November 19 @ 7 PM there will be a public hearing at town hall in meeting room B to discuss a special permit for Daniels Sharpsmart, Inc. to construct a solid waste facility at 263 Cherry Street and 609 Hartford Pike.
Access Daniels Sharpsmart's website by clicking here
Hours of operation: 24 hours, 365 days per year
Daniels Sharpsmart, Inc (DSI) will pick-up wast from generators off-site and bring it to the facility during normal business hours. What are normal business hours?
What type of medical waste will be trucked though our town? What type of health risks, if any, could this pose?
DSI will wash the waste and recover reusable sharps and pharmaceutical containers.
What exactly will be going down our drains? What affect does this washing have on water usage and the waste treatment facilities? Both water usage and the waste treatment have been big issues for Shrewsbury. Can this get into our water ssupply?
Non-reusable containers of biomedical waste will be placed in bins. The bins go through a steam sterilization process. The waste then goes into a compactor. Once the compactor is full the waste will go to an approved sanitary landfill for final disposal.
Where are the compactor's located and how long will waste be sitting in them? Is it the Shrewsbury landfill that will be the approved sanitary landfill? If so, what impact will this have on the landfill?
Any waste not able to be processed at the facility will be shipped to an approved treatment facility.
What could come to this site that could not be treated? Again, what type of waste is trucked through our town to the site and then through our town again to where?
The site will have trucks, washing equipment, boilers, compactors, and forklifts. What will the noise level be given that the operation is 24 hours a day 365 days a year?
Cleaning will be done to minimize odor. Does not say eliminate odor, so what level of odor will be left?
What size will the facility be?
What are the traffic impacts?
What impact will there be on Shrewsbury property values if the medical waste facility is approved and we have medical waste trucked though our town and in our landfill?
These are my questions, what are yours?
Please come to the public hearing on Thursday evening, November 19 at 7PM
Here is the T&G coverage 11/17 about the proposed facility
Wednesday, November 11
Medical Waste Facility in Shrewsbury?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Subscribe to ShrewsBuried
112 comments:
I think this is before the Planning Board. Are there any Precinct 9 members on the Planning Board?
Hurray for commercial development in our town, you CBS'ers should cheer for taxes being generated. But we got a NIMBY here...boooo hoooo on you.
Broken link in the article remove the last .us
Is what they will be putting down the drain any more nasty than what already goes down a toilet? Facilities like this are needed and very highly regulated. They have to go somewhere.
what are you putting down your toilet?
Actually I think this raises some very good questions. It seems that some people are so interested in calling names that they forget we all live in this town. The development in this town does affect all of us, both for the good and bad.
It would be nice if we looked at both the pros and cons of every development opportunity. Most opportunities are good and will bring in tax revenue, but some may carry costs. I did not think this write-up sounded like NIMBY, but was asking questions that we should all be asking.
I am amazed at some of the things that I read "boo hoo"; sound like playground chatter. Let's all ask questions and make informed decisions instead of acting like brats. I for one am glad this was here so that I could learn about this proposal.
They want to put this on Rt. 20, not Rt 9, what's the big deal?
To the 12:42 comment - You are a selfish nitwit! How dare you be so smug and mean. What goes around, comes around. Ms. Vedder has not said anything about not wanting the facility. She is asking specific questions about the planned proposal.
Can anyone tell me why this proposal was not mentioned at the recent Special Town Meeting? Seems like it is being quietly brought forward.
Just because it could bring in tax revenue, doesn't mean it is the right thing to do. There are a lot of unanswered questions on this one.
To the 1:49 pm post - Highly regulated by the government! Talk to people who work in this area and they can tell you the horror stories with leaking materials, smell, etc.
What goes down our household toilets and drains is a problem. Too much phosphate, cleaning products, etc. is causing problems with our environment and why the cost of waste water treatment is so high. So adding a 24/7 operation where they a putting chemicals and medical waste down our drains in such a high concentration could be an issue.
You may want to wave your hands and say NIMBY and hold your greedy little hand out for the tax money, but it is possible that the cost to "clean-up" after this operation could be far more than the tax revenue will cover.
So lets not have such short-term thinking. It is short-term thinking that has gotten this town in the mess it is in now.
Put that many questions about what the possible negatives are into one long post, not a single question about anything positive, and it sounds pretty NIMBY to me. It's not that many of the questions aren't valid - it's just the presentation.
Kathy
The NIMBY discussion is silly. It is natural for people to have more interest in the issues that are closest to them.
If good questions are raised, and these are good questions, it is in the best interest of all of us to get the answers.
I for one will go to the public hearing and I urge people to attend as well to make sure that they understand both the good and bad of this facility. We should make decisions based on fact not because it is or is not in your backyard.
Why does 2:37 think it is o.k. if this type of business is on Rt. 20, and implies that it would be more of an issue if it was on Rt. 9?
If you think it is o.k. to make Rt. 20 a dumping ground then maybe Shrewsbury should have two tax rates one for the plush north of Rt. 9 crowd and a lower rate for south of Rt. 9.
If this was proposed on the North side of town, say over the the 290 area, don't you think those neighbors would be concerned? Why should it be any different for the proposed site and abutters? Remember Value Place? That didn't turn out to such a good idea once all the facts were discovered. We should all listen to the facts and decide if it is a good, long term venture.
A couple of weeks ago I watched a 60 minutes segment regarding disposal of “coal ash”. The very same material that Wheelabrator has been trucking into our landfill. The report indicated that the coal ash has a high concentration of carcinogens and is extremely dangerous if allowed to migrate to the surface and get into the air. As it happens there is no federal regulation regarding the handling of coal ash. Each state has put their own controls in place. Now that it has been found to be a potential health hazard the federal government is developing disposal regulations. Shrewsbury may or may not be in compliance with the new regulation. At this time it appears we will be in compliance, but no one knows for sure. Yes, we were paid handsomely for allowing the material to be disposed of in the landfill but what will the cost be if it turns out that we do not meet the new standard?
It is for reasons such as this that we should be extremely cautious before approving the processing of medical waste and should ask as many questions as we can think of that will allow us to make an informed decision. Hopefully tax revenue should be the last reason to justify the special permit.
Chick,
The coal ash burried in our land fill is not stored the same way it was in Tennesse. While it might contain the same health issues, the more pressing issue was the fact that the coal pond broke, flooded and contaiminated everything down stream. They are two different animals.
