Rohnert Park residents concerned about new plastic processing plant

Rohnert Park residents concerned about new plastic processing plant

Residents in Rohnert Park sounded off Wednesday night on a new recycling facility in town. The plant, which melts plastic into oil, could be up and running in a matter of weeks--and some neighbors are concerned about the environmental impact.?

ROHNERT PARK, Calif. - Residents in Rohnert Park sounded off Wednesday night on a new recycling facility in town. The plant, which melts plastic into oil, could be up and running in a matter of weeks, and some neighbors are concerned about the environmental impact. 

"The concern is we're a test city, like a guinea pig," said Susan, a Rohnert Park resident. 

Resynergi hosts open house

A large crowd showed up to an open house Wednesday at Resynergi's first-of-its-kind plastic processing plant in SOMO Village. The company is awaiting approval of an air quality permit so they can use the facility for a process called microwave-assisted pyrolysis--in which old plastic is heated up into a gas using microwave energy, then cooled back down into an oil, which can be used to make new plastic items. 

"There's no burning, there's no incineration," said Brian Bauer, CEO of Resynergi. "We're 68% less greenhouse gas emissions than if we're drilling out of the ground to make that same plastic."

Residents sound off

While the company says this process is a net positive for the environment, many neighbors say they're not convinced. 

What they're saying:

"Air quality. Yup. I'm a retired teacher after 40 years, so I would never have something like this close to a school," said Karen Humber of Rohnert Park. 

Some are concerned about the proximity to Credo High School, a local brewery, as well as new and existing homes. 

"Air quality, quality of soil," said one Rohnert Park resident when asked about her concerns. "It's very close to what's going to be a dense neighborhood."

But the company insists their emissions will be well within air quality standards. 

"Our equivalent is the same rate as a semi-truck driving down the road, that's the same rate as we're putting out CO2," said Bauer.

Local perspective:

The facility would process five tons of plastic per day, and some current and former officials say this is a much-needed solution. 

"I wish we had this 20 years ago," said former Rohnert Park Mayor Tim Smith. 

"If this machine works the way they are telling us it will work, this will solve our plastic problem around the world," said Rohnert Park City Council member Susan Adams.

The company plans to build more facilities like this across the country, but some residents here say they'd rather see the first one go up in a less populated area. 

"We are very disappointed that our friendly city would do such an unfriendly thing to put a plant like this right in the middle of our neighborhood," said Edward Callaghan of Rohnert Park.

What's next:

The public comment period for the air quality permit was slated to end August 18, but there are efforts to get that extended. If and when that permit is approved, the company says they could be up and running within a few days.