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Show i Autoclave location concerns operators By SCOTT SUMMERILL LAYTON The proposed autoclave to be built and operated by the Davis County Solid Waste Management and Energy Recovery Special Service District (SWMERS) has been granted the necessary permits from state and local entities to begin construction, but workers at the bum plant are reluctant to see the facility go up inside in-side their boundaries. SWMERS Director LeGrand Bitter said if construction were to start now, the infectious waste treatment plant could be ready to go into operation this September. However, the final plans for the plant have not been submitted, and the county guidelines for the treatment treat-ment plant are still in the drafting stage. In addition, the site of the autoclave is still undecided, and that has operators of the burn plant concerned. con-cerned. The bum plant is operated by Davis Energy Systems (DES), who is also responsible for the maintenance of the plant and grounds surrounding the facility. The original site of the autoclave, and one that's still being considered, con-sidered, would put the autoclave within the boundaries of DES responsibility. Since the autoclave will be controlled con-trolled and operated exclusively by SWMERS. DES Director Bart Thompson said he would rather have the facility built outside his sphere of control to ensure the DES is not held liable for any problems resulting from the autoclave, which is designed to sterilize medical and infectious waste so it can be safely incinerated. "We're responsible for maintaining maintain-ing the land within the fence," he said. 41 If 30 years from now they take a sample and find contamination, contamina-tion, we don't want to be responsible responsi-ble for it. They have plenty of land outside the fence, and we prefer the autoclave not be on our side of it " In spite of their concern, Thompson Thomp-son said the DES would not offer a major protest or create a conflict if the autoclave is built within their maintenance boundary. SWMERS officials have looked at alternative sites outside the DES area, and though a final decision has not been made, most believe the plant will be built "outside the fence. SWMERS officials hope to have final plans for the plant and ap- proval from the board of directors to begin construction within a couple cou-ple of weeks. Once operational, the autoclave is expected to boost the cash flow to the district. Utah produces between ( 5 and 6 tons of infectious waste j each day, and Davis County puts i out around a half ton. There are limited lim-ited facilities for disposing such materials, ma-terials, and the going rate for treat- 9 ment is about 45 cents per pound. Officials say the autoclave will handle most of the infectious waste produced in Davis County, plus much of what the state produces. In addition, there may be waste shipped in from other states. The resulting increase in cash flow could provide some needed relief to the financially strapped waste disposal district. |