Also, it makes sense for this to be on RT 20, in an area that is more industrial then anything else.
Chick,
That 60 Minutes story was about the residue left over from the burning of actual coal-"coal ash". The ash brought over to the landfill is what's left over after burning trash. This is trash in which the metals have been removed before burning. The trash that is burned, and the ash trucked to Shrewsbury, is largely organic material such as wood, paper and food scraps. Far less dangerous than "coal ash".
That was a pretty negative article, sorry to say. There was not one comment about how this project is a good thing. For example, the location is in the industrial area of town, on Rt 20 which will have the least impact for noise and traffic. Also, new business means more local jobs both directly and indirectly. Most importantly, there is going to be more tax revenue. Considering how bad the economy is, we are lucky to get any commercial development at all.
Every new business will bring some degree of noise, traffic and inconvenience. It's the price towns pay for commercial development. However Shrewsbury desperately needs commercial development. We should be partnering with these new businesses to work out any problems and we should not be scaring people. Reading the article all I could imagine was medical waste blowing across Rt 20, yikes!
Judy, if you don't mind, please attend the meeting and suggest ways to resolve any issues that might come up. Let's not take the view that this a project we want to reject. Then, please provide an update for readers who can't make the meeting. It would be great to get a listing of how we're dealing with specific problems, how many new jobs we'll get and how much tax revenue there will be. Thanks.
p.s. to Chick Joseph: You should know how badly we need this project and not dismiss it so lightly. The Allen property hasn't sold a single lot in 8 years. If there is a real problem, name it and we'll deal with it. Until you have facts, please don't fill people with fear and doubt.
Now we're not allowed to have doubt??
The Rt 20 area is also home to a lot of people; it is not just an industrial area. Precinct 9 is now the largest Precinct, that is why they were just allotted more town meeting seats.
It seems that covering your eyes to any negatives related to this proposed business because you think Rt. 20 is all industrial does not mesh with the facts.
Also the location of this business within the town does not matter if the town is stuck with health issues or a large clean-up bill from polution or problems with the water treatment plant.
To the people who feel that Route 20 is fine because it is "industrial" - The area that is proposed for this project is near several housing developments. Do you think that the people who live in those homes shouldn't be concerned because they live near and industrial zoned area? Please be a little more broad minded. If this were proposed over by Colonial Drive, do you think those neighbors wouldn't also be concerned? There is industrial zoning along Route 140 going into Boylston. Maybe this proposal can be considered over that side of town. Personally, there are a lot of questions and regardless of where it is situated, this proposal needs to be fully explored. As a prior post indicated, the cost of clean up should a problem arise will be a lot more than the tax revenue brought in. Why can't our town attract "clean" types of businesses? Why don't we have someone devoted full time to getting the proper kinds of business in - those that will attract other business to the area. If a medical waste facility is built, I doubt other business owners will be flocking to that area. The town, like all others in the Commonwealth, need revenue. Our town needs to be forward thinking and look at how the current proposal affects future business moving in.
The proposed site is across the street from the existing landfill, so arguments about the proposed location being inappropriate are fairly absurd. Yes, there are housing developments in the general area, but those were built after the existing landfill was already there. Any concerns about this proposal should be strictly about whether we want it anywhere in Shrewsbury and not about the proposed location. And as far as the question about trucking medical waste through our town - better to have it trucked through to a location in our town that we are getting taxes from than to have it trucked through Shrewsbury to a neighboring town.
To the 8am poster who asks about the cost of clean-up. Exactly what are we talking about? What kind of problem could arise that would cost the town a fortune to clean-up? Would you be happier if a simple gas station went into that location instead of the medical waste treatment plant? Me? I'd prefer the treatment plant. With a gas station, there could be a leak in the underground tanks which might contaminate the town aquafier! But no one is afraid of that happening and the same should be said of the treament plant. Also, you don't see people leaving Worcester because of the UMass bio tech buildings and no one has had a problem with the biological work at the Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology.
Why don't we have someone devoted to getting the proper kinds of business in? Excellent idea! Let's form a whole team and give them several million dollars to buy a nice piece of land. Then they can sell lots to companies willing to build neighborhood friendly office buildings. Oh wait! We did that. Back in 2002, Shrewsbury bought the Allen property and formed the Shrewsbury Development Corporation. Sadly they haven't sold the first lot... It's not so easy to get commercial development to come to our town. When a project does come along, instead of finding reasons why it is not an ideal fit(there will always be reasons), the town should be working with the developer to make his plans acceptable. Then they win and we win. And eventually Shrewsbury will seen as a pro-business town.
The proposed facility is going to be built on Rt 20 and Cherry St...not across from the landfill. Where did 2:57 get that info from? And, by the way, the land is not town-owned, it's owned by Polito. It's too bad people care more about revenue instead of the health risk of the residents. Shame on them. I have been a Shrewsbury resident for 20 years and I no longer have that "small community" feel. I now see Shrewsbury as an Industrial town. Once my child is out of the school system, which I think is great, we're out of here. It's obvious to me that the bloggers who are for the facility do not live near it.
As for the blogger who mentioned that it is going on Rt 20 and not Rt 9, can you explain what you meant by that? Maybe it should go on Rt 9. There seems to be a lot more property for lease there. I would think that it would make more sense for this facility to be built near the hospitals.
I really hope that everyone here who is blogging shows at that meeting and isn't all talk.
Thank you Judy for this blog!
To 7:08 pm: Take a look at the town's GIS website - 609 Hartford Turnpike is almost directly across the street from the entrance to the town landfill at 640 Hartford Turnpike. I live near Route 20 and drive by there all the time. So unless the address provided by Ms. Vedder is wrong, this site is in close proximity to the existing landfill.
The land is owned by the Polito family? Interesting. Maybe Karyn would like this facility in her neighborhood.
To 9:38, the address is 609 Hartford Turnpike AND 263 Cherry St. Why did the abutters on Cherry St receive certified letters from the planning board? I can almost guarantee you they will have an entrance/exit on Cherry St as well as Rt 20. Thanks for your explanation.
Ditto to 10:40!
Build it. with all the state and federal regulations, add in the EPA, this is a no-brainer like increasing the meals tax. The town needs the revenue and the jobs.
