Butterworth Dump err Landfill

[organsnyder]

On 6/28/2019 at 9:21 PM, Floyd_Z said:

Am I the only one that would love to dig through the dump?  According to my quick google search it was operational from 1950 to 1967.  There's gotta be some treasures buried in there (toxins too of course)

I guess while I'm on the subject, does anyone know of any dumping sites in Kent county that one could explore?

I heard a presentation from someone in the county public works department (I don't remember his precise title; might have been director of waste management) on the present and future of waste management. He suggested that it may be economically feasible in the future to mine these old sites for materials that weren't worth saving when they were dumped, but have since become more valuable (due to scarcity and/or better extraction/recycling technology).

[RegalTDP]

On 6/28/2019 at 6:21 PM, Floyd_Z said:

Am I the only one that would love to dig through the dump?  According to my quick google search it was operational from 1950 to 1967.  There's gotta be some treasures buried in there (toxins too of course)

I guess while I'm on the subject, does anyone know of any dumping sites in Kent county that one could explore?

LOL, Read some of the stuff that went into this site.  Not a place I'd go dumpster diving but YMMV :

Quote

Butterworth #2 and #3 were eventually combined in to an 80-acre site that accepted both trash and industrial waste, possibly including liquid solvents and paint sludges that were directly dumped or disposed of in drums until 1973, according to EPA documents.

The state closed the landfills in 1973 due to improper operations, and the EPA began its investigation of the site in 1986. The worst contaminants in the landfill include antimony, arsenic, chromium, beryllium, 1,1-dichloroethane, vinyl chloride, polychlorinated biphenols and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, according to the EPA.

Edited July 1, 2019 by RegalTDP

[Raildude's dad]

The old dumps were pretty benign when it was household waste and the inert industrial waste.  Once the automotive plating shops proliferated and starting dumping their sludge(s), the composition changed. We need to remember there was no testing of parts per million or trillion.  The testing equipment wasn't that  sophisticated.

[waygo]

https://mibiz.com/sections/energy/grand-rapids-explores-potential-for-solar-power-at-8-sites

[gvsusean]

3 hours ago, waygo said:

https://mibiz.com/sections/energy/grand-rapids-explores-potential-for-solar-power-at-8-sites

I always thought solar was a weird choice for a place that is one of the cloudiest in the nation...

[Guest]

4 hours ago, gvsusean said:

I always thought solar was a weird choice for a place that is one of the cloudiest in the nation...

Solar panels still produce electricity when it's cloudy.....

[gvsusean]

4 hours ago, Floyd_Z said:

Solar panels still produce electricity when it's cloudy.....

Oh cool. Didn’t know that.

[Pattmost20]

9 hours ago, gvsusean said:

I always thought solar was a weird choice for a place that is one of the cloudiest in the nation...

GR gets nearly 2200 hours of sun per year. While below average for the US, it is above average if compared with northern Europe (1600 for London, Paris, and Amsterdam). And it is really only within a few hundred hours less than most places in the northern half of the US (2500 for New York, Louisville, and DC, 2400 for Indianapolis).

[arcturus]

15 hours ago, Floyd_Z said:

Solar panels still produce electricity when it's cloudy.....

Profitably?

[JoeSchmo]

Here is the output of the solar panels on Bridge St.  (Note, I don't think the solar panels were running full time before the new year)

https://www.consumersenergy.com/residential/renewable-energy/circuit-west

The solar panels, for practical purposes,  have limited usefulness in the winter.  However, they are helpful with dealing with the higher peak loads in the summer dealing with AC units turning on.  

Michigan may not get much sun, but Grand Rapids gets even less wind (comparing wind to solar)

[gvsusean]

6 hours ago, JoeSchmo said:

Here is the output of the solar panels on Bridge St.  (Note, I don't think the solar panels were running full time before the new year)

https://www.consumersenergy.com/residential/renewable-energy/circuit-west

The solar panels, for practical purposes,  have limited usefulness in the winter.  However, they are helpful with dealing with the higher peak loads in the summer dealing with AC units turning on.  

Michigan may not get much sun, but Grand Rapids gets even less wind (comparing wind to solar)

If only we could harness the power of the NIMBY....

[JoeSchmo]

32 minutes ago, gvsusean said:

If only we could harness the power of the NIMBY....

I am surprised, though, that wind turbines would not be considered for the water filtration plant site (being on the lake and all).  But I suppose there would by NIMBYism to that and it probably doesn't fit the "SolSmart" designation.

[Allison Slater]

I wonder if the Butterworth site would include a large battery center to translate that solar power generation into energy available during the night?

[organsnyder]

I wonder how useful a battery bank would be—peak output tends to track peak load, at least during the cooling season.

My guess is that wind turbines would require much more operational expertise—solar panels are simple enough that they can be DIY by adventurous homeowners, and require little ongoing maintenance. That being said, seems like the city could be reaching out to wind generation companies to see if one would be interested in a lease.

[uncus]

Any updates on this ?

