Groveland Twp.-The township board of trustees is expected to sign a resolution at the 7 p.m., Oct. 13 meeting, joining six other Oakland County communities forming a task force researching and evaluating new technology to contend with solid waste.
‘There are better ways to deal with waste than landfills,? said Bob DePalma, township supervisor. ‘I’m happy that other communities are joining to take a look at alternatives’keeping focused is the key.?
Earlier this year, Brandon and Groveland were part of the waste hauling services study conducted by Resource Recycling Systems of Ann Arbor and paid for through a Capital and Cooperative Initiative Revolving Fund Grant (CCIRF). Other northern Oakland County communities in the study were Independence Township, Springfield Township, Waterford, White Lake, and West Bloomfield.
The supervisors of the respective communities met on Aug. 31 and jointly decided they would not proceed with forming a solid waste authority.
‘Right now small communities like Groveland Township are prime to have a landfill jammed down our throats,? he said.
‘Our goal is to determine which method is best for our needs. There are energy grants available to offset the costs of the project and jointly we can work on writing those grants.?
While no specific technology or location for the facility was identified, DePalma suggested an autoclave. The system is a six-step process which begins with household waste delivered to the facility, where it’s sterilized in an autoclave. The waste is separated into organic pulp and recyclable, before it’s converted to syngas, which can be used to generate energy.