I would expect that a new medical waste sterilizing facility would be a better environmental neighbor than a dry cleaner, a greenhouse, a farm, a machine shop, a printer, a trucking company, the aforementioned gas station, and pretty much any other industrial operation one could think of (a lab being a possible exception, those are usually spotless). It will probably smell alot better than your average dumpster behind a restaurant or hotel. The operation will not affect our water supply - we have no public wells in the area, and one would expect they will be using the sanitary sewer, not running a hose out the back door. It will be tightly regulated, permitted, and overseen, just as the landfill is (and they are an excellent neighbor). The proposed use is compatible with existing nearby operations.
There are legitimate questions regarding the proposed operation re: nuisance factors to the neighbors and water / wastewater issues, but these are details to be explored that would apply to ANY new land use abutting residences. An open mind on this, please; let's go to the Planning Meeting and ask lots of questions - there's alot we don't know yet - but it's premature to be oppositional.
263 Cherry Street connects to 609 Hartford Ave. It is completely surrounded by property zoned as Limited Industrial. It does appear there is one house abutting (property still zoned Limited Industrial). The whole thing is still pretty close to the existing landfill - 7:08 p.m. said it was not across from the landfill at all. Again, I think the real discussion should be about whether we want this in Shrewsbury at all, not whether this location is a good location. If this isn't a good location, then I don't know what would be.
Robin - Have you dealt with medical waste? If you had, you will know that there is significant oder from the trucks that bring the material in. Yes it is regulated, but like a lot of government regulations, things don't always go the way they should. Medical waste is a very broad category and I find your dismissal of the "what ifs" not helpful at this point. Unless you are in this area of work, lets leave the answers to the experts and then the town can make an educated decision.
Actually, yes. I have dealt with medical wastes, and the sharps cleaning operation that they are talking about is not the same thing as cleaning out those big bins that get all sorts of tissue samples and wipe cloths and used blood bags and such. Think about when you get a shot...you don't have alot of "waste" clinging to the outside of the needle. Those containers will sit in an office for weeks, sometimes up to 3 months depending on volume, and they don't generate leachate or odor, like a trash can, for example.
Biohaz/medical wastes are source separated to keep the reusables separate from the messy stuff that goes straight to an incinerator, and my understanding for this facility is that they are going to be sterilizing reusable containers. That impression could be incorrect, someone please tell me if that is the case.
My experience auditing industrial and commercial facilities, which is safe to say is greater than most people's, is that the more technical and regulated the operation, the more careful the housekeeping is. A badly run waste management operation can indeed be awful...am thinking of some municipal waste transfer stations... but you would not expect that from a brand new, automated facility.
There is probably more to worry about from the former operations at Hills Farm than from anything that this proposed facility would contribute. Can't tell you how many industrial plants I've worked at that are doing their cleanups to address pesticides that haven't been used for 50 years, when the contaminants that they produce are negligible.
Thank you Robin, but I don't believe you are an expert in medical waste. We don't know exactly what will truly be in this proposed business and all comments on how it might or might not affect the community should be held until more clarity is given.
Fellow bloggers:
Yes, I am concerned about this business and you are correct that my questions reflect that concern.
We should remember that regulations have often failed to protect people. Recently we have seen several cases where regulations failed to keep our food sources safe, why then should we blindly think that they will keep us safe from medical waste.
The details that are available to me on this business does not say that the waste is restricted to sharps containers. It says in section c) Facility Operation Description: i)"DSI proposes to pick-up waste from generators off-site; bring the waste to the facility for decanting ..."
vi) says "Any waste not able to be processed at the facility will be properly shipped to an approved treatment facility and disposal."
This makes me wonder what type of medical waste will becoming to the site. It may not be as well defined as some of you think.
This proposed location is pretty close to the landfill. And some of you seem to think because some people built houses near the landfill that it is o.k. to put what-ever-may-come-along in the landfill; all I have to say is you are not being very nice when you say that and you should probably do some soul searching.
Also you should have a brief history of the current landfill (this is not the full history).
1. once it was a dump.
2. Then is was capped and turned into an ash landfill that town meeting restricted to waste from shrewsbury and form the Wheelabrator in Milbury.
3. Then about 3 years later town meeting expanded it so that it was ash from multiple Wheelabrator sites. There was a great deal of discussion on this expansion, but it was agreed. The contracts were for 20 years and the town's health department, with Nancy Allen's signature, was giving real estate agents letters that said that the landfill would always be ash only. Houses were built in the area (houses where fellow shrewsbury people live).
4. Then the ash gravy train started to dry up and the selectmen came to town meeting (about 6 or 7 years ago) asking for a blank check to put what ever they want to put in the landfill with the need for town meeting approval. I, and others was outspoken against providing this blank check. One person who was opposed said that she was concerned that medical waste might end up in the landfill. Then another town meeting member said that the selectmen loved this town and they would never let something like medical waste go into the landfill.
Dan said they needed the blank check to get the best price and of course town meeting granted the blank check and gave up their check and balance.
5. Here we are 6 or 7 years later and it appears that the selectmen and the planning board are willing to let medical waste go into the landfill. I'm not feeling the love.
So in conclusion, I am not very pleased with this proposal. I think if town meeting still had the ability to discuss putting medical waste in the landfill things might be different.
I invited questions and comments to my Blog posting, but other than tax dollars I have not heard anyone say why they think a medical waste facility would be good for Shrewsbury. I don't know how much the tax dollars would be - do you?
If the public hearing can answer all of the questions in detail it is possible we can all agree that this business will not have a negative effect on Shrewwbury, but the questions must be answered and we must make an informed decision.
Letting things happen without the proper checks and balance can lead to things that are not wanted ... I still wonder if the issue of medical waste had been on the table 6 years ago if town meeting would have given up any control over the landfill.
Polito - once again behind the rape of Shrewsbury. Isn't Karen's hubby on the planning board.
He did a great job asking tough questions of Value Place, guess he isn't going to be there to roast and toast this project. Oh yea, he will be toasting it, but with a champagne glass this time. I can hear the money rolling into the polito coffers now.
I live near this area and if this passes, I will put my house up for sale.
4 bedroom, 2.5 bath, level lot, mature trees, near T stop and medical waste facility. Any buyers interested?
I've reviewed the issues and can state there is no cause for alarm. Here's the key questions with answers.
Will it be open 24/7? Yes, same as Price Chopper and CVS except you probably won't want to eat anything you find there.
