Columbia County Set for $2.1 Million Recycling Upgrade

SEATTLE (Waste Advantage):  County Recycling Center is set to have a $2.1 million upgrade to the sorting operation of recyclables. Officials believe the upgrades will make the facility profitable. Director of Solid Waste Greg Kaminski spoke at the county board meeting. He gave an update on the facility upgrades and concerns the department has including deteriorating conditions at the transfer site and staffing issues at the recycling center.

Kaminski told county supervisors that the upgrades will make the facility more efficient and will reduce labor costs. Upgrades to the facility will include new feeding conveyors, automatic separators and sorters, and a new OCC screen, which automatically sorts cardboard out of recycling piles. Other costs for the project include upgrades to the building and flooring, and startup and training costs.

Kaminski said in an interview he thinks the upgrades will help the facility become profitable. The recycling plant was supposed to be self-funded, however that has not happened in the first years of operating. The recycling plant can process four tons of material an hour and Kaminski said the upgrades to the facility will double that to process eight tons of material an hour.

 Courtesy: www.wasteadvantage.com