The five large MWC facilities currently subject to the requirements of the 1998 Municipal Waste Combustor Rule are required to report
to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) both periodically and when certain events or operating
conditions cause the facilities' emissions to exceed the limits established in the 1998 Rule and/or their individual
Emission Control Plans. Reports cover periods of three, six or twelve months and are submitted either semi-annually or annually.
The two Small MWC facilities, Community Eco Springfield and Community Eco Pittsfield closed down in 2022, and there is subsequently no
data for these facilities after 2021
DEP reviews these reports (but generally not before they are posted on this Web site) and may take enforcement action
when data shows emissions that exceed regulatory standards.
Please note that episodes in which emissions exceed standards do not all necessarily constitute violations.
The 1998 Rule allows higher emissions for limited durations in specific circumstances: during startup or shutdown,
in the event of certain malfunctions, or when there are isolated "spikes" in operating conditions.
A summary of the reports that facilities are required to file with DEP is available
here
For more detailed facility-specific information, please contact the appropriate
DEP Regional Service Center.
Reports accessible from this Web site contain emissions and operating data reported by the operators of facilities subject to the DEP
Municipal Waste Combustor Rule. For additional information, please read our
Data Disclaimer.