What if it is big? Bigger is always better when it comes to TVs, bank accounts and... tax revenue.
Will there be increased traffic? Yes, but it'll probably be a lot less than Dunkin Donuts.
Will there be some noise? None. The developers are posting big 'shhhhh' signs.
Will they truck medical waste through our town? Yes, but that's already happening anyway along with trucking garbage waste and industrial waste, except now we'll make some money off of it.
What is going down the drain? Just the things allowed by law and a handful of uppers if the cops show up.
Will water be used? Yes, like any home or business it'll need water. But they will only use it on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
Can bad stuff get into the water supply? Only if the employees blow into the faucets really really hard.
See? no need to buy hazmat suits afterall!
To Judy Vedder,
Besides property taxes, there will be a few JOBS and that may lead to higher meals taxes headed the towns way. If you do not like the development, what do you suggest take it's place and do you have a company lined up to move in?
To the 5:06 poster,
How much are you asking for the house?
Hello Judy
I just looked at the Town calendar on the Town web site and see no meetings scheduled for Thursday, November 19. The Planning Board usually meets on the 1st Thursday of the month -- their next meeting is December 3.
Can someone verify the meeting about the medical waste facility and confirm which board is conducting the public hearing?
Thanks.
"Recently we have seen several cases where regulations failed to keep our food sources safe"
Your point is we should not trust any regulations? or just stop eating food?
As for putting medical waste into the landfill, so what? If the town can make a buck, why not? In case you haven't noticed, the opportunities for increasing town income are very few.
Tha arguments you raise apply to any new commercial venture: Will there be more cars and trucks and noise? Will they use town water and town sewer? Could they break the law and dump chemicals down the drain or illegally dump them on their lots? Will residents who live next to industrial land be happy when it gets developed? We should be solely focused on real problems and not these issues. So far, no one has identified any real problems.
It's time to get a sense the urgency about Shrewsbury's financial situtation. Please, stop being road blocks to commercial development and let's help our town.
To 5:12! Great writing...made my day.
On the other hand I AM concerned that all this stuff is close to the Lake. Why the hell can't this stuff be shipped to a desert!?? Then sand and sun will clean it and no body lives there! Ya ya, I know...tooooo expensive to ship it out there, so we stick it in somebodies back yard. I'll be there Thrusday the 19th!
By the way, what is Nimby? And, has anyone walked around and looked at our streams/brooks etc. lately? What's all the soapy looking stuff gathering and getting stuck in tree branches. I saw the water department last week taking a look...hmmmmmm
To 9:25--a NIMBY is short for "not in my backyard".
To 11:20--The abutters of property received a certified letter stating the meeting is Nov 19 at 7:00pm from the Planning Board.
To 11:35-- The medical waste is not going into the landfill, a new facility will be built. Do you happen to know how much the town will make off of this? It is not town-owned land. You don't think that if they illegally dump chemicals into the drain it's not a real problem? You don't see that they could potentially dump toxins into the water system as a real problem? Could you explain to me what your idea of "real problems" are?
The residents over there alreay have industry to deal with that they are used to, so being a NIMBY is not their issue. I would think that something going in their neighborhood that is a potential health risk, they have every right to question the facility.
Does anyone know....what exactly will be blowing out their smoke-stacks? Will it affect air quality? Will it be toxic?
There are accidents all the time in that area of Rt 20. What happens if there is an accident on RT 20, or with the AA bus company, and the material on their trucks gets rolled across RT 20? Who cleans it up? The town? Who cleans up the buses and gets rid of the contamination? What happens if one of those needles is contaminated with, for example, aids, H1N1, hepatitis and gets dumped into the trash or water system? Whose to say that one of their employees decides to take an easy way of cleaning and just washes it down the sink? Oh, I forget, it's federally regulated so that won't happen.
I have an idea for that land. Since Karyn Polito likes to put her efforts into beautifying Shrewsbury, why don't they put something positive in the land? A community center? Playing fields for the kids? Walking trails? Not a medical waste facility where it could harm the residents. She helped in making the center nicer and the Rt 9 area near Spags, why not help this part of town, too? I have one guess....$$$$$$$$$. If this goes through, she just lost my vote and support.
I will be there at the meeting on this one.
To 8:26. Ask me after the meeting.
Please readers, I ask you to check out Sharpsmart's website. Do they look like the kind of people who will be illegally dumping toxins down the drain?
http://www.danielsinternational.com/
To the poster who thinks the town should just put up with any commerical development to earn a buck, shame on you! This is why this town is going down the drain. Anything to make a buck. I am disgusted by the comments about NIMBY and we need $$$$. I hope Ms. Polito is at the meeting and answers the question - do you think this is the best use for the town?
I too hope the Politos are there. I'm gonna shake their hand!
The Shrewsbury Development Corporation has been trying for 8 years to get an industrial customer on rt 20. The Politos actually did it. Bravo!
First the Holiday Inn Express, now this. Shrewsbury has finally turned the corner and 95% of the town is happy.
10:49 don't break out the champagne just yet...it hasn't passed yet.
Did you take a poll and come out with that 95% of happy residents??
Biotech and health care have a rosey future and offer good jobs plus a tidy sum from taxes if we can attract it.(hopefully the for-profit kind) With any luck, the Allen property will someday be the home of several such buildings. Even if private land was developed instead, that would still be good.
I do not know what to say to 5:56. This blog has already explained how this industry is tightly regulated. Also, the development will be overseen by the town planning board. Emotional comments without facts don't serve any purpose.
It is easy to be non-emotional when you only see $ signs. You have to care about something other than money to have emotion.
People are very naive to think you will be protected by regulations. Did federal banking regulations protect your 401K in the latest financial folly? Open your ears to the where regulations have not kept water and ground beef safe. Do you know why Dean park's water can never be used for swimming? There was a tannery that so polluted the area and the water - that is why. The list goes on. Sometimes the rules are not followed, sometimes we don't know everything we think we know so even if the rules are followed we are not safe.
If this plant is going to put their waste in our landfill then we will have this stuff forever! We should ask all of these questions because we could have our own "love canal" if were are not careful.
Sharps containers are in locations all over town at doctor and dentist's offices (many in the center of town), urgent care facilities, and flu shot clinics in our drug stores. All of these containers have been routinely transported through our town for years and years.
Most of these medical offices have methods of cleaning and sterilizing equiptment that can be reused.
