“The city of Lancaster stands to be the first Net-Zero City in America,” says Mayor R. Rex Parris. “I support innovative public-private partnerships which promote green energy development and maximize our available resources. The long-term success of Lancaster hinges on our ability to position ourselves as a leader in alternative energy production.”

The proposed development agreement between the city of Lancaster and Ecolution represents an innovative way of looking at how the city manages and utilizes waste streams. Each year, thousands of tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) are deposited in local landfills, with millions of dollars in untapped recyclable materials being buried beneath the earth.

Ecolution’s facility would use state of the art technology to mine, separate, and recover up to 85% of the recycled materials that currently exist in Lancaster’s waste stream. This represents an approximate efficiency increase of 49%. At capacity, the Materials Recovery and Conversion Facility could generate up to $5 million in annual revenue for the city, while sustaining nearly 200 permanent green collar jobs. During construction, the facility would create nearly 100 construction-related jobs for the community.

“Economic development remains a top priority as the city of Lancaster continues to work with local businesses through these challenging economic times,” said Council Member Marvin Crist. “Our goal is to support as many local businesses and opportunities as possible, in order to create more local jobs.”

This partnership also provides several other direct benefits to the city. Currently, residents within Lancaster utilize three separate curbside bins for solid waste collection. This represents three waste streams that include trash, recyclables, and organic waste such as grass clippings and mulch, which are manually separated. Utilizing Ecolution’s GreenStream System, the number of bins would be reduced to one, thereby eliminating the costs associated with additional service trucks, drop-off locations, and multiple waste deposit sites.

If approved, the agreement will require Lancaster’s waste stream to be directed to Ecolution’s proposed MRF. Under a separate Exclusive Negotiating Agreement, the city will work with Ecolution to identify a site for the facility. In return, Ecolution will locate its facility in Lancaster and provide the city with a per ton host fee.

“Implementing a system to maximize waste stream flow and recovery is crucial in meeting the future economic needs and energy demands of this community,” said Tim Fuller, Ecolution President.