I recently found the bike path around the dump and it does seem to be a good spot for a big solar farm.


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[cstonesparty]

...connected to the aquarium discussion in the other thread... Wondering if the zoo could put a buffalo herd or other grazing hoofstock on the dump and walkways around those for observation.

[joeDowntown]

28 minutes ago, cstonesparty said:

...connected to the aquarium discussion in the other thread... Wondering if the zoo could put a buffalo herd or other grazing hoofstock on the dump and walkways around those for observation.

That is the most random comment I've seen in a while.   And I have to say, I like it.  But maybe eating the grass from  a superfund site wouldn't be a great idea (and they'd need some sort of shelter / buildings, which are not encouraged). 

Joe

[cstonesparty]

1 hour ago, joeDowntown said:

That is the most random comment I've seen in a while.   And I have to say, I like it.  But maybe eating the grass from  a superfund site wouldn't be a great idea (and they'd need some sort of shelter / buildings, which are not encouraged). 

Joe

 I'm planning family vacation out west this summer, and watched a show with my kids recently about Columbus Zoo, where they have a huge conservation park...  

AND we were at the zoo last weekend and I was commenting on their inability to do long range planning well.  The Eberhard expansion from late 70s has now been much demolished for a newer plan.  If they looked around at the space around them (besides the park area that the neighborhood won't let them touch) they'd see more opportunity and plan better...  

[droonus2000]

Speaking of the Columbus Zoo, and the potential Millennium Park Aquarium here... the Columbus zoo is like 45 minutes from downtown. It, the adjacent water park and golf course across the street  are the only attractions around for miles. But Jack Hanna’s zoo is a major attraction regardless of its location. Btw, I would have loved to go to the conservation park, but it’s about another hour from the zoo. 

[wingbert]

On 5/27/2020 at 7:19 PM, uncus said:

Any updates on this ?

I recently found the bike path around the dump and it does seem to be a good spot for a big solar farm.


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Resurrecting this thread reminds me that I believe there is another go at a solar farm on this site being kicked around.  Not sure on the status though.

[walker]

On 5/27/2020 at 7:19 PM, uncus said:

I recently found the bike path around the dump and it does seem to be a good spot for a big solar farm.
 

I last walked back there around the time uncus wrote his comment last year.  Apparently it is also a good location for a big homeless camp just off the path down by the river.  It was a nice day and it even actually seemed kind of inviting since there was a pleasant campfire smell in the air.  

Edited April 16, 2021 by walker

[uncus]

I continue to bike there most Saturday mornings

There are several groups of tents along the river there.

It also looks like they are the process of upgrading the electric transmission towers that travel over the old dump. As of last week all the old towers were surrounded by wood platforms, which I believe are to prevent heavy equipment from sinking in the mud. New tower parts were on the ground beside.

Anyway know the story on this upgrade?


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[Raildude's dad]

32 minutes ago, uncus said:

I continue to bike there most Saturday mornings

There are several groups of tents along the river there.

It also looks like they are the process of upgrading the electric transmission towers that travel over the old dump. As of last week all the old towers were surrounded by wood platforms, which I believe are to prevent heavy equipment from sinking in the mud. New tower parts were on the ground beside.

Anyway know the story on this upgrade?


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When Consumers was in financial trouble they sold the high voltage long distance transmission lines to ITC.  ITC is doing a system wide program to change from the old lattice towers to steel mono-pole towers. Changing them in lots of areas in the county

[walker]

58 minutes ago, uncus said:

It also looks like they are the process of upgrading the electric transmission towers that travel over the old dump. As of last week all the old towers were surrounded by wood platforms, which I believe are to prevent heavy equipment from sinking in the mud. New tower parts were on the ground beside.

Anyway know the story on this upgrade?

 

20 minutes ago, Raildude's dad said:

When Consumers was in financial trouble they sold the high voltage long distance transmission lines to ITC.  ITC is doing a system wide program to change from the old lattice towers to steel mono-pole towers. Changing them in lots of areas in the county

I noticed the laying of the wood platforms too last week when I walked along Kent Trails near the Coca Cola plant.  This is a very large infrastructure project and must be costing millions and millions of dollars.  Last fall I noticed  that they were starting this project from around Kinney Road on the westside then south along the Standale Trail which for the most part follows the transmission line right of way.  I took several pictures with the idea of posting them here but then I thought maybe this is too geeky even for urbanplanet (except for maybe Raildude's dad.)

The work was being done by  Kent Power Inc. out of Rockford, a pretty big outfit.  I thought the name Kent was because of Kent County but I think instead Kent is the name of the family that owns the company.  Not sure if they are who is doing the work around the landfill now or not.

FACEBOOK: Kent Power Inc

These pics are from last fall so they are likely well along or done with this portion:

      

 

[Raildude's dad]

Kent Power as in Kent City not a family name. Retired co workers son works there.   However, google shows they have moved to  Childsdale Ave in the industrial park south of Rockford. Used to be all power stuff, now they also do natural gas.