Local facility re-opens after '09 fire

WEST CARROLLTON, Ohio (WDTN) - Veolia Environmental Services held its grand re-opening at its facility in West Carrollton June 20.

In May 2009, the plant on Infirmary Road exploded.  Two workers were hurt and the blast led to fines.

Following the fire, Veolia invested considerable effort and money into designing a state-of-the art facility from a safety and technological standpoint. 

"We conducted extensive research into what caused the explosion and how to prevent something like that from happening again," said Darek Teeters who is the General Manager of the Ohio Valley Branch Operations.

According to Teeters, a faulty valve triggered the explosion.  The company spent approximately $50 million clearing the damage and then rebuilding the facility.

"We are now looking to the future, " said Teeters.  "We will be employing approximately 85 local residents at the facility and we expect that number to increase to 95 by the end of the year."

The West Carrollton facility turns essentially turns waste into a resource.  Veolia ES repurposes and reclaims eight million gallons a year of oils, paints, solvents, and other hazardous materials and converts them back into material that can be reused.