The Brookhaven landfill is scheduled to shut down by 2028;...

The Brookhaven landfill is scheduled to shut down by 2028; the facility stopped accepting construction and demolition debris on Jan. 1. Credit: Newsday/Steve Pfost

4 steps to escape our waste crisis

Brookhaven Town Supervisor Dan Panico wrote that we produce 1.742 million tons of solid waste annually on Long Island [“Clock is ticking for waste management on LI,” Opinion, Jan. 9].

I suggest a way out of this crisis with these four steps:

Adopting “smart” programs for all Long Island towns; these have been shown to reduce trash by 20% to 30%.

Passing New York State legislation to reduce glass and plastic waste by 25%.

Establish collection of food waste for composting to reduce waste by 35%.

Establish repair centers for electronics and reuse centers for toys and other items to reduce waste 10% to 15%.

Similar efforts can be made in recycling and reusing construction and demolition materials. Continued use of trash-to-ash facilities has two major issues: the pollution from the facilities and the cost of maintaining aging equipment. Transporting minimal waste left by rail would be the best option.

— John McNamara, Rocky Point

FDA nicotine plan would help us all

The Food and Drug Administration has floated a plan to make cigarettes nonaddictive [“FDA suggests cutting nicotine in cigarettes,” Health & Science,” Jan. 16].

The FDA proposal would limit nicotine levels in cigarettes and other combusted tobacco products to minimal or nonaddictive levels.

Nicotine addiction encourages repeated exposure to harmful chemicals in combustible tobacco products, producing more than 7,000 chemicals and 69 cancer-causing agents.

Research indicates reducing nicotine in cigarettes does not result in increased smoking. Every year, more than 480,000 Americans die from tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke, the leading U.S. cause of preventable death. Having worked as a certified tobacco treatment specialist, I note this patient testimonial: “Quitting smoking was the hardest thing I have ever done. I honestly believed I was going to die with a cigarette in my hand . . . how things have changed.”

Nicotine reduction needs to cover all tobacco products to prevent smokers from switching to other dangerous products. This will save lives, decrease health care costs, and improve outcomes.

— Christine Fardellone, East Meadow

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