I think we are right to ask the hard questions, but should wait until we at least learn the facts to make a decision.
If this turns to be an ecologically sound way to help keep patients, medical personnel, and the environment safer this could be a good thing. If however, it is not safe for this neighorborhood (which is not my neighborhood), then it's not safe for the town. We need the facts to make a good decision.
I wonder what Avalon Bay thinks about this? Would that be a big selling point for those luxury apts. they will be building basically across the street.
In addition to the homes in this general area there is a school less than a mile from that site.
It is a highly regulated industry, but then I think of 3 Mile Island Nuclear power plant in PA and tainted or improperly tested pharmaceuticals, or coal mining or I think back to DDT and ozone depleting hairspray. STUFF HAPPENS and our info changes.
Heck there is a Level 3 Regional Biosafety Lab at Tufts. That might be more of a health problem. A quote from a Milford newspaper: "Grafton, Westborough and Shrewsbury residents - the facility is barely half a mile from the towns' borders - at first expressed fears that infectious organisms would somehow escape the laboratory. They worried diseases would be stockpiled, that terrorists might target the laboratory and make biological weapons."(9/27/08 Milford Daily News) And we have a very large animal testing lab a mile in the other direction. Are our firemen, police and public health dept. able to handle a crisis? Something we need to seriously think about as we encourage more biosciences to our area.
What business would be acceptable at that location?
This attitude we need the money we will take anything is scummy, you all make Shrewsbury sound like a prostitute who needs a fix and she will do anything. I like this town and think she can do better.
I have questions, I am not necessarily out right opposing it. So I will go and listen with an open mind. Why Shrewsbury, why there? Water usage and sewer is a big question for me.
Comparing this little processing building to 3 mile island, DDT and ozone is unfounded hysteria. It's the equivalent of falsely yelling "fire" in a movie theater. If this kind of post isn't illegal, it ought to be.
Under what possible scenario would a school a mile away have any risk what so ever? Trucks with all kinds of waste, chemicals, fuel and biologics already pass through our town. Why is there no concern about those? Any one of them could careen out of control into that school!
Do you know what goes on at the Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology? It is only 1/2 mile from TWO schools! Why no concern? Don't you care about the little kids that walk right by that building? STUFF HAPPENS.
The truth is that none of it is worth thinking about. We're more likely to get hit by lightning. On the other hand, lack of town funding is a certainty. Why can't all these posters do something, anything, to help that problem?
We need the facts, and should concentrate on reviewing those once they are presented, not dwelling on imaginary "what ifs" such as comparing this to a nuclear power plant, etc. There will be enough material to review, discuss, and consider on their own merits without making up scenarios that have no relevance to the discussion.
Hopefully the meeting will be a fact finding session and not turn into an embarrassing, angry discussion that does not let us answer the hard questions that will allow us to see what the real story is...is it an environmentally safe facility, or one that absolutely should not be allowed?...we don't yet have the facts to decide...
Why would anyone want a “Medical Waste Facility” in their neighborhood? Let this company find another area to bring their trash to, or better yet, why don’t the people and the company proposing this facility build it in their backyard, if it’s so safe! “Medical waste, including sharps, bloody gauze, IV tubes, lab specimen and bandages,” right next to a residential neighborhood where children play and families have Sunday dinners. This facility shouldn’t be in Shrewsbury, it should be in the middle of Nevada! In an age of H1N1, Aids, Tuberculosis, and Hepatitis, no one can tell me that this facility is, “Ecologically Sound!” Autoclaves that heat plastic to levels where they release dioxins and break down; millions of gallons of water used to process this medical waste, as well as the burying of some “solid” waste, so contaminated that they don’t know what to do with, just doesn’t sound that “Ecological” to me. How could anyone put a positive spin on this type of a facility? And as far as tax revenues, we can find better companies to come to our town that will bring in just as much revenue, but will be safe for everyone. In the future, I would appreciate a more balanced view of this topic verses simply the perspective of the parties that stand to make a profit, while potentially putting the wellbeing of others in jeopardy.
I’ve got several questions for everyone…..conflict of interest?? I caution everyone who has an interest in this issue to investigate who all the players are regarding all “aspects” of this deal. For example, who owns the land? Who is developing this land? Who are the state and local politicians involved in this matter? Connect the dots, do your research. People need to be informed of how this process is working.
Seems like a "no brainer".
The first people to complain are the first to call Child Health or Umass when their children are sick!! Right!
To the 5:25:00 Poster,
Can you give a couple of real example where these facilities caused harm to the towns that they were in? I am not looking for potential problems, I would like real examples that happened.
I would also like to know what other companines that YOU, yes YOU, are working on bringing to Shrewsbury to increase the commerical tax base? I would like to believe that you are not a NIMBY person.
To 5:25, a Big High-Five out to you! Hope you can attend the meeting.
Thanks Shrewsburied for adding the T&G link about the treatment facility. Hopefully readers will check it out. The facility will be using technology that has been proven around the world, not unlike pharmaceutical manufacturing. Shrewsbury will get 55 new jobs. In addition, the sterilized leftovers will go across the street to the town landfill. The tipping fee is what will make this deal especially lucrative.
Readers let's face it, we'd rather a teddy bear factory was moving in, but this is the only company that's come forward in many years. Fortunately the industry is mature, regulated and safe despite the many rants on this blog. Let's get better educated and then let's work with Sharpsmart to make this new business an asset to our community.
Does anyone know how this particular parcel was selected, and not, for example, a property further down on Centech, perhaps off of the newly planned Fortune St/Rd/Blvd, whatever it was called?
An information session with a representative from the company who wants to build the medical waste facility, is being held at Town Hall on Thursday, Nov. 19, from 3-5 PM. The following announcement was on the Town's web site today:
Daniel Kennedy of Daniels Sharpsmart Inc. (DSI) will be available in the Selectmen's Meeting Room on Thursday, November 19, 2009 from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM for interested persons wishing to know more about his company's proposal to construct a 21,000 square foot medical waste treatment facility (Building H) at 263 Cherry St. This proposal will be the subject of a public hearing before the Planning Board at 7:00 PM on the 19th.
The purpose of this session will be to allow interested persons to learn more about the proposal in advance of the formal presentation to the Planning Board.
I think placing it as close as possible to the new fire station should be considered. If heaven forbid there was a problem the faster they could respond would be a big help in quick containment. Also they could due frequent inspections if they felt the need.
