Peter Katzburg (background) listens to business partner Frank Wrenn address a group of citizens regarding Plasma Arc Technology. The businessman organized the Town Hall meeting, held at the Alex Chatman Complex last Thursday in an effort to answer questions about the technology that is waiting County Council approval. (Photo by Michaele Duke)
On Thursday, January 25, a small crowd gathered at the Alex Chatman Complex to hear about a recycling technology for Williamsburg County. Plasma Enhanced Melter (PEM) is a waste treatment technology, which uses an extremely high temperature in an oxygen-starved chamber to reduce waste to its elemental form. Plasma Arc Technology (PAT) co-owners Peter Katzburg and Frank Wrenn are planning to locate a system in the County. They held the informational meeting to answer questions and address a month’s worth of speculation.
The group included Art Braswell, Braswell Consulting LLC. Braswell who worked for DHEC for over 30 years is a specialist on air permits, guided Katzburg and Wrenn throughout the permitting process. Sharla E. Savage, Vice President, S2 Engineering and Consulting also attended the meeting and answered questions.
With plasma arc technology there is no burning or incineration and no formation of ash. The PAT site will recycle e-waste such as computer parts, cell phones, spent pharmaceuticals. The end products will be used for road aggregate, and sandblasting grit among other uses.
The technology Katzburg and Wrenn are bringing to Williamsburg County was first introduced in 2002 by the Department of Commerce. Since then several public hearings have been held. The only hurdle remaining is County Council’s commitment to provide 30 acres (3 parcels) of land located at the Industrial Park off Highway 52 North, adjacent to Sykes. “We pursued our effort to bring jobs to Williamsburg County and bring this project here for a long period of time, based on the commitment that we got from the county that was focused on the site-specific property that we would be using for our process,” said Wrenn. “Had we not had those commitments and continuing commitments, we would not have pursued it.”
Katzburg described the process as “end-of-life “ recycling which takes on a whole new meaning when it comes to the disposal of drugs. For example, Katzburg said outdated and incorrectly manufactured pharmaceuticals that end up in landfills can find their way to flea markets where people think they are buying the real thing. “Manufactures want their product destroyed and that is what we offer,” said Katzburg.
As waste is broken down, it produces syngas; a gas mixture that Katzburg said would be sold to producers of electricity. “Electricity is our single largest component of the cost structure. More so than employees.” said Katzburg. “What we’re trying to do is minimize our cost.” He added though there are many projects that are solely devoted to generating electricity from syngas, he does not believe the model works. “We will make our profit from tipping fees. Every state has disposal costs for e-waste and that’s what we’re looking for.”
Besides pharmaceuticals, computers and cells phones, the industry may consider other waste streams, none of which, according to Wrenn are hazardous. “What we intend to do and are permitted to do is process non-hazardous solid waste.”
Wrenn said the technology is an environmentally responsible way to process e-waste. “We felt like there was a better way to process waste than just dumping it into a landfill.” In 2011, South Carolina banned e-waste from landfills. “And as many of you know, a landfill is not a real popular idea down in this neck of the woods.”
Some were unconvinced, paralleling Wrenn’s statement to their mistrust of local government during two failed attempts to locate a landfill within the County. “Still untested, still makes us Guinea Pigs, still don’t trust what may happen down the road, still other people’s trash,” said Tommy Stuckey. However, John Battiste saw the problem as a lack of communication. “I think if we use those channels (community meetings) again to inform the community and have their participation…because who are here tonight does not represent the entire County,” said Battiste. “You make the move you need to make and the community will go out and pass the word.”
The $25 million investment is anticipated to break ground within three to six months and will employee up to 75 workers, most of which will receive training through the state. Though the company has negotiated a fee in lieu of taxes, it is estimated that it will pay approximately $446,000 in taxes. The company also has provided a bond in the form of a letter of credit to which DHEC can call upon in the event the business fails.