So, the big news in Ames is that the City Council had this super special meeting last Wednesday. Why was it so special, you ask? Well, they were getting all serious about selecting a consultant to help them build a new resource recovery and recycling campus. Exciting stuff, right?
After much deliberation, the council decided to hand over a fat $50,000 contract to HDR Engineering Inc. from Omaha, Nebraska. Their job? To create a swanky new area where the city can handle all its solid waste, recyclables, and yard waste. Sounds like a pretty important gig if you ask me.
The plan is to snag about 9.5 acres on Freel Drive to construct this new facility. Think about it – all that waste being consolidated and sent off to the landfill, recyclables being shipped to recyclers, and yard waste either being composted on-site or hauled away for disposal. It’s all part of the grand scheme to make Ames a cleaner, greener place to live. And get this – the Arnold O. Chantland Resource Recovery Plant is already doing its part by recycling metals and glass, and turning waste into fuel that helps power over 4,600 homes each year. How cool is that?
But, hold up, there’s a twist in the tale. The city is moving away from waste-to-energy initiatives. Not really sure why this matters, but apparently, the whole refuse derived fuel thing is no longer cutting it. Something about boiler tubes corroding, generation units being on their last legs, and changes in emission and regulatory policies. So, they’re shifting gears and focusing on other ways to manage all that waste. Change is in the air, folks.
Oh, and get this – the Boone County Landfill is throwing a wrench in the works. They’re saying they don’t want to deal with solid waste from Ames and Story County anymore. Seems like they’re running out of space or something. So, the city is scrambling to extend their agreement for a couple more years while they get this new Resource Recovery and Recycling campus up and running. The goal? To keep things running smoothly without the waste-to-energy aspect. It’s all about adapting and finding new solutions, right?
The new campus is set to open its doors in 2027. It’s a bit of a wait, but hey, good things come to those who wait. So, mark your calendars and get ready for a whole new era of waste management in Ames. Who knew garbage could be so exciting, right?
