Recycling plant could bring 1,400 jobs to area

A recycling plant apparently coming to Herington could provide 1,400 jobs to the area, including Marion County.

According to the Herington Times, a Florida-based company that recycles solid waste into green value added usable products is looking to build a manufacturing park north of Herington.

Earlier this month, Dickinson County officials signed a commitment letter with Waste Not Technologies of Destin, Fla., to provide land located at the intersection of Kansas Highway 4 and U.S. Highway 77 and the company with more than 1,000 tons of municipal waste per day.

At the Herington site, WNT, LLC, which is owned by Global Green Holdings LLC, is proposing to build a GreenPark, which consists of 10 manufacturing businesses that will locate around a solid waste processing facility or separation facility that sorts the waste, with the exception of hazardous waste, into raw material streams.

That solid waste is sold to the different mini mills located at the site and they use the materials to manufacture green-based products.

?They?ve developed technology that rather than putting this material into landfills, they can take 95 percent of solid waste and manufacture it into usable products such as plastic railroad ties,? said Dickinson County administration director Brad Homman. In late September, Dickinson County commissioners approved a motion to purchase 235.2 acres of land located at the northwest corner of K-4 and U.S. 77. The one-year options, if exercised, would result in a final purchase price on the property of $611,704.

He said WNT will likely receive tax abatements similar to what the city of Abilene used when the Russell Stover Candy plant came to Abilene. Russell Stover received a 10-year tax abatement.

Homman said WNT proposed investing $150 million locally and create 1,400 jobs once three shifts of employees are hired. He said the company is ready to break ground soon.

?I?ve been told they?d like to break ground as early as December,? he said.

Homman said he expects the new jobs will draw employees not only from the local economy but the region as well.

?We?re looking at seeing not only residents of Herington and Dickinson County (hired), but people will also be driving in from Salina, Junction City, Marion and Hillsboro,? he said. ?You are going to see people jumping at the opportunity to get a well-paying job.?

?From the Herington Times

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