The on-again, off-again sustainable business park project for Dorr Township seems to be on again.
Crain’s Business has announced that Kent County officials plan to build a new transfer station to handle solid waste and recyclable material that would result in a substantially smaller waste diversion rate compared to previous estimates for a now-scrapped Sustainable Business Park.
Dorr Township Planning Commission Chairman. Dan Beute Tuesday evening told colleagues about the development. The sustainable business park was planned for the northeast corner of Dorr Township, but was paused in September 2023 because the anchor tenant, Continuous Materials, was unable to secure funding needed for startup.
However, Beute said to fellow commissioners, “It sounds like it (the project) is back on track.”
Continuous Materials had plans to manufacture siding, roofing and ceiling parts from discarded plastic glass and other so-called recycling items that still otherwise wind up in landfills. The 250-acre site in Dorr Township is owned by Kent County and it has been set aside for use as soon as the current Kent County landfill is full.
The sustainable business project instead of a landfill had rough sailing in the fall of 2023 because the Kent County Board of Commissioners was split on the issue and then the funding issue has surfaced. Continuous Materials since then filed for bankruptcy.
Dorr Township Supervisor Jeff Miling almost two years ago said about $100 million was needed for startup, and though some funding sources came through, much more was needed.
The Dorr Township Board in 2022 agreed to set aside $200,000 in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant money for its contribution.
Miling cautioned Township Board members that, “If it (the project) is paused for too long, it goes into a landfill.”
Representatives from the Kent County Department of Public Works had been checking in with township officials from time to time over the past several years, and for awhile prospects looked promising.
There was a different anchor tenant prospect mentioned it Crane’s Business, but its identity was not disclosed.
