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Missouri

Located in the midwest, Missouri is a U.S. state with both midwestern and southern cultural influences, as it is historically a border state between the two regions. The state is named after the Missouri River and, by extension, the Siouan-language tribe. Jefferson City is the capital, Kansas City is the largest city, and Greater St. Louis is the largest metropolitan area. The state is known to mirror the demography, economy, and politics of the nation in general, having a mix of urban and rural culture, is considered a political bellwether state. There have only been two years (1956 and 2008, as of 2011) when Missouri presidential election results have not accurately predicted the next U.S. president. The state has a mixed economy, but has one of the largest numbers of farms in any U.S. state and is ranked in the top 10 states for hog, cattle, and soybean production.

Statistics and Rankings

The 16th Nationwide Survey of MSW Management in the United States found that, in 2004, Missouri had an estimated 9,939,008 tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) generation, placing it 14th in a survey of the 50 states and the capital district. Based on the 2004 population of 5,837,639, an estimated 1.7 tons of MSW were generated per person per year (ranking seventh). Missouri landfilled 6,731,844 tons (ranking 15th) in the state's 21 landfills. It exported 2,520,071 tons of MSW, and the import tonnage was 228,858. In 2006, Missouri was continuing to increase its 201,892,185-cubic-yard landfill capacity, and it was ranked joint 22nd out of 44 respondent states for number of landfills. Yard waste, whole tires, used oil, lead-acid batteries, and white goods were reported as banned from Missouri landfills. Missouri has seven waste-to-energy (WTE) facilities, which processed 23,300 tons of MSW (28th out of 32 respondents). Missouri recycled 3,183,864 tons of MSW, placing Missouri 13th in the ranking of recycled MSW tonnage.

Environmental protection efforts in Missouri include a landmark smoke control law that passed in St. Louis in 1940, quickly spawning similar ordinances across the United States. The ordinance directed users of soft bituminous coal (found in abundance in bordering Illinois) to wash the fuel before incineration, reducing the dense, heavy smoke that plagued the city in winter months. Missouri waste management began the transition to modern standards in 1968 when Robert “Robby” Robinson was hired as the first state solid waste program director and tasked with creating a state solid waste plan. At this time, there were over 500 open dumps in Missouri. The state solid waste plan of 1972 set the elimination of open dumps as a major goal, and by 1980, only three remained.

Weldon Spring Conservation Area

Missouri is home to a highly successful reclamation project carried out under the Superfund program, the Weldon Spring Site. In 1941, the U.S. Army acquired 17,232 acres near Weldon Spring, St. Charles County, and was part of the war effort until 1945 as the Weldon Spring Ordnance Works. Following the war, ownership of some of the site was transferred to the State of Missouri, the University of Missouri, and other public bodies, with the U.S. Army retaining land for use as a training area. The state created the August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area, and the university used its tract for agriculture.

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