How Synagro's proposed biosolids crap bakery in Plainfield Township could more than double in size overnight

Synagro is having fits trying to wedge itself into a postage-stamp sized piece of property in Plainfield Township, Northampton County PA.  It proposes to process 400 tons of shit a day, within about 20 feet of a deep pond that is connected to a ground aquifer.  Also within a few hundred feet of the site are two high quality creeks, the Little Bushkill and Waltz.

As bad as this sounds, it is the flurry before the real shit storm strikes - the knockout blow.  When the landfill closes, within a few years the landfill gas coming from the landfill will no longer be sufficient to operate the Green Knight Energy Center.  At that time, the energy center can be torn down, creating more room to store and process shit.

In the "Lease Plan" (below), Synagro will use 7.8 acres, the energy center 3.2 acres and common areas between them 1.05 acres.  That is just over 12 acres.  12.05 to be exact.

Future expansion possibilities

As Synagro project manager James Hecht has admitted and Green Knight board member Steven Hurni has stated, Synagro does not need the energy center's waste energy - which will no longer be available in about 11 years.  The "green" aspect of this proposal has been soundly debunked.  The real green is decades of income off shit, perhaps a century of shit.  Plainfield Township, Wind Gap and Pen Argyl will become the tri-shitty capital of northeastern PA.

Plainfield Township's zoning ordinance requires 3 acres to run a shit factory up to 300 tons capacity a year, and 2 acres for each additional 100 tons.  A little math shows that a 12 acre site will allow up to 850 tons a day to be processed.  1.7 million pounds of shit a day.

 What could possibly be worse than this?

¡Ay, caramba!

If they can't get approval for the current application because the limited space and proximity to the pond suck ass, Synagro and Waste Management may become desperate and plow down the energy center now.  Public relations wise, not the best move, but Waste Management and Synagro each have a history of giving a flying frig about public relations.  What would the community lose?  One job at the most at the energy center, and Green Knights is doing virtually nothing for the "poor and distressed local citizens" as it is - they aren't fulfilling their mission.  A few contractors who are on Green Knights will lose potential business, but casualties are to be expected and Waste Management will likely not hesitate to toss the Green Knights under the bus.  Most people see the Green Knights as just a department under Waste Management anyway.

Clearly, worst case is when the landfill closes, Waste Management truck traffic will shift from hauling garbage to hauling more shit.  The writing is on the wall.

Enjoy your Labor Day ;)