3/25/14 - Regal Recycling can keep burning brush at its Lucy Road property, but only if the company follows the rules from now on. That was the decision of the Howell City Council, which tabled a motion to revoke the company's burn permit last night. The company had originally been given clearance to conduct burns in a trench, but beginning in February the Howell Area Fire Department began receiving complaints about smoke being generated from the site. A couple of inspections revealed that Regal Recycling was allowing fires to burn longer than they should or failing to follow the approved burn method, which involves burning in a trench with a machine to force air into the fire and reduce smoke. The city council was going to revoke the burn permit at its March 10th meeting, but postponed that decision and had Fire Marshal Les Rodwell visit the site one more time. Last night, he issued his report back to the council, and he tells WHMI that he explained to Regal Recycling the importance of actually using the proper methods and machinery to keep smoke to a minimum, and the employees gave their word that they would keep to the requirements of the burn permit from now on. The city council tabled the motion to revoke Regal's burn permit, which will allow them to continue their activities so long as proper methodology is used. However, the motion can be untabled at any time, and Rodwell says it will be difficult to justify any further violations. (TD)
↧