West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum will host a forum & tours highlighting the Kent County Waste to Energy Facility & the City of Grand Rapids Water Resource Recovery Facility on Monday, July 15, beginning at Grand Rapids Community College M-TEC.

One of the two facility tours featured for the July Forum, Kent County’s Waste to Energy (WTE) facility has been a key part of an integrated waste management system that allows our community to responsibly and reliably dispose of solid waste while producing local energy and reducing the amount of waste going into landfills for nearly 30 years. The WTE is a source of local energy and upholds the highest environmental standards, achieving Michigan’s Clean Corporate Citizen (C3) designation each year since 2006. The WTE, together with Kent County’s Recycling & Education Center, is implementing new technology to improve efficiency, reclaim more materials and provide continued value to our community. These facilities will complement the development of a Sustainable Business Park that brings Kent County to its goal of 90% reduction in landfilled waste by 2030. Paul Smith, Waste to Energy Facility Operations Manager at the Kent County Department of Public Works, will lead the tours of the WTE facility. Paul oversees the operation and maintenance of the facility, in coordination with the contracted operator, Covanta.

For the second facility tour, the City of Grand Rapids Water Resource Recovery (WRR) facility will show guests what happens to your water after it runs down the drain, giving you an up close look at how every single day, 40 million gallons of water enters the facility, undergoes water treatment processing, and empties into the Grand River. Brian Vu, Water Resource Recovery Facility Assistant Superintendent for the City of Grand Rapids, will lead the tours of the WRR facility. Brian’s career in the industry began many years ago in Grandville where he learned the disciplines of the wastewater treatment process at the Clean Water Plant. Holding many positions over the years has given him a broad range of skills in the resource recovery industry. During his time there, he helped implement several innovative energy and cost-savings projects, including the construction of the only egg-shaped anaerobic digester in Michigan in 2012. Brian holds a Class A wastewater certificate in the state of Michigan and has a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry.

Due to space limitations, this event has a capacity of 80 attendees. Attendees will be split-up into 4 groups of 20 attendees, with each group on different schedules as follows below. Based on preferences requested during registration, attendees will be assigned a Group #, which will be communicated before the event and included on your name tag when you check-in at GRCC M-TEC. Parking will be available at GRCC M-TEC, where lunch and registration will take place. Shuttles will transport attendees from GRCC M-TEC to tour destinations and back. 

The WMSBF July Forum is presented by Kent County Department of Public Works and Grand Rapids Community College

Registration is now closed as the event has reached capacity. Walk-ins will not be accepted. 

WMSBF July Forum
Monday, July 15
11:30 am to 2:15 pm
Grand Rapids Community College M-TEC
622 Godfrey Ave SW
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
$17 online / $22 at event Members
$25 online / $30 at event Non-members

Group Tour Schedules