WROI News

Logansport native, business owner advocates against proposed zinc recycling plant 'WSP'

Like many other residents in Cass County, local business owner Dave Price became extremely concerned last year when he heard about the potentially harmful effects of a proposed zinc recycling plant.  Waelz Sustainable Plant 'WSP' is being built at 3440 W County Rd 300 S, near Clymers. 

 

WSP is a kiln facility that recycles zinc oxide from steel mill by-products and has the potential of emitting lead and mercury into the environment. Despite protests from local residents, the $75 million project still continues and Price says locals feel ignored.

Price has attended nearly every meeting, hearing, protests and won't stop fighting until he gets answers. 

 

 

Price isn't the only one feeling strongly about the proposed facility. Last year the Cass County Citizens Coalition was formed to take a stand against WSP. 

 

Attending meetings, hearings, and putting together fundraisers, over the past year, the Cass County Citizen Coalition has raised thousands of dollars for legal fees and other things needed to ensure the community is safe from the factory. 

 

 

The groups' efforts have raised enough funds to hire Logansport Attorney Jim Brugh and Royal Center Attorney John Schwartz. Two open door lawsuits were filed against Cass County officials last year over how officials were conducting business with the zinc reclamation plant. 

 

The lawsuit was moved out of Cass County to Miami County to avoid conflict of interest. In June, Miami County Circuit Court Judge Timothy Spahr ruled in favor of the lawsuit against Cass County officials. 

 

Filing the lawsuit were Patricia Razor Robert McDonald, Roy Miller, and Mellissa Harrison.  All lived within two miles of the Cass County Agri-Business park near Clymers. 

 

 

The Cass County Citizens Coalition has also raised enough money to purchase their own air monitoring system for the city of Logansport, despite WSP installing an air monitoring system this past March, at their Clymers-area plant. 

 

Waelz Sustainable Products announced on June 18, that the Indiana Department of Environmental Management has issued an air permit for the population of WSP's zinc recycling facility in Cass County. The air permit will allow WSP to complete the construction of the plant, as well as begin the hiring push to fill the 60 jobs at the facility. 

 

 

Search

Weather


Obituaries

Entertainment