GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Kent County Recycling and Education Center is temporarily closed due to structural damage Monday afternoon.
According to the Kent County Department of Public Works cardboard bales pushed through the building's sidewall damaging an exterior wall and a roof support beam. No one was injured in the incident.
A team of engineers is assessing the damage so they can create a plan to repair the building. All tours and educational programming will be postponed until the fixes are complete.
“The health and safety of our employees and customers is our number one priority,” says Dar Baas, director of the KCDPW. “We’re gathering a full assessment of the damage and will only reopen once repairs are made, and we know it’s safe for workers and visitors to enter.”
The building is the primary materials recovery facility for residential recyclables throughout West Michigan. All incoming material will be diverted to the county's Waste-to-Energy facility until the REC is fully operational.
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
