Waste Authority Hoping for $13M Project to Recover Metals from Incinerator Ash

Lancaster Online

Who cares about incinerator ash?

Well, the Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority for one. The authority hopes to launch a $13 million recycling project that would recover tiny bits of gold, silver, aluminum, copper and zinc from the 165,000 tons of ash from waste burned annually in incinerators in Lancaster and Harrisburg.

The project — one of the first in the United States — could mean the recovery of about 7,000 tons of ferrous and non-ferrous metals a year, netting perhaps $1.7 million for the authority.

It also would increase the county’s recycling rate and slightly increase available space in the Frey Farm Landfill in Manor Township.

Thousands of tons of valuable metals are being landfilled every year,” said James Warner, the authority’s chief executive officer.

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