Preston Incinerator Site Could Host New Technologies

Aerial view of the Reworld trash-to-energy incinerator by the Thames RIver in Preston on Friday, December 13, 2024. (Peter Huoppi/The Day)

Major changes are in the works that could turn the property that houses the Preston trash-to-energy incinerator into a high-tech waste recovery site with a goal to put a dent in the state’s trash disposal crisis.

With the recent closure of the Hartford trash-to-energy plant and aging incineration infrastructure, Connecticut is exporting nearly 1 million tons of solid waste each year to out-of-state landfills and incinerators, according to state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection data.

Fewer options and expensive transportation costs are expected to drive up waste disposal costs in the state.

Two separate projects — one nearly ready to launch and one in preliminary planning stages — are in the works for the 33-acre Preston property owned by the Southeastern Connecticut Regional Resources Recovery Authority off Route 12 just south of the Mohegan-Pequot Bridge.

SCRRRA built the trash-to-energy plant on the site, which opened in 1991. The plant now is owned by Reworld on land leased from the regional authority. Reworld, a rebranded name for the company previously called Covanta, aims to become a world leader in solid waste recycling and recovery, company officials said.

Read more at TheDay.com.