The Problem

Nantucket's waste problems were not entirely its own making. The challenges of managing refuse on an island are substantial, and have been compounded by the island's dramatic growth. Islands have a finite amount of space for anything, and for trash and sludge in particular.

As early as 15 years ago, it was apparent that the day when the Nantucket Landfill could hold no more was fast approaching; expansion was not realistic: the landfill is bounded by protected wetlands area and a fragile ecosystem that does not mix well with municipal waste. Another solution was needed: if you had no more room, you had to have less waste.

By the late 1980s, problems at the Madaket site had worsened. The hill of garbage was larger and more unsightly. Waste material had leached from the landfill into the surrounding wetlands, threatening both wildlife and the island's drinking water aquifer. The Town chose to privatize the entire operation.