Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, June 26, 1990 TAG: 9006260095
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV7 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RICK LINDQUIST CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: DUBLIN LENGTH: Medium
Elander pointed out that state guidelines will require towns to recycle at least 25 percent of their solid waste by 1995. And, at his urging, Town Council last week unanimously resolved to study the possibility of setting up the vacant Burlington Industries plant in Newbern "as a regional technology-development and recyclable-processing facility."
"The processing and reprocessing of recyclable materials is becoming increasingly important," the resolution noted.
"We know that we've got a wonderful facility sitting there - the Burlington Plant with over 500,000 square feet and a terminal, and the surrounding acreage," Elander told Council.
The town has been negotiating with Burlington officials to purchase the property, on 385 acres just outside town limits, for conversion to an "industrial incubator" facility.
Elander's resolution called on the town to get together with other New River Valley jurisdictions to attract a remanufacturing operation to the plant that would utilize such recyclables as plastics.
"For example, they're working on ways to take plastics that are all ground up, process the plastics of various types, and turn them into a raw product," Elander explained.
He said the raw, recycled plastic then could be remade into such items as park benches and parking bumpers.
The town administrator said the Regional Planning District Commission has encouraged towns to get together to attack the recycling issue on a regional basis.
And he said that the state Department of Waste Management has called on towns to adopt the same approach to the marketing of recyclables.
Elander noted that the Virginia Center for Innovative Technology is attempting to pair public and private investment to explore and encourage new manufacturing technologies. And he said the CIT is looking for regional locations where they might encourage companies to start up recycling operations.
"It's an idea, it's only an idea," Elander stressed. "Everything that's coming together statewide says, `Why not the Burlington Plant?' "
The resolution suggests that the effort "might result in the creation of local employment" and the development of new businesses associated with recycling.
In a related matter, Town Council approved Councilman David Stanley's resolution to add newspaper collections to the town's recently established recycling effort.
"We are recycling and I hope everybody's participating," said Stanley, who has been behind town efforts to provide containers to collect glass and aluminum for recycling.
"Please take advantage of them," Stanley urged.
He said newspaper collection will take place on second and fourth Wednesdays. He said residents with recyclable newspaper should call the town's utility department on the collection days.
Stanley said that he hopes to be able to announce a drop-off point for newspaper from out-of-town residents.
"Plastic, of course, is the big thing, and we hope to be in a position to start recycling plastics before too long,` he said.
Stanley said William Macie - who owns a large trailer - has agreed to transport the newsprint to Cycle Systems in Roanoke each week and to donate any proceeds to the Pulaski County Humane Society.
"So we don't make any money out of this paper, but we do keep it out of the landfill," Stanley said. "We do make a dent."
Stanley said Dublin has made a small amount of money through the sale of recyclable glass and aluminum.
by CNB