A Visit to a Maine Facility That Sorts and Burns C and D Debris

In 2004, according to Maine's Department of Environmental Protection, biomass boilers in that state burned more than 300 thousand tons of construction and demolition debris, or C and D.

In 2005, nearly 150 thousand tons of C and D lumber were sent to Maine for burning from other parts of New England, including New Hampshire.

The businesses that turn the waste into watts say they are making green electricty from wood that would otherwise rot in a landfill.

Opponents of burning c and d argue the process releases toxic chemicals into the air and water.

To find out how the waste is handled, Maine Public Radio's Sara Nics recently visited a sorting and burning site and she filed this report.