The sustainable business business park project on 250 acres at the northwest corner of Dorr Township has been delayed at least until October.
The Kent County Board of Commissioners last week tabled a proposal to move forward with a plan to establish such a park with emphasis on recycling materials rather than house trash in a landfill.
The current Kent County landfill is filling up, with only a few more years to go, and Kent County owns the Dorr Township parcel, which for many years has been targeted as the next landfill for this area.
Kent County Department of Public Works officials explained that commissioners want more information about how the park would function and what its impact on waste haulers would be.
Kent DPW representatives have made several appearances before the Dorr Township Board and Planning Commission to explain just what the business park would do. The idea is to divert trash away from storage in a landfill and increase the ability to reuse materials for industrial and commercial businesses.
The DPW was awarded a $5 million grant to help build the bioenergy facility on site. The facility, Anaergia, would be anchor tenant at the business park, sorting through waste in one part of the facility and taking the organic components, including food and diapers. The organic material would be squeezed through a machine, creating a liquid from the waste that would become a renewable gas.
Kent DPW marketing and communications manager Stephen Faber told Kent commissioners, “It can be a replacement for any other fossil fuel-based gas. It’s the only carbon-negative fuel. It’s a really great product that we’re making from stuff that people are throwing away,” said Faber.
He added that carbon negative means using this gas takes more carbon out of the atmosphere than burning it puts into it.
The non-liquid portion of waste would be incinerated at the waste-to-energy facility in Kent County.
Faber also said any odor from the waste-to-energy facility would strictly controlled.
He said sorting through the waste, similar to what the county already does at the recycling center, would be handled by robots.
“We have more trash buried per man, woman, and child than any other state in the nation,” Faber said… “Landfills are a major contributor to global greenhouse gases. Active landfills produce a lot of methane because of those diapers and the organic material and other things we throw away.”
He said the sustainable business park will allow the capture of waste and turn it into something valuable.
The anchor tenant plans to manufacture roofing materials out of mulch of the waste.
Mr Young
Do we know whom targeted that property as a possible landfill… Kent County or Dorr Township?
If it was Dorr Township, then it makes complete sense why the master plan had no stipulations preventing things like landfills in that area.
If it was Kent County, then how did not someone recognize the potential for the landfill to move into the township?
I still believe the property would never had been sold to Kent County if Dorr Township’s master plan excluded land usage for landfills.
It was argued the landfill could still have happened. Except there would have been public notice for the land use exception. Then Dorr residents would not have been taken by surprise.
Yes, they are surprised because they were told this Reimagine Trash project would eliminate landfills. Surprise! Suprise! (quoting that famous Mayberry character)
As more things come out about this project, it’s beginning to look like northeastern Allegan County (especially Dorr Township) will become the “armpit” of Allegan County.
Besides all the multitude of problems with infrastructure, environmental issues, etc., we will now have a facility producing the only carbon negative fuel… that few if any know where or what its use currently is. (Is it that secret formula currently added to some brands of gasoline?)
Here is my prediction (from the man who “cried Wolf”) #1. Anaergia will prevail because of all the free monies allotted for this venture. The cost of residential trash and recycle will rise dramatically. In three years the project will fail as the company has done in other areas and countries. It will be removed and turned into a landfill.
#2. Kent County commissioners (who might be a bit more intelligent) just might not acccept the “sales pitch” and turn it into the original concept landfill in northeast Allegan County owned and operated by Kent County.
Either way, I would not want to be Mr. Faber. If Anaergia fails, his position may very well be in jeopardy. If the commissioners turn it down, again not a position with a favorable outcome.
Time will tell…
Harry, I would add perhaps the “arm pit” of West Michigan. Forget bout it…. My opinion.
David A.K.
I forgot to add my last post on the subject….it’s happening. Either way it will not be a pretty site.