WM Dedicates MRF in Topeka, Kan.

New facility will process material from Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri.

Houston-based Waste Management Inc. (WM) says it has officially dedicated its newest material recovery facility (MRF) in Topeka, Kan. The MRF is located at the company’s Rolling Meadows Recycling and Disposal facility.

“The MRF allows us to help the region go green by increasing single-stream recycling services,” said Kent Harrell, WM director of collection operations, during a grand opening ceremony. “The Rolling Meadows MRF is an important step in our efforts to expand recycling options for customers in Topeka, Shawnee County (Kansas) and surrounding areas.”

“The Rolling Meadows material recovery facility will yield major environmental and economic benefits to northeast Kansas by providing an efficient system for recycling and marketing a significant part of our household and commercial waste streams,” said Aaron Dunkel, deputy secretary for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. “There are many benefits of increased recycling, including conservation of valuable landfill space and natural resources, reduced pollution in product manufacturing, and new jobs to collect and process recyclables.”

Ted Ensley, a Shawnee County Commissioner, said, “The material recovery facility allows Shawnee County to grow as a regional center and make it a greener place to live and work. We are proud to work with Waste Management on this investment that will lessen the environmental footprint of the county and the region.”