The project site where the Hamtramck Resource Recovery Center (“HRRC”) will be constructed was previously used for manufacturing and warehousing, but has been used sparingly over the past five years. It currently sits idle, with no productive use. The existing buildings on the property will be razed and a new, 252,000 SF structure will be built. The new building will be LEED certified and include floor space for waste processing, biofuel production, offices, training and educational center. The exterior of the plant will include weigh scales, inbound and outbound truck staging areas and a citizen’s drop-off area.
All receiving, storage and processing of material will be done inside the plant. The HRRC will utilize two basic technologies to process in-bound waste:
- Material separation, sortation and reclamation
- Mechanical heat treatment (“MHT”) of organic material
MHT uses steam to break down the organics into a uniform biomass – no material is burned or incinerated. The facility will process municipal solid waste, yard/organic waste and recyclables from both residential and commercial customers. The plant will receive waste originating from Wayne, Macomb and Oakland counties and will have the capacity to process 1,000 tons of waste per day. The HRRC will operate two shifts over a six-day week while providing new, full time employment to 100-120 individuals.
The HRRC has received support from local, county, state and federal officials. The city leaders, in particular, have embraced Green Power’s request to build its first facility in their community. They realize that Green Power’s revitalization of a Brownfield property and introduction of a sustainable technology to optimize resource recovery and biofuel production will not only provide a significant economic benefit to the city, but will also have a positive impact on the city’s image.
