PORTLAND —  Kevin Roche, CEO of ecomaine, showcased the organization’s new fire suppression system at the Solid Waste Association of North America’s WASTECON conference last week in Phoenix, Arizona.

The water cannon system, manufactured by Elkhart Brass, is located on the tipping floor of ecomaine’s facility and can be controlled inside the tipping hall, outside the building via a remote control or from ecomaine’s control room, which is staffed 24 hours per day.  Thermal cameras display temperatures on the tipping floors and alert staff to elevated temperatures. The need for such a system arose in December 2017 when a fire broke out at the facility due to an improperly disposed lithium ion battery.

“Unfortunately, fires are all too common in our industry,” Roche said.  “We are extremely proud to now have this unique method of combating ‘hot spots,’ which will keep our workers safe and our plant operational.”

ecomaine  serves as the recycling and waste-to-energy operation facility for more than a third of the state’s population.