Got it Covered

With environmental regulations becoming increasingly stringent and budgets continuing to shrink, recycling and other solid waste facilities are looking for innovative solutions for physical plant upgrades. To reduce processing costs and to protect the environment, many recycling plant operators are choosing tension fabric buildings.

Tension fabric buildings, or fabric structures, can be a unique and economical method for covering containers of unprocessed material for recycling. Without protection from the elements, rain and other precipitation can cause runoff from unprocessed materials, which could potentially harm the surrounding environment. This moisture also can reduce the value of the recyclables awaiting processing or shipment.

While processors have traditionally chosen metal structures for this purpose, they may find many benefits to choosing tension fabric buildings for this application.

Glass Act
Without a curbside glass recycling program, the residents of Kansas City, Mo., were throwing away 150 million pounds of glass per year. Only 5 percent of the city's glass was being recycled (well below the U.S. average of 30 percent) because Kansas City lacked a local glass processor.

The owner and founder of a Kansas City-based brewery knew this yearly waste included an estimated 10 million empty bottles from his brewery. With the support of local companies and organizations, he started a recycling center that processes glass to sell as furnace-ready cullet to a local consumer to be turned into fiberglass.

To stay true to the environmentally friendly nature of this new business, he recognized the need to cover the containers of untreated glass to prevent ground seepage and effluent from getting into the Missouri River.

After researching the best options for covering these containers, he chose an 83-foot-wide-by-40-foot-long Clear-

Span Hercules truss arch building. The structure was installed directly over the existing glass containers. One end was left open to allow easy access for trucks and forklifts.

Since its start in 2009, the glass recycling company has grown exponentially; the company's recognizable purple containers can be spotted throughout the city, and locals are actively participating in the new recycling program.
 

No Obstructions
As this Kansas City glass recycler found, a fabric building can be a cost-effective way to keep precipitation off unprocessed glass. With no expensive concrete foundations required, the fabric structure was easily installed over the existing containers, saving time and money on the project.

With the high clearance provided by this structure and the absence of interior support poles, this glass recycler is able to load and unload materials with no difficulty; the clear-span design of tension fabric structures means that equipment can maneuver with ease. Delivery and removal times are quicker than with a traditional building, which offers another cost-saving benefit.

Renovation Stand-In
Another application for fabric buildings in the waste management industry is covering tipping areas. Whether a processor is environmentally conscious or complying with regulations to prevent groundwater contamination and litter, choosing to cover unloading and sorting areas does not have to be a costly endeavor.

Rumpke Consolidated Cos. Inc., headquartered in Cincinnati, ranks among the nation's largest privately owned waste and recycling companies. With strong respect for the environment, the company has found success owning and operating several landfills, transfer stations and recycling facilities throughout the Midwest states of Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana.

In 2010, Rumpke began a $2.5 million renovation to its downtown Columbus, Ohio, material recovery facility (MRF). This renovation included a complete demolition and an addition to its tipping floor area, which meant that recyclable materials needed to be stored outdoors during this time.

Currently, Ohio does not have regulations prohibiting the practice of leaving recyclable materials uncovered; however, the company was uncomfortable with doing so. Dave Murphy, an engineer with Rumpke, says, "We knew we could leave the materials exposed but did not want to be a nuisance for the neighbors—papers and plastics could blow into their yards." He adds, "Plus, the process runs better with dry materials, and we wanted to maintain a clean facility by keeping the materials out of the elements."

Murphy was looking for a progressive solution to his problem when he turned to fabric buildings.

After researching this type of building, Murphy says he chose ClearSpan because of the company's customized building options, quick construction time lines and durable structures.

"We continuously have large equipment unloading materials at the recycling facility. We needed a lot of clearance, especially for our back hopper, which requires a height of 28 feet to 30 feet, and we have an IT (integrated tool carrier) loader that scoops up materials then loads them onto our conveyor system," Murphy says.

Rumpke purchased a 120-foot-wide-by-45-foot-long Hercules truss arch building to serve as a cover for its MRF during the renovation of its facility.
 

Easily Relocated
Because Rumpke was in the process of renovating, the company needed a quick solution that would not interrupt daily business. Rumpke used ClearSpan's installation crew, and the structure was installed in a week and a half. Because of the ease of construction, the company was able to keep operations running smoothly throughout the process.

Once Rumpke finished renovating, it no longer required the fabric building as a temporary cover for its tipping area in the MRF. One advantage of fabric buildings that made them the best choice for this situation is that they are versatile and can be relocated.

"We knew at the time of purchase it would need to serve other functions," Murphy says of its fabric building. Rumpke plans to use its structure to store overflow at a glass building or for heavy equipment storage at a landfill.
 

Additional Applications
Fabric buildings are rising in popularity in many industries and for many applications, and not without reason. These structures can be more cost effective than metal buildings and can offer greater durability than fiberglass structures.

Many recyclers find that tension fabric structures are generally low in cost per square foot and represent a smaller initial investment than traditional structures. Fabric structures also allow users to save on construction costs because installation time lines are often shorter than one week. Also, because fabric buildings have minimal foundation requirements, costly concrete foundations are not necessary.

In these times where no portion of a budget can be squandered, it is important to consider the most economical way to implement physical plant upgrades. Whether for equipment or materials storage, container cover or facilities, fabric buildings have proven to be a smart choice for recycling facilities.

This feature was submitted on behalf of ClearSpan Fabric Structures, www.clearspan.com/adrt, a leading manufacturer of tension fabric buildings. The company is headquartered in South Windsor, Conn., with manufacturing facilities in Dyersville, Iowa.