A presenter who said he owns an electronic-recycling company in southern New Hampshire introduced a proposal Sept. 9 to locate a medical-device recycling facility in the Merrimack Valley that would recover plastics and some metals from sterilized medical devices for reuse. The board encouraged him to confirm zoning clearance and to return with a detailed site and process plan before purchasing equipment.

The presenter described operations as a reverse-logistics collection system for sharps containers and single‑use devices, followed by sterilization (autoclave or microwave-style sterilization), shredding, and commodity separation for recycling. He said materials that cannot be recovered would be transported to permitted incinerators. He described interest from hospitals and device manufacturers and said a pilot facility could start with about 10 employees but expand with demand.

Board members raised public-health and neighborhood concerns. They emphasized that the facility should be located in a light-industrial zone—not in or adjacent to residential neighborhoods—and asked whether the process would produce vents, odors, or other byproducts. Officials noted Lawrence’s existing history of industrial pollution and high asthma rates in the city, and requested documentation showing the process would not produce emissions or odors. The board recommended the presenter identify a prospective mill-space site, get zoning approval, and return with equipment specifications, noise and emissions testing, and a detailed operations plan.

The presenter said he has qualified equipment with the state Department of Public Health and is exploring energy-efficient microwave-style sterilization to avoid byproducts. He said certain outputs would go to permitted incinerators such as Covanta or Veolia when required by regulation. The presenter said the enterprise has confidentiality agreements with potential clients and needs volume commitments to justify expensive capital equipment purchases.

The board advised the presenter to consult zoning staff first; if zoning approves a proposed site, the presenter should return with the prospective location and a more detailed process and operating plan, including noise and emissions controls, before acquiring equipment.