Environmental advocates are claiming the imminent closure of a Davis County trash incineration facility will help improve the quality of air in the nearby area. Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment says that the May 31 closure of the Davis Energy Recovery Facility will result in cleaner air for the nearby communities. And while the company that manages the facility, Wasatch Integrated Waste Management District, agrees that the air quality might improve, they claim the closure could also lead to higher greenhouse gas emissions. The facility provides steam which is used to heat nearby buildings, over other methods such as natural gas.
The district decided to close the plant for a number of reasons, among them a need for an $8 million overhaul and upgrade, as well as declining interest in the steam being produced.
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