Some residents in Mansfield are opposing a proposal to open a medical waste treatment facility in their city. State officials plan to host a public meeting Wednesday for input on the controversial project.
Mike Slataper has lived and worked in Mansfield for more than 30 years and said a lot of good things are happening there. He just doesn't think a proposed medical waste treatment facility is one of them.
"The potential harm to this city is significant," said Slataper, who owns a modular building company not far from the proposed site. "And I don't see any advantage to the city with them coming here."
Dallas-based RedAway, LLC, wants to use a building at the intersection of South Second Street and Sentry Drive to store, transfer and treat medical waste from local health care providers.
According to the company's website, medical waste includes things like surgical instruments, gloves, swabs and other items used to treat and diagnose people.
Although medical waste would be stored and treated at the facility, it would not be disposed there.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has to approve the facility's registration application before it can open. Representatives from that agency will be in Mansfield on Wednesday evening to take public input on the matter.
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"I haven't heard one person say they're going to support this," said Slataper.
Slataper said his biggest concern is RedAway's own statement that the facility will take in up to 50 tons of waste per day.
"I don't think they're going to be irresponsible," said Slataper. "But I do believe that they bring a risk because of this industry to this town that we don't need and I don't want."
In an emailed statement, RedAway CEO Justin Smith wrote:
"RedAway is committed to using the cleanest technology and systems that are FDA and state approved to treat regulated medical waste generated by the local healthcare community. RedAway takes the public's concerns very seriously and looks forward to addressing them."
Wednesday's meeting marks the final opportunity for members of the public to make comments before the TCEQ makes a decision on RedAway's registration. That meeting will take place at Mansfield City Hall starting at 7 p.m.
Officials said no final decisions will be made Wednesday night, but the input they receive will weigh heavily in their considerations.
