New Boston recycling plant creates 40 jobs

NEW BOSTON -- Green-leaning residents can now head to another place to

take their recyclables and help the environment.

 

GLR Recycling Solutions will hold a grand opening today for its new 50,000-

square-foot processing facility designed to simplify and speed up recycling

efforts.

 

The plant at 36543 South Huron is a "single stream" facility -- meaning plastics, metals, cardboard, paper and other recyclables are sorted and separated by conveyors, screens and vacuums, not residents or the waste hauler.

 

Ninety-seven percent of materials coming into to the facility get recycled. The center, which is expected to set up rooms for tours and educational meetings, will service communities throughout southeast Michigan.

 

The facility will create about 40 full-time jobs and represents a $12 million investment, said Sandy Rosen, CEO of GLR. The recycling company already continues to operate another plant in Roseville.

 

"Having been located in Michigan for more than 80 years, we felt it was important to invest in Michigan," Rosen said in a statement. "This operation will process recyclables from the entire region, including from Ohio, Indiana, Michigan and Canada."

 

Currently, 20 percent to 25 percent of people recycle in Michigan, according to industry statistics. An increase by just a few percentage points would translate into tons of garbage kept from landfills. Michiganians generated more than 41 million cubic yards of solid waste in fiscal year 2007, according to the state's Department of Environmental Quality. That's down from more than 47 million cubic yards in 2003.

 

That number may drop further this year. The city of Detroit will get on the curbside recycling train come July, when the city starts a pilot program of 30,000 residents, said Alfred Jordan, director of the city's Department of Public Works.

 

Eastside residents in the program will see recyclables picked up weekly. Westside residents will have a larger bin to store materials and have their recyclables picked up twice a month Local governments will see cost-saving benefits because of the single-stream recycling, said Kurt Heise, director of the Wayne County Department of

Environment. What was done with two or more trucks picking up specific recyclables can now be done with one, he said. Plus, allowing residents to simply pile recyclables in a bin without separating will most likely lead to greater participation.

 

"How often do you get something that creates jobs, that's good for the environment and is more affordable for local governments?" Heise said.