TOPPING DAY FOR CLEAN HARBORS

At the "topping" ceremony for Clean Harbors' Kimball expansion, company CEO Eric Gerstenberg said Tuesday that the construction phase of the new Kimball incinerator will be completed by 2024 and the incinerator operational by early 2025.

"With the addition of this new incinerator and the jobs it brings, our commitment to Kimball and Western Nebraska will only deepen," he said. "Today is not just about acknowledging a milestone; it is about instituting a brighter and more prosperous future in Kimball, in Nebraska for Clean Harbors, and for every individual touched by our efforts."

The "topping" ceremony symbolizes the completion of the tallest structural phase of the project. The project is not complete, but the highest structural beam is in place.

"It is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and collaboration of everyone involved," said Paul Whiting, senior vice president of facilities engineering.

President Becky Underwood said, "This is one of the most exciting projects that we have in the company, right, and it is one of the largest construction projects that we have ever done in the history of our company."

Construction was started in 2021 and is about 80% complete. After one more year of construction and commissioning, the startup is expected in early 2025.

Formidable issues that Clean Harbors must contend with in Kimball are employment and housing, but they have been proactive in working on these challenges. To solve the housing issue, Clean Harbors purchased a large parcel of land adjacent to the city for housing. The parcel has been annexed by the city, and the housing project is in the process of becoming a reality.

Underwood said that about 200 people work in the plant, and they will be adding about another 200.

Clean Harbors has five incinerator plants with a total of nine incinerators, including Kimball's newest.