Juniper Ridge landfill files plans to transfer liquid waste

Casella Waste Systems, the operators of state-run landfill Juniper Ridge have filed a court document detailing plans to transport liquid waste 20 miles to another facility for processing.

In a court document, Casella says that Maine is facing a waste crisis and Juniper Ridge must be expanded as soon as possible to avoid running out of space by 2028. Environmental groups, abutters, and the Penobscot Nation are opposing the expansion. Casella did not respond to a request for comment.

Operators of the Juniper Ridge landfill in Old Town and Alton are proposing a new plan for dealing with liquid waste, as part of the ongoing permitting process for a 61-acre expansion of the facility.

As the Bangor Daily News first reported, Casella Waste System’s plan involves trucking leachate, wastewater that could contain forever chemicals, 20 miles south for processing at another landfill.

Sarah Woodbury, legislative director for Maine Conservation Voters, says the plan is not sound.

“You should have leachate treatment systems at both of those facilities instead of running the risk of some type of spill in between the two facilities,” she said. “Casella is a multibillion-dollar corporation. They can afford to pay for two leachate treatment systems at their at their two separate facilities.”

A representative for Casella did not respond to a request for comment.

Juniper Ridge handles about half of Maine’s municipal waste but is set to run out of room in 2028, unless an expansion plan is agreed upon.