Upstate Shredding Moving Indoors

Upstate Shredding, located in Owego, N.Y., is in the process of making significant changes to its 17 acre facility. The changes ultimately will result in a majority of the equipment and operations to be moved indoors. The move includes having the company’s auto shredder operate under a building.

According to Adam Weitsman, president of Upstate Shredding, the goal of moving to a covered operation is being done to safely handle and pre-treat and process any stormwater on the site. Despite the company already having a facility that is fully covered by concrete, Weitsman says that the construction of four buildings, which will house the raw material, shredder, eddy current separator and the auto fluff, should remedy any stormwater runoff issues. He notes that New York state has stringent stormwater regulations, and installing the four buildings, which are as high as 65 feet, should ensure the company is in compliance with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

By installing the four buildings to house the operations the company is being proactive, Weitsman adds. The first two buildings are expected to be complete by the end of this year, while the third and fourth buildings should be complete early next year.

The company does not expect that there will be any changes in the actual operations of the facility. Even with crane operators, the company feels that the roof is high enough there won’t be any significant problem with the operation.

Further down the road the company hopes to enclose the operations of its feeder yards, which are located in the New York area.

Along with the installation of the building, the company, along with Peak Environmental, the company involved in the construction project, also will be working to install a water treatment facility on the site.

According Gary Caldwell, VP of Upstate Shredding, the steps are the first "green" treatment system at a shredding facility in the state.

"The things that we are doing here are things that will last and will keep us well ahead of any regulations which may be formulated."