Balcones Recycling has celebrated the grand opening of its newest recycling facility located in San Antonio, Texas, as well as its 30th anniversary. Equipped with a 50-ton-per-hour system by CP Group, the San Antonio MRF will have a fully automated container line, making it what Balcones Recycling says is the most automated facility in the country. The facility will process both residential and commercial single-stream material for the City of San Antonio and surrounding communities. Recovered recyclable materials will be marketed in North America.
Designed and built by KDW, the 145,000-square-foot facility represents a $68 million investment in San Antonio recycling. The campus also includes the latest innovations in recycling technology, amenities dedicated to employee wellness, and community engagement programs.
"As we established when we first sought out this project, our goal is to deliver a recycling campus that is without peer anywhere in the country," said Balcones President Adam Vehik. "This facility is living proof of our commitment to that goal."
The San Antonio MRF is Balcones' fourth facility in Texas. The company will create approximately 70 new full-time environmental jobs in San Antonio to operate the facility. On-site resources will include:
- Integrated walking trails, recreational facilities, and a community garden program for employees.
- Viewing gallery and education outreach activities for the community.
- Drop-off options for recyclable materials outside of the city program.
The City of San Antonio awarded Balcones with a 15-year municipal recycling contract in April 2022, set to commence on August 1, 2024. The facility's capabilities enable the recycling of a wide range of materials with precision and efficiency. It will also be able to sort hard-to-recycle materials like film and flexible plastics. Further, the facility will serve as a hub for education and outreach, offering tours, workshops, and educational programs to raise awareness about the importance of recycling and serve as a community resource.
"We are excited about the environmental and economic impact that the recycling campus will bring to the community," said Vehik. "We designed this facility specifically to exceed the City of San Antonio's diversion goals and to serve the community as environmental stewards for many years."
Balcones has accelerated its growth in the past year after becoming the recycling arm of Circular Services, a developer of circular economy infrastructure. The inauguration of this facility brings Balcones Recycling's reach to 19 regions across the U.S.
