Veolia breaks ground on Arkansas plant

A groundbreaking ceremony featuring the governor of Arkansas has been held for a replacement hazardous waste thermal treatment plant being built by Boston-based Veolia North America in Gum Springs, Arkansas.

Veolia says that, once completed, the facility will be “the most advanced [and] environmentally efficient of its kind” in the United States, with an ability to treat and dispose of a wide variety of hazardous waste materials.

The company says the new facility will replace the two thermal plants currently in operation in Gum Springs. Veolia acquired the site from Alcoa in 2020 before embarking on what it calls “an ambitious effort to set a new standard for the safe, sustainable handling of waste materials.”

The new facility is expected to open in 2024, and is called by Veolia the first of its kind to be permitted in the U.S. in more than seven years.

“Through major expansions like the facility in Gum Springs, Veolia remains focused on supporting our regional footprint through results-driven innovation and investment in infrastructure upgrades that create meaningful, permanent jobs for the local community,” says Fred Van Heems, Veolia North America president and CEO. “As members of the Gum Springs-Arkadelphia community, this ribbon cutting affirms our commitment to sharing both our resources and expertise with our communities while working together to build environmentally sound and innovative projects.”

Located on an approximately 1,400-acre site, the new Gum Springs facility will replace the two existing thermal plants and is described by Veolia as the first of its kind in the nation to be outfitted to capture thermal heat for the generation of heat and electricity at the plant.

“I am happy to celebrate the construction of this impressive new facility, which will bring enormous economic and environmental benefits to the people of this community and our state,” says Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson. “We are making it known that Arkansas is a place where companies like Veolia can bring innovation and growth, and invest in the future.”

Veolia North America, a subsidiary of the France-based Veolia group, offers water, waste and energy management services to commercial, industrial, health care, higher education and municipal customers in North America. The Boston-based subsidiary has more than 10,000 employees working from more than 350 locations.