Grossman Group Finds Potential New Home

The board of trustees of the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO), Grove City, has approved an agreement that could bring a paper recycling operation to a portion of its retired waste-to-energy (WTE) facility.

If the City of Columbus approves the agreement, the Columbus-based Grossman Group would move to the tipping floor area of the plant and its surrounding 21,000 sq. ft. of space. The long-time paper recycling company needs to move from its current location in south Columbus.

SWACO estimates that more than 50 percent of the material taken to the Franklin County landfill is paper, generated primarily from commercial and industrial customers. As part of the lease agreement, Grossman would install conveyors, pickers and a baler at the plant to separate the recoverable paper from the trash. SWACO would then haul the residual trash away.

At full operation, the proposed Grossman facility at the former WTE facility could recover 30,000 tons of paper annually, SWACO estimates. That amount would reduce the tonnage hauled to the Franklin County landfill by 3 percent each year. To encourage haulers to bring their high fiber content loads to the Grossman operation, SWACO would offer a reduced tipping fee for such loads.

Grossman would pay a fee to SWACO as part of its lease at the WTE facility.

If the plan becomes reality, Grossman would be able to retain 12 current employees and add another dozen, the company estimates.