Plans for Incinerator

During the past several months, we’ve seen members of the Vista Women’s Club and other citizens from the communities of Vista, San Marcos and Oceanside proudly sporting YIMBY (yes in my back yard) placards to demonstrate their support for the proposed incinerator at the San Marcos landfill.

The incinerator would have put more than 4 tons of pollutants into the air every day, and generated more than 14 tons of potentially toxic ash every year. In light of this, it was interesting to see the YIMBYs avidly support this project and claim that it was their back yard when the closest YIMBY actually lives more than 6 miles from the site.

To help manage the trash crisis, the county now proposes to build a transfer station in Vista. The transfer station is merely a drop-off point where trash can be moved from one truck to another. It does not generate more truck traffic or the type of noise and pollution that the incinerator would. Yet, the citizens of Vista are conducting a door-to-door campaign, collecting signatures to oppose. They have threatened to sue the county to stop construction of this minor project.

Have they redrawn the boundaries of their back yards? When they consider back yards for major toxic and polluting projects, the back yards are miles from their homes. When the project comes closer to home, it seems a different set of rules apply.

Everyone in the county needs to work together on solutions to the trash crisis. Taking responsibility for trash at the community level is the best place to start.

EVELYN ALEMANNI, Escondido