» WASTE INCINERATION REPORTS & NEWS
If you notice strong burning chemical smells coming from Community Eco Power (near Price Chopper), please fill out this form (tinyurl.com/PittsfieldSmellReport) to send a report to the Mass Dept. of Environmental Protection, the EPA and City of Pittsfield Commissioner of Public Utilities Ricardo Morales.
Community Eco Power is the trash incinerator in Pittsfield on Hubbard Ave. They burn Pittsfield’s municipal trash as well as trash from other communities and others wishing to get rid of waste.
Operating on an expired permit issued to Convanta (Appl. # 1-O-07-022; Trans. #W128777) expired April 2, 2017.
HISTORY:
Bought from Covanta May 2019 – Richard J. Fish, the president and CEO of Community Eco Power LLC of Black Mountain, N.C.
Filed for bankruptcy June 25, 2021, just 2 years later!
» Berkshire Eagle article about the bankruptcy
Pittsfield renewed their contract with Community Eco Power in 2021 – although it was obvious that CEP was in financial trouble and worried about shutting down at the time!
» iBerkshires article
In August 2021, it started to become obvious that the facility is polluting our air in ways that should not possibly be able to meet air quality standards! And it is getting much much worse.
CURRENT CONDITION:
Although there is a long history of odors from the facility, in the past, they were mostly organic smells, like rotten compost or other typical trash smells. In the last several months, we’ve received reports and have also observed powerful chemical smells similar to burning plastic and other odors that cause burning in the eyes, nose and throat. 
Blue-ish and gray emissions now also seem to be escaping directly from the roof and the bay doors, not just the usual white emissions from the various exhaust stacks.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
If you notice smells coming from Community Eco Power:
– Contact the CEP smell hotline at 413-499-8351. These calls are recorded and reported to the Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP).
– Contact MassDEP directly and let them know how often you’re noticing these pungent emissions, and how it’s affecting your neighborhood, business or travel through the area. Contact Dan Hall, DEP WERO Solid Waste Mgmt Section Chief – Daniel.Hall@state.ma.us
– Urge the city to:
– start enforcing recycling (that’s a problem contributing to the waste stream volume)
– start diverting whatever waste they can immediately
— Composting program? — Industrial materials diversion?
– start now on plans to move away from incineration completely
Contact Commissioner of Public Utilities, Ricardo Morales –
rmorales@cityofpittsfield.org
Contact your City Council member – View contact info for council members and Ward Map on the City of Pittsfield website.
(Tiny URL for this page – tinyurl.com/ComEcoPower).