NC City Council Okays Permit For C&D Recycling Plant, Landfill

A committee subgroup of the High Point, N.C., City Council endorsed a franchise permit for a new landfill and recycling plant in south High Point that will accept construction and demolition debris from four counties.

The permit for MRR of High Point, a sister company of Material Reclamation of Raleigh, details how and when the landfill can operate and High Point's enforcement and oversight role.

After much debate last fall, the city approved the purchase and rezoning of land for the company to build a landfill and recycling plant. The construction and demolition debris it will take is not accepted by the city's landfill.

Following regulations, the company returned to the city for approval of its plan to take debris from an area including Guilford County, parts of Forsyth County, Randolph County and Davidson County.

MRR has already spent about $1.57 million on its plans to develop the new site. Tom Terrell, a High Point attorney representing the company, said they plan to invest a total of $6.5 million in the project.

The company estimates the projected life of the landfill at 25 years, but says it could last more than 40 years.

The company's new site will recycle roughly 60 to 75 percent of the debris.

"I was one of the most skeptical when it came to the franchise permit," Arnold Koonce, Mayor of High Point, told council members as they reviewed the plans. "But now, we ought to be able to make the deal work."

Koonce said he was originally confused about the company's recycling process and had concerns about the size of area from which the company planned to allow debris.

The company narrowed its geographical parameters from its original plan, accepting less from surrounding counties and explained its recycling plans.

The franchise agreement must be voted on by the whole council at two separate meetings before it's official.