After decades of burning garbage, the Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority said Wednesday it has officially shut down its trash incinerator in Hartford. The announcement follows months of debate about the state-owned facility’s future, which came in the wake of a rejected redevelopment plan, mechanical breakdowns, and falling energy prices. MIRA saw a large share of its member towns opt-out of contracts with the agency in recent months, choosing to send their trash to private haulers. The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) said it is working to reduce the amount of state trash that will be sent to out-of-state landfills as a result of MIRA’s closure. The agency said it is partnering with dozens of towns to explore alternative disposal options, including waste reduction and food waste recycling.
After months of debate, Hartford trash-burning plant now officially closed