In 1996, Arthur Schofield Inc. entered into the tire shredding business when it hired Virgil Bourgoine. Virgil had worked at Sawyer Environmental Recovery Facility (SERF) since 1988 where he developed the tire shredding operation. Once Arthur Schofield Inc. brought Virgil Bourgoine on board, he and Frank Schofield developed a tire processing operation and developed new tire-derived product markets.

Arthur Schofield Inc. started its first project in 1997, cleaning up more than on million tires in Durham, Maine. The Material was used as a lightweight road base for the Portland Jetport Exit on the Maine Turnpike. After completing that project, ASI moved its operation to the Tri-community Landfill (TCL) in Fort Fairfield, Maine, to clean up more than ½ million tires to be used in the drainage and protective layer in their new landfill. ASI proposed the utilization of type “B” chip to be used as a drainage/protective layer at TCL. The proposal was approved by the DEP. TCL became the first landfill in Maine to utilize tire chips as a drainage/protective layer. The project saved TCL considerable amounts of time and money, while providing a long-term market for tire-derived products.

ASI's next project was a clean up with more than 1.5 million tires in Meddybemps, Maine. 3,000 tons of shreds went into the reconstruction of Route 9 as a lightweight road base. 4,000 tons were used in Norridgewock at Waste Management Inc.'s new lined landfill as a drainage/protective layer. This landfill is the second in Maine to utilize tire shreds.

ASI then moved its operation back to the Tri-Community Landfill (TCL) in Fort Fairfield, Maine to clean up more than 300,000 tires to be used as the drainage/protective layer in the second cell of their new landfill.

In April 1998, Arthur Shcofield, company founder, died. The company was sold in 1999 and began operating as Schofield Inc. (SI). In 1999 SI processed 1900 tons of tires into Type B product from the Bangor landfill. The product was used at Waste Management in Norridgewock, Maine in another new lined landfill cell.

The next SI tire project was in 1999 to 2000. It consisted of remediation of five tire piles located in Gorham, Auburn, Baldwin, Porter and Augusta. 6000+tons of material were processed into Type B product, most of which was utilized by WMI in the landfill.

In 2000 to 2001 under a MEDEP contract, approximately 1.4 million tires located in Greenwood and Albany Plantation, Maine were processed into Type “B” chips. These chips were then utilized in a road project by the Maine Turnpike Authority in Westbrook and used by the Maine Department of Transportation in Biddeford.

Due to long developing discontent with the new owners of Schofield Inc., Virgil and the tire crew resigned from Schofield Inc. in June of 2001. Immediately after, Frank Schofield and Virgil Bourgoine incorporated BDS Waste Disposal, Inc.

With control of the company completely under Frank and Virgil, BDS expanded their scrap tire supply to include tire dealers, salvage yards and other tire sources including state contracts. The most notable contract to date in the Tri-Community Landfill Project located in Fort Fairfield, Maine. There BDS processed over 300,000 tires in Aroostook County winter conditions in two months. The Solid Waste Director at that time stated that the job was overwhelming to begin with and as the task grew larger each day, the weather turned form a mild fall into a typical Northern Maine winter. With temperatures reaching 30 degrees below zero, he watched Virgil motivate his crew in the mornings, and persuade frozen equipment to start. Day after day they continued to plow through the mounds of tire that had to be shredded. It was then that he realized the determination and pride that has become a significant part of Virgil's personality. Virgil encouraged his crew to stay with the job till its completion, working right along side his crew each day, till the job was done.

BDS worked next on a State of Maine tire remediation project in Augusta and Durham with over 600,000 tires being removed. The Type “B” chips produced form these tires are being used at Waste Management in Norridgewock, Maine, in a new lined landfill cell.

BDS Waste Disposal, Inc. is optimistic that through the experience, knowledge, and dedication of its' owners and employees it will continue to provide an economical and environmentally sound solution to New England's scrap tire problem.