Where in the T&G article does it say that the sterilized leftovers will go across the street to the town landfill? Or is that just an assumption?
To 7:13, Yes, there is a HUGE conflict of interest! Thanks for bringing that up!
Would people sell their souls to bring in tax revenues?
NIMBY- I have a new acronym for this:
N-Not
I-Interested
M-Mainly
B-Because
Y-(it’s) in YOUR backyard, not mine!
Isn’t this medical waste facility great? Won’t we get so much revenue! All those new jobs! Where do these people live in town……The center…….??????
What will be left in the waste water from the "WashSmart" machine that will be sent down our sewers? Will there be contaminated medical bacteria in there?
What happens if the sewers back up into peoples homes? This does happen, it flowed into a basement on Spring St. this summer.
Is the sterilized waste going to the Shrewsbury dump? I believe the leachates from the dump flow down the Cherry St. sewer lines.
I have read articles that state that the autoclave process does not necessarily kill everything.
Why would anyone want to take the risk of any potential leaks, for themselves or their town members?
What about the effect on property values?
Would you want to sell your home in an area that has a medical waste facility?
This does not appear to be the right project for our town.
To the people who think money doesn't matter... figure the income from taxes and waste disposal is equal to two employee's salaries. If this project is put down, who shall the town layoff- Policemen, Librarians or Teachers?
Isn't it a state representative job to have the best interest of her constituents in mind??? If you took a poll of the residents in precinct 9, you would find that we don't want this facility in our part of town. Think votes in the next election! We’re a huge part of town, the largest…..It is becoming obvious who will gain from this facility!
Any Business should be able to approach the town and be heard. Then we have the right to say, "Thank for your interest in our town but we are not approving your application for a permit, or, "Welcome, we feel you fit in." Luckily we have the regulation about needing special permits that protects us and gives us a say in approving or disapproving businesses. Thank heavens for regulations!
We have a method that lets us handle these issues without accusing businesses of using scummy money, or being unprofessional, etc. We don't have to get hysterical, make up all kinds of imaginary scenarios, and all kinds of accusations, we can just say no if its not right for the town.
This company does have very highly regarded ecologically safe facilities world wide....but that still doesn't mean that its right for the town.
To the 7:45 poster,
What are YOU, YES YOU, doing to bring in revenue to the town? Get off your high horse.... It's obvious you don't live near this proposed facility...or maybe you're one of the parties that stand to make some money off of this deal. Or maybe you’re just a mindless lemming, “Anything for money…increase tax revenue!” Or better yet, why don't you garb up in the Hazmat suit and put on a respirator to sift through HIV infected needles, chemotherapy wastes, and remnants of biopsies. I'm a NIMBY and proud of it. When did protecting your family, home, and health become such a bad thing? If it’s such a great facility, do you have any land for sale next to your house…let’s propose the site be put there…..
You people in 9 bought houses next to a State road which is a bi-pass for truck traffic and industrial uses including an existing waste dump. What did you expect? Larry Bird is not walking threw the door.....and your area is not going to transition to a high tech area. You get what you get, and like it, or sell your house and market forces of monies and taxes take over like they should.
We'll lose a lot more jobs in town if that land gets contaminated by this facility...Millions in clean-up, not to mention the law suits from the residents who get sick from this place! How many Teachers, Librarians, and Policemen will lose their jobs then? Let's not think of a simple solution to tax revenue, let's tighten up our existing budget, get rid of over spending, and elect town officials that know what they're doing.
Won't this facility use a ton of water? Doesn't Shrewsbury already have a water ban? What wells will be used? Where will this "waste" water go after it leaves the plant? Does anyone know?
To the 10:01 poster--wow, the income from this potential project is equal to 2 employees? I live near this area and I would hope that the health risk of myself and my family would be worth more than that.
To all those who are saying there will be a health risk... can you please name any problem that Sharpsmart has ever had? They are located all over the world and have been in business for many years.
Also, can you name any problems that other companies in the same industry have had?
All these predictions of death and despair are just a lot of nonsense, no matter how many factless, emotional blogs are posted.
Listen 11:12,
You're really funny. Clearly you don't have your facts straight. Lots of houses were bought long before the town approved Cherry Street to be a trucking bi-pass or industrial area. In fact, part of the land that they might use for this facility was once a cow farm. Most of this section was farming. By the way, why is Larry Bird relevant to anything? Why would he be walking “Threw” (Sp.?) my door. What’s he throwing? What did he throw in the past tense???? Are you one of the people making decisions for this town? If you are, I’m afraid…… no wonder we’re in financial deficit!
I think the people in district 9 would be fine with a property that was within the current zoning guidelines. I don’t think you would get this rabid response from people. What the town is proposing is “rezoning” to allow this company to operate and handle things like blood, body parts, blood borne pathogens, IV needles, animal carcasses and the like. I think people should look into what mass general law actually allows under “medical waste” before they blindly support something. These people aren’t baking cookies or making teddy bears. This really isn’t a neighborhood friendly project. Let’s keep it zoned for what it was originally planned for.
To 5:36...it's not up to the residents of this town to defend their reasons for not wanting something like this, it's up to the applicant to convince us WHY it should be here. Obviously, you don't know how the law works. Can I name any problems any other companies in the same industry have had? You bet I can. I did my research, please do yours. There have been spills, employees in like facilities have contracted hepatitis and TB and fines have been levied against similar facilities that didn't comply with safety regulations. Great isn't it? Maybe if they have a biological contaminant escape and infect a group of kids the town will just sue the infectious waste processing facility (oops...sorry, I meant solid waste facility) & make even more money from the deal. Sucks to be the kids & their families, but so what? At least we'll have some much needed revenue and, God forbid, no one needs to tell a cop or teacher they're out of a job because our politicans can't manage a budget. Everyone's happy.
Karen Polito, Please help the residents of district 9! Please vote against this.
Sincerely, someone who has voted for you in the past!
People keep toting this facility as bioscience. It's not a bioscience facility; it's a medical waste facility. We are not going to be bringing world scientists here or winning any Nobel prizes for the work that's going to be done in this place. Call it like it is, it's a MEDICAL WASTE facility! Don’t kid yourself, it’s not bioscience, it’s a sector of the trash industry.
