After a significant backtrack by Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava on the issue of a new trash incinerator, residents of Miramar are gearing up to ensure that plans to build the facility near their neighborhood do not resurface. The opposition by local residents was loud and clear at the Miami-Dade Commission Chamber, as they gathered to protest a decision that could potentially see an incinerator erected close to their homes, according to a report by NBC Miami.
The need for a new incinerator came into sharp focus after a fire gutted the county's old waste management plant in Doral back in 2023. With the site near Miramar, including the old Opa-Locka West Airport, having been under consideration, the pushback from Miramar residents and officials has been staunch. “No incinerator, not in our town. No incinerator, not in our town,” could be heard chanted by protesters, demonstrating the communities' refusal to accept the potential safety and environmental risks this plan could impose. Levine Cava has since revoked plans to construct the incinerator near Miramar, expressing that costs and environmental concerns influenced her decision, WSVN reported.
As alternatives are being weighed, Mayor Levine Cava suggested looking into the building of a waste site outside of the county. However, she conceded, as reported by WSVN, that such an endeavor would not only be costly, with expenses potentially climbing to $1.6 billion for county taxpayers, but could also face legal challenges, potentially delaying the project's completion.
Until a definite decision is reached, the mayor has proposed a temporary solution to meet the county's waste disposal needs — employing trucks and trains to transport garbage out of the county and bury it in landfills. “Our top priority is to meet our disposal needs and provide essential waste services while protecting our ratepayers, keeping overall taxes and fees low, and protecting our long-term physical health. For that reason I am recommending that we continue to long-haul via truck and rail using our contracted capacity,” Mayor Levine Cava told WSVN. A decision on the incinerator's final location is expected to come to a vote in February 2026.
