Johnson Controls Inc. (JCI) has announced that an air permit it has received from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) has become effective. The air permit will be used at the company’s proposed battery recycling facility in Florence, S.C. Last June, the company announced plans to invest around $150 million to build a recycling plant in the mid-Atlantic area. The company hopes to begin production at the plant by the summer of 2012.
In announcing the receipt of the air permit, the company says that the air permit is the first one issued for a battery recycling facility in the United States in close to 20 years.
Johnson Control says that it accomplished the task by following a thorough and collaborative process that involved local and national environmental groups, as well as area government officials and members of the local community.
The permit covers the control of emissions from the facility and outlines monitoring requirements to assure all state and federal standards are achieved.
"This air permit is a great example of how business, regulatory agencies, advocates and local communities can work together in a transparent manner to achieve results that benefit all of those involved," says Alex Molinaroli, president for Power Solutions at Johnson Controls.
DHEC issued the air permit to Johnson Controls early this year, following a 60-day public comment period. Following the issuance of the permit, several local environmental groups appealed the permit. A key area of concern was the modeling methodology and control of emissions. To assuage the concerns, Johnson Controls worked in a collaborative method with the environmental groups to remedy the situation.
"We appreciate the cooperative efforts of Johnson Controls and DHEC," says Nancy Cave, North Coast office director for CCL. "The final agreement will further mitigate emissions providing additional safeguards to the community and the environment. The outcome is the result of a successful working relationship for the good of the community."
To ensure a positive response by the local community, over the past year, Johnson Controls hosted public meetings, encouraging the local community to become involved in the process.
"This initial investment is part of our overall strategy to add recycling capacity in the United States," says Mike Carr, vice president and general manager of Johnson Controls’ Lead business. "This will enable us to continue to responsibly recycle our customers' spent batteries while reducing our reliance on outside suppliers."