I hope Karen Polito votes for it - the best way to help Precinct 9 people is to promote a stable economy. Weren't you people screaming about school cuts & a need for a strong tax base? And you're AGAINST new jobs and tax revenues for the town? Let's forget NIMBY - were're talking hypocrisy here.
Volume of medical waste as specified in the t & g article 60,000 lbs per day. You bet I have the NIMBY attitude. How about not in my backyard or your backyard. This belongs in an area where no residential exists. Ridiculous weighing tax base/55 low paying jobs/and most important your health and your kids health.
To anonymous at 6:04 PM:
Do you realize that Karyn Polito does not get a vote on this project? It's the Planning Board which will approve the Special Permit (for a zoning change) being applied for. Karyn is famous for saying that she "does not get involved with local issues".
Also, did you realize that the properties in question are presently owned by the Politos? Karyn and her family stand to gain financially if the special permit is approved and they sell these nearly 14 acres (currently assessed at nearly $1.6 million) to the Daniels Sharpsmart company.
As many writers have noted on this blog, Karyn Polito's husband, Steve Rodolakis, is one of 5 members of the Shrewsbury Planning Board. Will he recuse himself from the discussion tomorrow night due to a "conflict of interest"?
For me, the primary question is: does Shrewsbury have any zoning category where this type of business WOULD be acceptable? If the answer is no, then it does NOT belong in our town. If the answer is yes, then please site this project where the zoning is appopriate.
When we take an area zoned "Limited Industrial" (very close to lots of residential homes on Joyce Circle, Thomas Farm Circle and Cherry St.) and begin approving special permits, for the sake of the almighty dollar (or so the Polito family can turn a tidy profit on their land), we run the risk of setting a potentially dangerous precedent.
There are plenty of businesses which fit under the zoning of Limited Industrial, that would be much more benign and acceptable to my friends & neighbors in Precinct 9. Please Selectmen, Town Manager and Planning Board -- do what you can to seek businesses which fit with the zoning the Master Plan mapped out years ago.
Yes, we need more commercial revenue, and should be actively seeking it -- but not with "risky" businesses which could (even remotely) put our citizens in harm's way! If it is possible for extra costs to the town or increased liability, this project should not be built where it is proposed.
The sky is falling! The sky is falling! Wait, no, maybe that wasn't the sky falling. Hmmm...maybe I should wait and get more information before making a big ruckus with dire predictions about terrible fates in store for our town.
To the poster who claims to have done research on medical processing facilities, why not reveal the whole story? Despite a comprehensive search of the internet, there were no accidents reported for Sharpsmart. On the other hand, in hospitals throughout the country there are a reported 1000 needlesticks per day. Also in these same hospitals, there are hundreds of spills. Added to this are the airborne infectious diseases of TB, flu and other diseases. Yet nobody would think twice about going inside a hospital or even working in one.
The people on this blog are complaining about the equivalent of WALKING BY a hospital.
There is no report of anyone outside a processing facility ever getting sick from what goes on inside.
It's time to admit there is no problem.
Developing the tax base with sound
businesses makes sense. This project makes sense. We should be happy they are not going to Cambridge or Worcester.
My suggestion is to wait until it is almost completed and then contact ELF to see if it passes their smell test.
A closer look at Karyn Polito's connection to Daniels is available at www.townpolitics.com
Isn't Karyn Polito supposed to be representing the residents of her district and, in particular, Precinct 9, where they're proposing this infectious waste treatment facility? Has she answered appeals for help from constiuents who oppose this facility? Just how much money does she, as a principal in Polito Development Corp., stand to make from this deal? I'd like to hear her thoughts and I wonder if she'll be at the hearing on November 19 or if she'll skip it entirely to avoid having to answer these questions.
No one has posted any real evidence that these type of facilities have caused problems. Where is the hard evidence? Where is the 3 mile island story?
Why do you want evidence of problems with this type of a facility. The issue is that it is a rezoning matter. Should the town rezone that property to allow this type of business next to a neighborhood? Not everything is about the almighty dollar. I wish our town leaders would do a better job of getting Centech developed? Why don't we have someone devoted to that full time? Yes, it would cost money, but if the land is developed and tax revenues flow in, the position will pay for itself. This town looks at the budget from year to year and doesn't seem to have much in the way of concrete, long term planning. Shouldn't we be doing this?
Who's to say that these jobs are going to go to Shrewsbury residents? Another thing, remember this land is going to be leased to this company. So, I guess the Politos will stand to make a buck on this forever. Thanks Karyn for lining your pockets once again at the expense of others. It's really not about what's best for the people in Shrewsbury or this neighborhood. Shrewsbury will now have the label of "Trash Capital" of central mass. We’ll take any business because we have no standards unlike towns that want to conserve their natural resources.
Please send this facility to Worcester or Cambridge. We don't want it in Shrewsbury-especially not the residents of district 9. Do you have any names and addresses of people we could contact?
Call a Realtor. It is about time we got some more tax dollars out of the industrial parts of this town. You bought next to a state highway bi-pass and a industrial area. What did you expect? Bill Gates or Steve Jobs to move in next to you?
Let the construction begin...so our tax rates don't have to go up. Sell, sell , sell.....Someone will buy your house....just market it as handicapped accessible.
To 11:20 post - What goes around comes around! Don't forget - this is a rezoning. It can happen anywhere in town. If the town wants to put money over everything, so be it. If you think your taxes are too high now, I really feel sorry for you. You are obviously someone who feels entitled to services, but doesn't want to pay a dime more. When property values decrease and people move out of town, you will get your wish. A place no one wants to live in, has poor service levels, but low taxes. Shame on you!
I'll be at the hearing tonight lookng for answers to my questions. I wonder if Mel Gordon will treat residents as disrespectfully as he usually does at these things. It seems to me that this is a straight up zoning/permitting issue. The use being asked for is currently not allowed. The town does not have the water resources that such a use will require. Shrewsbury can be fined by the state for exceeding the daily draw down limits currently in place for water usage and with other conservation restrictions looming in the future, will we be fined for the water requirements of this nonconforming business? It doesn't fit our town for a number of reasons including the lack of infrastructure we have to support it. If you like to water your lawn or wash your car and this comes to town you can pretty much forget about it. There will be a total ban on outside watering use by residents if this business comes to town.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa... Can we all just take a deep breath for a second? Personally, I want to hear all the facts before I make up my mind either way. We all have tons of questions and that's a good thing. But I think that as a town we can come together and at least LISTEN to what these folks have to say. At the end of the day, we might decide this isn't right for Shrewsbury. But in the meantime, can we be rational adults about this, hear both sides and make an informed decision without resorting to personal attacks and scare tactics? We have an opportunity to show here that Shrewsbury is interested in attracting and welcoming new businesses and that we are willing to give interested companies a fair hearing and consideration. Anything less than that is just not representative of the Shrewsbury I've always known and loved. I think we'll know a lot more after tonight's hearing...
