COALTON A prominent cosmetics company plans to use landfill gas captured at the Big Run Landfill for renewable energy production.
The move by L’Oréal USA would create seven to 10 permanent jobs and roughly 100 temporary construction jobs, according to the company.
Big Run Power Producers, owned by Ultra Capital, will break ground on a new processing facility at the landfill in Coalton this month, L’Oréal announced Thursday. The facility will process landfill gas and condition it for use as pipeline-quality renewable natural gas, then sell it to L’Oréal.
Big Run Landfill General Manager Jerry Ross said Big Run Power Producers will clean the landfill gas rather than flaring and destroying it.
Construction of the facility is estimated for completion by the end of the year.
L’Oréal said the move is part of the company’s plan to achieve carbon neutrality in 2019 for all 21 of its U.S. manufacturing and distribution facilities.
“Achieving carbon neutrality for all of our Operations facilities furthers our commitment to being a sustainability leader in the United States,” said Frédéric Rozé, President and CEO of L’Oréal USA, in a news release.
The company has 17 renewable energy installations across the U.S., including an on-site solar array in Florence, Ky. Completed last year.
The Florence haircare facility is the company’s largest manufacturing site in the U.S. and its largest worldwide by tonnage of products produced.
The company spent 18 months researching a potential renewable energy production source before deciding to use Big Run Landfill.
Boyd Judge-Executive Steve Towler said he’s pleased Big Run Landfill will “fulfill this innovative purpose and provide additional jobs to our region.”
In 2015, the Boyd County Fiscal Court, along with Big Run Landfill’s parent company EnviroSolutions, the state Energy and Environmental Cabinet and the Citizens of Boyd County Environmental Coalition reached an agreed order that placed stricter emission restrictions on the landfill after public outcry over odors wafting from the area.
Part of the agreement involved shutting down the so-called “trash trains,” that carried waste to the landfill from as far as New Jersey and were considered the main source of the stench. Big Run became a local landfill through the agreement, which also resulted in the loss of about 60 jobs.
Another major component of the agreed order was the requirement that EnviroSolutions capture landfill gas and turn it into green energy rather than incinerate it.
Towler said the announcement satisfies that portion of the agreed order.
“This is terrific news that the gases from landfill will be used in a productive manner, something we have sought for several years as part of our agreed order for future landfill uses,” said Towler. “We thank L’Oréal for believing in our region and for their commitment to Kentucky.”
(606) 326-2651 |



