C&D Transfer Station Looking to Be Built in Ohio

The Stark County, Ohio,  Health Department is poised to issue a demolition materials transfer site permit to a company out of New Jersey that will be operating on a two-acre plot of ground in Louisville's industrial park.

According to Stark County Health Commissioner Bill Franks, this may be the only county in the state that requires licensing for transfer station operations, and state laws do not cover them.

"But, in order to get a license, the transfer station must transfer only construction and demolition materials," Franks specified, "no auto fluff, industrial waste or solid waste is allowed."

A different company tried to get a permit to operate a transfer station at the same location two to three years ago, and when asked about the differences between the two, Franks explained the previous company had wanted the county to give them a variance because they wanted to transfer up to 50 percent solid waste, which the Ohio EPA allows. "We told them no, so they closed up the operation," Franks informed.

"But this company (Hudson Logistics Inc. out of Passaic, N.J.) told us that's all they want to transfer is C&D material. So, until they would violate these rules, we're pretty much obligated to approve their application for a permit."

The application for the site permit states the property is owned by Groffre Investments and Hudson Logistics will be leasing at least two acres of ground to operate on. The "anticipated" total demolition material to be transferred yet this year is listed as 25,000 tons with a total yearly transfer capacity anticipated at 100,000 tons.

The construction and demolition debris trans-load operations plan submitted by Hudson Logistics Inc. states the site is located with access to Broadway Road Northeast on the west boundary and runs along the Norfolk Southern rail line to the south, giving it direct rail access from the Norfolk Southern Canton Rail Yard, which is on the west side of Broadway Road.

The operations plan indicates the facility will only accept construction and demolition debris for trans-load and no other material will be delivered into the facility. Material delivered to the site will be properly inspected and segregated at its origin to insure the material delivered consists only of C&D debris.

The C&D debris will be delivered to the site on railcars and will be spotted for trans-load along the side of the off-loading platform, which will consist of an existing 6-foot high retaining wall and an earth platform. The material will be loaded with an excavator directly onto a waiting truck. No material will be stockpiled on the ground for any reason, and dust suppression will be accomplished by the use of water nozzles.

The loaded trucks will be tarped and driven to a licensed C&D disposal location for final disposal. The site will be inspected at the end of each day to ensure no material accidentally fell to the ground.

According to Franks, there are two C&D landfills in Stark County, Stark C&D and Minerva Enterprises, that could accept the debris. However, the health department is currently embroiled in a legal battle with Stark C&D over the denial of its petition to expand. The C&D material could also be taken to any licensed C&D landfill in any county nearby, Franks said, such as exist in Mahoning and Portage counties, or to a solid waste landfill, which would be more expensive.

Franks informed the land is currently being annexed into the city of Louisville (effective Oct. 20), and said the permit application will not be approved until after that date as a letter of responsibility from the responsible fire department must also be received. In addition, the permit will not be approved until Hudson Logistics Inc. secures a bond required by the county health department to cover any unpaid expenses, if necessary.

Louisville's Planning Commission approved a similar use determination on Monday evening that allows the transfer facility to operate under the current zoning on the site, which is I-2 industrial. Louisville City Manager Tom Ault also indicated the transfer station is to be located in the old Macomber facility, which has been zoned industrial for decades.

When asked what would happen if the annexation of the property into Louisville is held up for any reason, Franks indicated the health department would still approve the permit application for Hudson Logistics. He explained in that case, the only thing that would change, as far as they are concerned, would be the responsible fire department, which would then be Nimishillen Township instead of Louisville.

Franks said the health department will be stopping in to check the operation each week, and says even though those visits may not be full-blown inspections, they will be looking for anything out of order or questionable, and they have the staff to handle these spot checks.

"We've already been getting calls and activity on our Web site about the permit application," Franks said, "and one of the main things people seem to be worried about is the fact that the transfer station will run 24 hours a day. But it would be up to the city to change that, based on how it impacts the community, and I'm not sure they could even make a change regarding those hours very easily." Alliance (Ohio) Review