Georgia City, C&D Recycler Look for Resolution

 The city of Savannah, Ga., and Atlas Waste and Recycling Systems have been going back and forth over the operation of the C&D processing facility. After tens of thousands of dollars in fines and complaints from both parties over the operations of the recycling operation, it appears the two sides are finding some common ground to remedy the problems.

Atlas Waste opened its facility three years ago as a recycling center for construction and demolition waste. Sixty percent of the materials brought in to the facility was to be crushed, recycled and shipped out for re-use within 90 days. Everything that couldn't be processed was to betaken to a landfill within two days of its arrival. But almost from the beginning, officials say, the waste began growing to several times its 14-footpermitted height.

According to Mike Ruth, a consultant hired by Atlas, the original plan was for the material to be sourced, with the material that couldn’t be extracted shipped to a landfill that Atlas expected to have permitted at the same time as the recycling facility.

However, the permitting for the landfill has been slowed, resulting in Atlas being forced to use alternate sources to dispose of the nonrecyclable material. The high cost of shipping to alternate disposal sites has magnified the problem for Atlas.

Another problem for Atlas was one of the key end markets for some of the C&D waste closed. The facility was expected to take in a significant amount of the fibrous C&D waste and use it for boiler fuel. However, the closure of the end market left Atlas with one less avenue for its material.

In February 2000, the state of Georgia entered into a consent agreement with Atlas to bring the company into compliance. When progress had not been made by September, fines were issued by the state Environmental Protection Division, of which $33,000 had been paid by January. Atlas now must pay $30,000 in fines to the city, and has a superior court order forcing compliance of the consent agreement with the EPD.

Dan McInnis, the city engineer for the city of Savannah, says that Atlas as of late has become compliant on several problems, although the company has a number of other issues that need to be taken care of before they are fully in compliance.

Earlier this month state Superior Court Judge James Bass Jr. signed a consent order that demands Atlas reduce its piles of concrete, wood, metal and other building waste to permitted levels within 180days.

The mounds were not supposed to exceed 14 feet in height, but have grown to several times that size. The city estimates 75,000cubic yards of waste now sit on the property.

Ruth says that one of the biggest holdups has been the delay in obtaining the permits for the landfill. “If Atlas gets the permit for the landfill, they will be in compliance within six months.”

He adds that the landfill permit could be close at hand, which could speed up the removal of a sizable amount of the C&D waste at the site.