Bruce Parker

Bruce Parker is executive vice president of the National Solid Wastes Management Association. In the following viewpoint, Parker maintains that interstate garbage shipping helps keep waste disposal costs low by allowing exporting states to choose the least expensive landfill site for their waste. For example, New York, which has little available space for new landfills, saves money by shipping trash to less-crowded Pennsylvania where landfills are numerous and tipping fees are low. Parker contends that interstate garbage shipping also benefits receiving states by generating income for their waste management facilities.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. According to Parker, what percentage of the garbage disposed of in the United States crosses state borders?
2. What states export the highest percentage of solid waste, according to the author?
3. How does the 2001 Congressional Research Service report explain the large...