Debris blocks use of waste-to-energy plant

Miami-Dade County’s massive waste-to-energy conversion plant in Doral is still non-operational more than two months after a fire sparked on Superbowl Sunday, destroying much of the facility and equipment.

“The fire has been cleaned up now for at least a couple of weeks, but not all the debris from the fire has been taken out yet so that still needs to be cleaned up and moved to other facilities or other landfills,” said Commissioner Juan Carlos Bermudez, who represents Miami-Dade County’s District 12, which encompasses Doral.

Shortly after 2 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 12, a fire erupted at the county-owned resource recovery facility in Doral, which is operated by Covanta. Emergency personnel responded to the industrial fire, which quickly spread to four buildings on the site.

Officials said a conveyor belt was the suspected cause. The plant, which is 40 years old, is in much need of upgrades. The site has also been controversial, as Doral residents have continually complained of the smell, increased truck traffic and other negative impacts.

Mr. Bermudez, a resident and immediate past mayor of Doral, said he and his fellow county commissioners have been exploring new locations and technologies for the waste-to-energy plant.

Last July, the county commission voted to build a new facility in the same location, but it became clear residents wanted it elsewhere. When Mr. Bermudez assumed his role as District 12 commissioner earlier this year, he proffered a motion to rescind the original decision.

“Seven of the people on the dais had already voted to keep it there, so I had to try to get them to change their point of view, number one, and then number two to reopen the discussion as to where the future site would be and the type of technology that would be best,” said Mr. Bermudez.

On March 7, county commissioners unanimously agreed and the original plan to build a new facility on the same ground was thrown out. The new resolution authorized county Mayor Daniella Levine Cava to explore other possible sites for the facility and alternative technologies for disposing of solid waste without incinerators.

Mr. Bermudez said he would like to consider technological options different from the current waste-to-energy facility, as he explained most plants of that nature have been shut down around the nation.

“Many more have closed than have opened, and the only one that’s really open is in Florida in West Palm Beach. I’ve toured that facility and it has much newer technology than this waste-to-energy plant, which is 40 years old, so regardless of whether it’s waste-to-energy or another type of technology it’s going to have to be much more modern,” said Mr. Bermudez.

While waste-to-energy plants help reduce bulky trash, the incineration of garbage emits toxic chemicals detrimental to neighboring residents’ health. At the commission’s March 7 meeting, more than a dozen Doral residents expressed concerns about the long-term health effects.

Last year, a county report identified about 230 potential sites at the time the contract for the site was being extended. The list has since been narrowed to four preferable sites. One is within Medley.

“The city of Medley sent a letter to me, the board of commissioners and the county mayor that they are interested in having the facility moved to that parcel of land that was one of the finalists, which would put it further north than Doral,” Mr. Bermudez said.

Doral residents, including Mr. Bermudez, support moving the site out of the area, but the idea is a hard sell as other officials don’t want the negative side effects like the smell and increased truck traffic.

The mayor’s office is to identify new sites and possible technologies to be used at the plant within 90 days of the commission’s directive, which puts the deadline at June 7.