The company that hopes to someday process Lane County’s organic waste and recyclables opened their doors for a tour recently.
At a Bulk Handling System’s facility in Eugene, the company displayed a giant metal screen that can separate fiber – like paper – from containers. Small objects, such as bottle caps or grit, fall through.
The company also showed off an arm-claw robot, along with an AI quality control system that can scan objects, and made its staff available to answer the public’s questions.
All that equipment was built for the CleanLane project, a $150 million facility that will process organic waste and recyclables diverted from the landfill.
Bulk Handling Systems CEO Steve Miller said the equipment the public saw Thursday is just a sample of what the company plans to build.
“Waste comes in one side and transportation fuel comes out the other. That’s unique,” Miller said. “And that’s something that we’re working with communities all over the world to develop.”
In addition to natural gas produced, Miller said the processed organic material can be used as dirt to cover the Short Mountain Landfill. He anticipates Lane County’s waste could be used to showcase modern techniques for handling waste.
“We believe that once it's in operation, we’ll see every jurisdiction in the United States, and around the world that have an interest in waste management to come here, tour the facility and really understand what’s possible,” Miller said.
Miller said some of the machinery can’t be built until the county provides a building. Other pieces are temporarily going into storage.
Lane County spokesperson Devon Ashbridge said the county is considering whether to move the project from its original Goshen location, to Short Mountain Landfill amidst legal challenges and land-use issues. Many garbage haulers oppose the project as well as people who live near the proposed Goshen location.
Ashbridge said that plan was originally cost-prohibitive but design updates have shrunk the footprint of the project, and due to legal challenges, building at their original planned location is more expensive than originally planned.
The tour of Bulk Handling Systems was one of several events that environmental groups Mindful Earth Society, Beyond Toxics and Bring Recycling featured as a part of the Eugene Environmental Film festival schedule.
One of the featured festival films is about waste sorting and management. That film, as well as others focused on climate change and environmental issues, will be available to watch online Oct. 20 through Nov. 2.
