Miramar Mayor Wayne Messam is intensifying his city’s fight against a controversial proposal to build a new waste-to-energy incinerator just feet from the Broward County line.
At a community meeting Wednesday night, Messam outlined the potential environmental and economic impacts of placing the new facility at the so-called “Airport West” site — a Miami-Dade County-owned property near residential neighborhoods in Miramar.
“We hope there has been enough education on the vulnerability and sensitivity concerns as it pertains to Airport West and it just should not be on the table,” said Messam.
The proposed incinerator is one of several options Miami-Dade commissioners are considering as they seek a permanent solution to the county’s waste problem. Since a fire destroyed the Doral waste-to-energy plant in February 2023, trash from Miami-Dade has been trucked or sent by rail to private facilities outside the county.
While Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava previously declined to recommend a facility at the Airport West site, the final decision rests with county commissioners. Other options under consideration include rebuilding at the Doral site or expanding a landfill — a potentially cheaper but also controversial alternative.
Miramar residents and elected officials remain firmly opposed to Airport West incinerator, citing environmental hazards and fears of declining property values.
“We didn’t move to nuisance — nuisance is being proposed in our backyard,” Messam told residents.
Since April, Messam and officials from nearby Weston, Pembroke Pines, and Southwest Ranches have voiced strong opposition to the site. Last September, Miramar signaled it was ready to pursue legal action to block the project.
Local leaders argue that the proximity to densely populated areas — affecting nearly 250,000 residents — presents a major public health risk. They point to pollution concerns linked to the now-defunct Doral incinerator, including emissions associated with cancer and respiratory illnesses.
Environmental groups such as the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives have also raised alarms, warning that incinerators contribute heavily to greenhouse gas emissions and poor air quality.
The Airport West site had been identified by county consultants as posing the fewest risks compared to locations in Medley and Doral. Still, critics say the environmental and public health costs are too high.
Miami-Dade commissioners are expected to make a final decision on the site within the next three weeks.
