Thanks to some truly inventive employees, the wildlife in Johnston, Rhode Island is now enjoying a restored wetlands area and neighboring meadow.
It all started with a $2 million investment in a new, closed loop storm water collection and retention system for Schnitzer Steel’s metal recycling operation in Johnston. In the past, a system of retention ponds filtered the runoff from the facility. But the new state-of-the-art, closed loop system includes technology that separates oil, water and solids. This process removes contaminates from the water prior to discharging.
As the project developed, Johnston employees had an inspired idea – restoring the retention ponds into one large pond and wetlands area.
"With our new systems in place, it was finally possible to move forward. The pond and wetland project generated a lot of interest, and we were anxious to move forward,” stated Jeanne Schmeichel, environmental manager.
Once they began discussing the restoration project, the employees decided to expand its scope to deal with another nearby eyesore. For many years, a large area adjacent to the Johnston facility was used as storage for crushed cars prior to processing and recycling. The plan was to create a meadow to complement the new pond and wetlands.
"It only made sense to tackle both projects at once and leverage our resources to make an even bigger difference,” Schmeichel noted.
Crews began transforming the two areas in mid 2005. In less than a year, the areas had been cleaned, the pond and wetlands were created, and the meadow was graded. Landscapers hydro-seeded and planted trees and other vegetation.
"It’s exciting to see things take root. We’re proud of our efforts and look forward to watching the area redevelop naturally,” said Schmeichel.
Return to Values page