MIRAMAR, Fla. – Tons of trash that accumulates in Miami-Dade County is continuing to be hauled away by truck and trains to private facilities to the north.
That has been the temporary solution ever since a fire destroyed the county’s waste to energy plant more than two years ago.
But a permanent solution that is still on the table involves an incinerator being built at the so-called “Airport West” location, which is right on the border of Broward County.
Miramar Mayor Wayne Messam held an informational meeting Wednesday night to talk about how the city has been battling the proposal and gearing up for a fight ahead of decision day in just three weeks.
“We hope there has been enough education on the vulnerability and sensitivity concerns as it pertains to Airport West and it just should not be on the table,” said Messam.
Homeowners near the proposed site have both environmental and declining property value concerns.
“The pollution, the air quality, if there’s a leak in the incinerator, how that will affect the community,” said resident Olga Santos.
Added resident Claudienne Hibbert: “You’re talking about toxins, you’re talking about excess waste, you’re talking about things we’re not going to have control of that’s really hurting our health.”
Earlier this year, Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava declined to recommend a new incinerator at the site, but its Miami-Dade commissioners who will weigh site locations, which also includes rebuilding an incinerator on the scorched site in Doral or expanding a landfill, which could be more cost effective.
Either way, Miramar wants to keep it from its city line.
“We didn’t move to nuisance, nuisance is being proposed in our backyard,” said Messam.