Stop Polluting Bellingham Now
Bellingham is poised to invest tens of millions of public dollars in outdated, polluted sludge incinerators that carry cost, health, and environmental risks — even though safer, less expensive options exist.
Sign the petition to urge city leaders to choose a safer, smarter path — before the decision is locked in.
If we burn it, we breathe it
When sewage is burned at low temperatures, toxic substances like carbon monoxide and persistent industrial chemicals (PFAS) can be released into the air. These pollutants don’t disappear, they disperse into neighborhoods and local waterways.
On top of that, this increases utility rates and costs AND runs on the people of Bellingham’s dime.
Tell the city: Choose cleaner, cheaper, healthier solutions to sewage management.
THE PROBLEM IS SIMPLE AND CLEAR
The city is choosing pollution, higher rates for citizens, and ignoring public safety by burning sludge in an incinerator that is not permitted or SEPA compliant.
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Old style of top loading incinerators with HPV (High-Priority Violator) status
Flagged by the EPA for violations against the Clean Air Act
Installed in 1972 to serve 41K B’hamsters, that same burner works OT to handle 91K people
Outdated and over capacity
It essentially works like a burn barrel with a giant torch on top to keep the smoke down. That’s what Bellingham has.
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MHF’s (Mulit-Hearth Furnaces) burn dirty when overloaded and create Carbon Monoxide directly floating into our city
CO suggests they are overfeeding the furnace
Stormwater sludge carries rubber, tire dust, brake pad particles, PFAS, oils, heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, endocrine-disrupting chemicals and more. Read more here.
A low-temp incinerator like Bellingham’s mean these don’t go away and instead make their way into our community in the air.
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Description text goes here
alternative Solutions are safer, less costly & available now.
EPA prefers landfilling for sewage sludge. For the City of Bellingham, it requires less investment, fewer emissions, and no natural gas. It’s safer for workers and neighborhoods. Even temporarily, it provides time, in a safe way, that won’t break the people’s bank, to figure out alternatibevs. It’s
not a "dumping" plan but waste is treated & stabilized.
These alternatives include opportunities for regional solutions with redundancy, recycling lagoon solids for energy or reuse, transport options that reduce neighborhood exposure and thus create long-term health savings. This includes a digester with energy recovery for almost free.
This is our chance to build smarter.
Redundant systems, regional cooperation, and cleaner processes can turn a toxic liability into a resilient future. Other Washington State cities are moving this way. We can save millions of the people’s dollars and avoid health risks by stopping the outdated and unregulated incineration in Bellingham.
Why wouldn’t we choose that?
Community Briefings
A incinerator stack billows smoke filled with PFAS. Bellingham’s stacks are a fraction of the regulatory height—pumping PFAS and CO directly into city neighborhoods.-
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All resources from EPA documents, scientific reviews, media articles and more can be found HERE.
LEARN MORE!
The presentation includes:
Background on the facility
The environmental danger
The health risks for people and the community
Information on RO-52 Permit
The costs and alternative cost-effective, environmentally preferred option
Resource links to explore yourself
Sign the petition for a safe, clean alternative for our waste.
Explore the map to see the proximity to the community and on local water.
Call on the City of Bellingham to halt investment in the outdated Post Point incinerator and explore safer, cleaner alternatives—before it’s too late.