure of the incinerator<\/a> and the development of more sustainable waste<\/a> management practices. While the resolution is non-binding, it marks an important step towards addressing the environmental<\/a> and health<\/a> concerns associated with the facility.<\/p>\n

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A Better Way Forward<\/strong><\/p>\n

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So what can be done to address the environmental<\/a> impact of the Upper Marlboro waste<\/a> incinerator<\/a>? The answer lies in adopting more sustainable waste<\/a> management practices, such as recycling, composting, and reducing waste<\/a> at the source.<\/p>\n

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Prince George’s County has set a goal of reducing its waste<\/a> disposal<\/a> by 50% by 2030, with a focus on increasing recycling rates and promoting waste<\/a> reduction and reuse. The county is also exploring alternative waste<\/a> management technologies, such as anaerobic digestion and gasification, which can generate energy<\/a> from waste<\/a> while minimizing pollution<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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In conclusion, the Upper Marlboro waste<\/a> incinerator<\/a> is a burning<\/a> concern for the environment and public health<\/a> in Prince George’s County. The facility’s air and water pollution<\/a>, combined with its links to increased cancer risk and respiratory disease<\/a>, make it a major priority for environmental<\/a> advocates and community groups. By adopting more sustainable waste<\/a> management practices and transitioning away from polluting technologies like incineration<\/a>, we can create a healthier, more sustainable future for Prince George’s County and beyond.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Burning Concerns: The Environmental Impact of Prince George’s Upper Marlboro Waste Incinerator The Prince George’s County waste incinerator in Upper Marlboro, Maryland has been a source of controversy and concern for local residents and environmental advocates for years. The facility, which burns hundreds of thousands of tons of trash every year, has been linked to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":101239,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_joinchat":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[1640],"tags":[3963],"class_list":["post-101238","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-us","tag-prince-georges-upper-marlboro-waste-incinerator"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hiclover.com\/one\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/101238","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hiclover.com\/one\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hiclover.com\/one\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hiclover.com\/one\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hiclover.com\/one\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=101238"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hiclover.com\/one\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/101238\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hiclover.com\/one\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/101239"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hiclover.com\/one\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=101238"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hiclover.com\/one\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=101238"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hiclover.com\/one\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=101238"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}