What Happened?
Austin has constructed an eco-industrial park on a closed municipal landfill that plans to house businesses able to convert recyclable materials into new products. City officials will accept a $1 million federal grant to support the project, which is expected to generate new manufacturing jobs to a struggling region of the city.
The Goal
According to the Austin Chronicle, Austin currently sends most of its recyclable materials overseas to be remanufactured. The process of sorting the waste materials domestically and then shipping the recyclables internationally was cost-effective in the past few decades. But Austin wants to create jobs and boost its local markets, and has created its eco-industrial park to turn waste materials into important products within city limits.
The Austin [re]Manufacturing Hub is designed to “host reuse and recycling manufacturing industries” that will convert materials generated locally into new products. The park is located on a closed municipal landfill and aims to create sustainable recycling markets while reducing transportation costs and greenhouse gas emissions. The park is targeting specific industries to fill its lots including:
- Construction and demolition salvage
- Scrap plastics processing
- Paper and wood fiber recycling
- Glass processing or manufacturing facility
- Scrap tires processing and manufacturing
- Computer electronics reuse, repair and recycling
- Appliance repair operations
Expected to be completed by the Fall of 2015, the eco-industrial park aims to create 1,250 jobs and push Austin closer to a zero waste goal thanks in part to a $1 million federal grant and $30 million investment from the private sector.
Federal Support
Austin accepted a $1 million grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration that will support water and sewer infrastructure improvements specific to the eco-industrial park development. The federal grant is awarded to local projects focused on rebuilding American manufacturing as well as green industries that drive sustainability. Austin plans to support zero waste jobs and industries, starting with attracting green businesses to the eco-industrial park.
The U.S. Economic Development Administration provides organizations and communities with financial support for projects that aim to benefit both the public and private sector. The projects should focus on sustainable growth and smart city strategies, with the EDA funding efforts to boost job creation and attract private investment. The EDA works with local economic development officials to implement long-term programs in economically distressed regions of the country.
The city of Austin has also provided matching funds of the federal grant, bumping the total to $2 million in public sector support. The program is being run by Austin Resource Recovery, which provides the city with green services focused on smart resource management. Austin Resource Recovery is a key driver of the Austin Resource Recovery Master Plan that outlines numerous strategies to cut the amount of waste sent to landfills by 90 percent by 2040, edging closer toward zero waste status.
No Time For Waste
Gov1 has reported on a variety of strategies aimed at achieving zero waste status, most of which are supported by financial support from the public and private sectors combined.
Promo: Austin has transformed an unused landfill into an eco-industrial park to fuel green manufacturing and economic growth.