New Hampshire

New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services
Waste Management Division
29 Hazen Drive,
P.O. Box 95
Concord, NH 03302-0095
Phone: (603) 271-3503; Fax: (603) 271-2456

NERC Board Member Representative
Sharon Yergeau, Supervisor
Solid Waste Compliance Assurance
New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services
Phone: 603-271-2906

Program Contacts

News Releases

General Information

Business Assistance Guide ~ New Hampshire

Hazardous Waste Guide for Businesses

New Hampshire Environmental Benefits Fact Sheet

State Surplus Property Program

Compost Information:

• Environmental Fact Sheet: Municipal Composting of Yard Waste
• Composting at New Hampshire Schools: A How-to Guide

State Recycling Organizations:

• Northeast Resource Recovery Association
• New Hampshire the Beautiful

Overview

The Solid Waste Technical Assistance Section of the Solid Waste Management Bureau is the non-regulatory part of the agency responsible for planning, policy development and project implementation in the area of integrated solid waste management. The mission of the Solid Waste Technical Assistance Section is to take and encourage actions that will lead to a cleaner environment and promote better public safety and health in solid waste management in New Hampshire.

The Department of Environmental Services (DES) is responsible for implementing waste disposal laws for the state. They are involved with state solid waste districts, regulatory actions, and the Source Reduction and Recycling Strategy. DES provides technical assistance to communities, schools, and businesses: conducts educational programs on solid waste management and recycling; and provides guidance for starting recycling programs.

Environmental Goals:

1. Solid waste in NH will be managed so as to protect human health and the environment in the most cost effective manner.  
2. Solid waste will be treated and managed as a resource rather than a waste in order to achieve significant reuse, recycling or composting of as much solid waste as possible.  
3. Solid waste will be managed in order of preference through the hierarchy of management methods established by statute: source reduction, reuse, recycling, composting, incineration for energy recovery, incineration and landfilling.  
4. Through education and outreach, people will be encouraged to consume materials that are recyclable in ways that do not damage the environment, resulting in cleaner communities.
   

Programs and Activities

• Statewide Policies to Address "Universal" Wastes: Waste Management Division (WMD) has implemented revisions to state policies to address two waste streams of concern to municipal and business waste management because of hazardous constituents: paint and fluorescent lamps.
  
  
• Revised Regulations for Collection, Storage, and Transfer Facilities: WMD has drafted revised regulations to address a number of obstacles affecting New Hampshire recycling centers.
   
• Analysis of New Hampshire Commercial/Industrial Solid Waste Management: A telephone and mail survey of haulers in selected communities of the state was conducted to determine quantities disposed and recycled by commercial and industrial accounts.
   
• Transfer Station and Recycling Center Design and Operations Manual: This "How to" manual is organized into three sections: The Plan, Costs, and Marketing the Plan.
   
• State Agency Source Reduction, Recycling and Procurement Strategy: WMD staff have implemented steps to expand state agency recycling.
    
• DES/Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS) Composting: WMD has inaugurated composting of all pre-plate food scraps from the cafeteria serving DES and HHS.
   
• DES "Green Team”: DES personnel focus on identifying and implementing options to improve DES's own environmental in-house activities.
   
• Transfer Station/Recycling Center Costs Document: This document provides a sampling of towns and solid waste districts which have constructed transfer stations/recycling centers.
   
• CONEG Toxics in Packaging Legislation and Clearinghouse: New Hampshire enacted the CONEG model Toxics in Packaging legislation, which prohibits the sale of any packaging component to which lead, cadmium, mercury, or hexavalent chromium have been intentionally introduced.
   
• Recodification of RSA 149-M: Specific concerns dealt primarily with the utility of solid waste planning and town obligations.
  
  
• State Landfill Closure Grant Program: The grant program provides a 20% grant to New Hampshire municipalities for the eligible closure costs of unlined solid waste landfills.
  
  
• Used Oil Grants: WMD provides grants of up to $2,500 to communities toward the cost of establishing new or improving used oil collection centers for Do-It-Yourself used oil generated by residents.