Letter writer: New recycling facility represents a step backward for WNC

Graphic by Lori Deaton

Despite its name, Regional Recycling Solutions (the new solid-waste recycling facility proposed for West Asheville along Hominy Creek) is a big step backward for recycling here in Western North Carolina.

This facility would accept 80,000 tons per day of mixed-waste garbage from households and industry, from which recyclable paper, plastic and metal would then be separated.

Two problems: One, paper soiled from being mixed with organics/garbage would be unusable for paper mills that accept post-consumer paper, and two — the bigger problem — it would discourage people and businesses from separating out their recyclables, for which so much progress has been made in the United States over the past 20 years.

The Buncombe County Board of Adjustment is having a hearing at noon on Wednesday, June 17, at 30 Valley St. in downtown Asheville, to decide whether to issue a conditional use permit to this proposed facility, which would then give [the] N.C. Department of Environmental Resources the green light to issue the necessary permits for the construction of this facility.

Is this really a step forward for recycling? Definitely not.

— Bill Chalk
Asheville

Editor’s note: The Buncombe County Board of Adjustment has changed the date of the meeting to consider Regional Recycling Solutions’ conditional use permit to noon on July 8 at 30 Valley St. in downtown Asheville.

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3 thoughts on “Letter writer: New recycling facility represents a step backward for WNC

  1. Don

    There will be a meeting for folks interested in putting a stop to this unnecessary and ill-advised facility at the Enka-Candler campus of ABTech on Tuesday, May 26th at 6:30pm in the Conference Center.

  2. A recycling facility takes a lot of room judging by the existing one on Sardis Road. I can see an advantage to having it close to the transfer station, but where on the road will they put it? The Hominy Creek Park area with river access needs to be expanded more than we need a redundant facility.

  3. Ann

    BOARD MEETING HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED TO JULY 8 AT NOON. ATTEND THE MEETING LAST NIGHT AND THERE IS ALOT THEY DID NOT HAVE ANSWERS FOR ESPECIALLY THE TRAFFIC FLOW THROUGH POND FROM SARDIS, 191 AND MACINTOSH. THIS AREA IS BAD ENOUGH WITH THROUGH TRAFFIC TO THE INTERSTATE WITHOUT ADDING TRUCK TRAFFIC OF THIS MAGNITUDE ON NARROW AND VERY CURVY ROADS (ALL OF WHICH ARE NARROW TWO LANES MADE FOR THE COUNTRY). FIND ANOTHER PLACE FOR THIS FACILITY. ALSO WITH ONLY TWO YEARS OF EXPERIENCE UNDER HIS BELT AND VAGUE ABOUT WHAT HE INTENDS TO DO WITH THE BALANCE OF THE 53 ACRES HE WANTS TO PURCHASE. THIS CANNOT BE PERMITTED TO GO FURTHER.

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