In his Oct. 16 guest editorial, Casella Waste Systems’ Brian Oliver struck a tone worthy of the Halloween season when characterizing the simple changes that Mainers like us are asking for to protect our families and neighbors from toxic out-of-state pollution.

Casella has been steadily losing landfill capacity in other parts of the Northeast; now they want to make sure they can continue taking advantage of Maine by sending out-of-state waste 199 miles north of the Maine border to Juniper Ridge. Casella is fighting hard to protect the status quo because it benefits them and their huge market share, not the people of Maine.

As residents of Maine who live in the shadow of the Juniper Ridge landfill, we organized together because we don’t think it’s right that our air and water be polluted simply for Casella’s profit. The Penobscot Nation has also spoken out loud and clear that Casella’s practices are unjust and unacceptable.

It just doesn’t make sense that our state-owned landfill would be receiving out-of-state waste and a private company like Casella would profit from this type of pollution. It’s time for this practice to stop and it’s time for Casella to stop the scare tactics. Let’s focus on saving Maine’s precious landfill capacity for items that Mainers cannot find other uses for, and to protect the clean air and water that make this a great place to live.

Bill Lippincott
Hampden

Ed Spencer
Old Town