The real question is...Would you want it next to your house? Would you really want a "medical waste facility" in your neck of the woods…..potentially next to your house! Have some sympathy. I bet you that if you ask yourself this question.... you wouldn't want it in your neighborhood. You'd be fighting this just like the rest of us. To be so callus, unkind, tell us to call a realtor...I mean these are our houses, probably our most valuable assets. All of us bought in this part of town knowing that this land was zoned for light industrial, not zoned for what is currently being proposed. I would support any neighborhood in Shrewsbury who wouldn't want this. Support your fellow town members who may have to live with this if it is built. The vast majority of us in this part of town don't want this.
To 10:36--for contact info, come to the planning board meeting tonight at 7:00 at the town hall. Show your support and help fight this.
And to 10:18-- you are correct. Shrewsbury will be known as the "Trash Capital", but not of just Central MA, of the NorthEast. The infectious medical waste will be coming from all over, not just from MA. Nice image of our town, huh?
I don't think Money Magazine will list Shrewsbury as one of the top 100 places to live again if this goes through.
My comparison to TMI; was simply that stuff happens even in highly regulated industries. Maybe not yet, and hopefully never.
But sitting in high school world geog class and hearing about the accident at TMI, was my, "where were you when JFK was shot" moment. The tough multi war army vet teacher(who terrified every kid) had a Japanese wife with family members in Hiroshima looked old frail and shrunken.
Also since I come from Appalachia, Mr. Joseph's comparison is not off the mark, in those poor communities with NO options the officials will take any business and look the other way or hope someone else is doing the job of regulating it. Cancer clusters are popping up and still only a few whispers to outsiders; they are terrified to lose jobs. They are now embracing squeezing natural gas from shale, yet another environmental issue, but are seeing $$$ dance in their eyes.
But many of you are right this is a zoning issue change, does this need to go to town meeting after the planning board? Or is the planning board the end with little recourse? Residents in that immediate area are not NIMBY most look at the back of loading docks 5 or 6 months of the year.
Shrewsbury is NOT POOR, when I look back to those surveys Mr. Morgado has done with the Clark students; location and because we are a nice town is the reason people move here. With planning that area of town could be mixed cluster with a little village like setting, it is close to the T and there is land. Long term planning would be great.
I totally agree with the "whoa" poster above. Let this business make their proposal and then we can politely tell them "thank you for your interest, but no", or "welcome".
So many times people on this blog say, "Learn the facts" except for some reason in this case where that is not happening.
This company has an excellent safety record, and certainly provides a much needed service. On the other hand, there are town water issues, side street entrance issues, and other regulatory issues which may make no the best answer. I think businesses have a right to know exactly why they are refused...real reasons like those mentioned above and hopefully we can keep the personal attacks out of the whole procedure.
Pct 9 residents- In fairness, aren't there many industries that would get a strong negative reaction? Here's a few: heating oil distrubution yard, tractor trailer refueling, fertilizer plant, chemical manufacturing, propane gas farm, drug rehab facility, fish processing factory and asphalt plant. Aren't those all worse?
Infectious waste is ALREADY coming through town, and being produced in town. Route 20/Cherry Street is NOT a residential neighborhood. It will NOT be next to anyone's house. It WILL provide jobs, that can't be outsourced to China like Evergreen Solar. It WILL provide more in taxes to the town than it requires (unlike a residential building).
There will be far fewer injuries related to this facility than there have been and will be due to Stoney Hill Rd connecting to Route 20.
As to watering, if you like to wash your car in the driveway - you are putting more pollution down the storm drains than this facility will produce. Your lawn, if you want to waste water like that pay for it yourself and dig a well.
If you bought a home in Precinct 9, you knew what you were getting into. People ought to grow up - either you want economic growth & the funding of schools & municipal, OR you want to keep your neightborhood the way it is, and you zip it about making cuts. YOU CAN'T HAVE IT BOTH WAYS.
Just my two cents, but I think that the waste that they would be handling was 60,000 pounds a day. That sounds like a lot but it is 30 ton which is a little over what two ten wheel dump trucks can carry. An F350 pick up truck can carry around 3 tons, so maybe there would be 10 pick up trucks if that is what they used. This really isn't a big deal.
I think Shrewsbury needs to partner with companies / products that embody a town that ranks as one of the best towns in the US to live in. Medical Waste does not lend itself to that image. I don't care what the revenue number is. Medical waste in this community is not something we need to be associated with.
After all was said and done, the main argument that the Cherry St people had was that they just didn't want it. They didn't prove any laws would being violated. The continuance to Dec 3 for public input gives Sharpsmart the time to add needed detail to the special application and maybe toss in an emergency generator. While it does give the Cherry St people more time to do environment studies, they won't be able to come up with anything. Interestingly, not one supporter spoke. Also, only 64K in revenue was expected. Regardless, prediction: application approval.
I attended last night too, and came away feeling more comfortable about the proposal than when I went in. Things to pursue: they need a backup generator (and it's surprising that it wasn't part of the original plan), existing water and wastewater issues experienced in the neighborhood need to be addressed by the Town so that the additional loads won't increase difficulties, and the research regarding property values and the company's impact on other communities needs to be done. Other points: 1) of course no one in support spoke out. Someone with the gall to note that he lived in another neighborhood got hissed... it was NOT a balanced room, 2) Mel Gordon set the tone poorly right off the bat, by reading the letter in support of the project but not opposed, and was obnoxious throughout, and 3) the company rep should not have suggested that infectious waste isn't all that infectious. Yes, some germs die in transit and over time; others do not. Hepatitis B, anyone? That said, my kids won't be allowed to enter a fenced industrial facility and play in trucks containing containers, and it's hard for me to imagine our children being exposed to the waste in any other way.
Please continue the discussion at the new article, The $64,000 Question.
Check out- concernedcitizensforshrewsbury.org
New comments are not allowed.