The Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency has selected a private consortium to develop a new organics recovery and renewable energy facility, a project officials say will change how municipal waste is managed in New York county, Bioenergy Insight reported.
The contract, issued under a request for proposals aimed at reducing landfill use and avoiding waste burning, has been awarded to a group led by Global NRG Advisory. The facility will be built on the agency’s existing 120-acre, county-owned site on Flatbush Road in Kingston.
According to the agency, the proposed plant will process household waste generated within the county using a series of steps that separate materials and treat organic waste. The organic fraction will be converted into renewable natural gas and other recovered materials. Based on local waste studies, the system is expected to divert around 60 to 70 per cent of waste from landfills and recover more than 90 percent of usable organic material.
Project supporters said treating waste in a controlled facility will reduce methane emissions compared with landfilling, supporting New York’s climate goals. They added that the project is also expected to reduce odours, limit methane leaks, cut pollution linked to long-distance waste transport, and improve water quality through on-site wastewater treatment.
The development team includes ARCO/Murray as the engineering and construction partner, Econward Tech supplying its waste treatment system, PlanET Biogas providing digestion equipment, and Van Dyk Recycling Solutions handling waste sorting and material recovery.
Chris Negus, co-founder and chief executive of Global NRG Advisory, said the award reflects Ulster County’s intention to move away from heavy dependence on landfills. He said the project would significantly reduce landfill use while producing renewable energy and protecting local air, soil and water.
Marc Rider, executive director of the Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency, said the initiative could serve as a model for other waste authorities in New York State and across the country. He noted that many regions are facing shrinking landfill capacity and rising costs for waste transport and disposal.
The project is currently in a review and contract negotiation phase. Once this process is completed, it will move on to detailed design, approvals and public consultations, followed by construction and commissioning.
