If you live in the Town of Tonawanda you could soon see a cheaper energy bill. The board approved a project that would turn the landfill on E. Park Drive into a solar panel farm.
Councilman John Bargnesi said the benefit is two-fold.
"The benefits will benefit the town residents directly because it's going to cut way back on our cost of electricity and it's a good re-use of the landfill," said Bargnesi. "I think we're one of the first in the area to actually venture off into that (solar panel farming) also."
A report in the Ken-Ton Bee reveals 8,500 panels will occupy the land. Bargnesi says the project isn't costing the town anything right now because a private company is investing in the project.
The board also gave Triad Recycling the green light to start expanding their recycling facility on River Road.
"Our expansion is an opportunity to add products that we can recycle, like grinding up drywall that comes from construction projects then sell it to farmers," said Chris Guard the president of Triad. "We also grind up shingles and sell that to the asphalt plants."
When the expansion is complete Triad will operate on nearly 25 acres and become one of the first in the state to recycle mattresses.
The $1.5 million projects incorporates plans that will get residents involved in recycling by having drop-boxes open six days a week.
Triad recycles construction debris producing nearly 30% of reusable products like wood chips or cement.
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