Clean Harbors Inc., an environmental, energy and industrial services provider, said Tuesday that it will invest $100 million to expand its operation in El Dorado.
The company, whose services include hazardous waste disposal, said it will add a new incineration unit and 120 jobs to its El Dorado plant.
Arkansas Economic Development Commission spokesman Scott Hardin told The Associated Press that the jobs will pay an estimated average salary of $60,000 per year.
Gov. Mike Beebe joined company officials and local community representatives in El Dorado to announce the expansion, which Clean Harbors said “will enhance the country’s environmental protection infrastructure.”
The company added that the expansion marks the first time in about 30 years that new incineration capacity has been built in the United States. The rotary kiln incinerator will nearly double the waste destruction capacity at the El Dorado plant, according to Phil Retallick, senior vice president of regulatory affairs for Clean Harbors.
“Clean Harbors Environmental has enjoyed success in El Dorado for 40 years, thanks to the quality of the company’s workforce,” Beebe said. “Clean Harbors is generating new opportunities for Southern Arkansas’ citizens through the creation of many high-paying jobs. We appreciate the company’s ongoing commitment to doing business in Arkansas.”
The Clean Harbors El Dorado incineration facility specializes in the destruction of hazardous and industrial waste generated by businesses, industries and governmental entities.
Publicly traded Clean Harbors (NYSE: CLH) is based in Norwell, Massachusetts. Its clients include Fortune 500 companies. It operates in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico.