Trash will be a topic of discussion at both the Brandon and Groveland township board meetings the next two weeks.
Anna Collinson, project manager for Resource Recycling Systems of Ann Arbor, will update both communities on a study being done on development of a system to handle solid waste for Brandon and Groveland, as well as other north Oakland County communities including Springfield Township, Independence Township, Waterford, White Lake and West Bloomfield. The study is paid for by a Capital and Cooperative Initiative Revolving Fund grant. RRS was awarded the contract to research the project in January.
‘We’ve been meeting every other week with the participating communities and thought it was time to share with all the boards what is going on to date,? said Collinson.
The Brandon Township Board will hear the CCIRF study update at their meeting scheduled for 7:30 p.m., April 6, at the township offices, 395 Mill St. The Groveland Township Board will receive an update at 7 p.m., April 13, at the township offices, 4695 Grange Hall Road.
‘We’ve taken a look at what waste and recycling estimates are for the participating communities,? Collinson said. ‘We have projections of what their waste and recycling numbers would be over the next 20 years and we’ve identified what makes up comprehensive solid waste and recycling programs, with communities comparable in size. We’ve talked about what different solid waste models can be used.?
Currently, residents in both townships use ‘subscription services,? securing their own waste haulers. However, Collinson noted there are other options. Some municipalities have their own trucks and provide services, others contract one waste hauler for the entire community. She said there are other ways of requiring levels of services through ordinances and the licensing of haulers.
During the last few study meetings, discussion has focused on conversion technologies, one of the original goals of the study. Conversion technologies offer alternatives to dumping waste in landfills. Examples of the alternative technology includes plasma arc, in which heat is used to convert waste into energy; anaerobic digestion? composting in the absence of oxygen, which Collinson said is done in a vessel of some kind; and refuse-derived fuel, using refuse to create a fuel.
Last week was the deadline for companies to contact RRS to offer potential plans. Collinson said there were nine responses and RRS will interview them later this month to see if they have feasible options.
No conclusions have been drawn from the CCIRF study yet, which is set to conclude at the beginning of May.
‘Then, it will be up to the communities,? said Collinson.
‘Recommendations will be made and the community officials will take it back to their communities for approval to move forward.?