A zoning hearing scheduled for a proposed medical waste processing facility in Nesquehoning has been continued.

On Tuesday, the Nesquehoning Zoning Hearing Board said a continuance was granted to Alpha Bio-Med Services LLC, Sharps Compliance Inc., who is proposing moving into a vacant 40,800-square-foot building, owned by Carbon Chamber and Economic Development, at 600 Industrial Road, in Nesquehoning.Board solicitor Michael Greek said the company was seeking a special exception to permit a refuse recovery and medical waste processing facility and distribution center at the site, which is zoned industrial.He said his office sent out public notices and letters to adjoining property owners, as well as the building's owner regarding the hearing, but did not send a notice to the applicant directly early enough for it to be received and reviewed and a certified letter returned to the borough.Thomas G. Pullar, senior project manager for EarthRes Engineering and Science, the engineer on the project, said that the company received notice on Monday, which didn't allow his client, who is located in Houston, Texas, enough time."It was a communication issue," he said. The company has been preparing plans and will work with the borough to get things rescheduled.Greek said the zoning hearing board would have not been able to rule on the project's special exception application Tuesday because the project must go before the Nesquehoning Planning Commission first.He told officials from EarthRes that he needs a letter from the company waiving a requirement to have the hearing held within 60 days of the permit application and said that if the planning commission doesn't schedule a meeting on the project and the company does not waive the 60-day requirement, he will set up another hearing before Dec. 26.DEP meetingAn informational session for municipalities and Carbon County has been set up through the Department of Environmental Protection, as part of Alpha Bio-Med's permit applications through the state.That meeting, set for Dec. 8, will provide information on the project and help answer any questions that borough officials or the county has. No action will take place at this meeting by DEP or the borough.Alpha Bio-Med Services LLC, Sharps Compliance Inc. is a recently merged company with plans to expand operations in the Northeast.Sharps sells mail-back containers for disposal of items such as syringes and unused medicine, as well as other types of medical waste.At the new Nesquehoning site, a legal notice stated that Alpha Bio-Med will accept up to 85 tons of regulated medical waste from doctors' offices, dentists, hospitals, schools, veterinarians and nursing homes a day and use a process of steam disinfection to decontaminate the waste.Other businessIn other matters, the zoning hearing board granted a variance to James McLaughlin to convert a second story of his commercial building, a former carpet business, at 90 W. Center St., into a studio apartment with a number of conditions.McLaughlin must comply with all Uniform Construction Code requirements of the Nesquehoning borough code enforcement official; cannot store any flammable or combustible material in the first floor of the building; designate the two off-street parking spots to the apartment tenants; and if any further changes of use to that building are planned, apply for additional zoning approvals before proceeding.