Organix converting dairy waste to peat moss

Organix Inc. of Walla Walla, Washington, has completed a dairy manure to peat moss pilot project in Rupert, Idaho, and plans to go into production with a handful of plants by early 2007.

The company has developed a patented process that takes the dairy manure slurry byproduct from an anaerobic digester - the device used when processing manure for methane gas - and converts it into a peat moss substitute designed for the horticulture industry. In Organix's process, the solids from the digester are aerated for 40 days in a large plastic vessel, where emissions are biofiltered. At the end of the process, the end-product can be baled and shipped bulk.

As anyone who lives near a farm can attest to, manure left to decompose on its own creates a real odor problem. So, happily, anaerobic processing of manure is not only odor-free because it's performed in a sealed chamber, but organic material actually gives off more methane quicker when air is removed, boosting yields of methane and other gases.

The Organix test took place at the Whitesides Dairy biogas plant in Rupert, built and operated by Intrepid Technology and Resources.

"This concept has been five years in the making," explained Russ Davis, President of Organix. "With the current interest in renewable energy projects, biogas capture remains one of the best ways for a dairy to participate in the market while increasing manure management capabilities. Our system enhances a digester project by creating a high-value product out of the solids while simultaneously addressing many of the environmental concerns associated with dairies."

The company says the system gives large dairy CAFOs (confined animal feeding operations) the jump on upcoming regulatory pressures like ammonia emissions, greenhouse gas release and groundwater issues.

The product created by the process, branded RePeat(tm), is proving interesting to nurseries, landscape companies, soil blenders and horticultural users, says Organix, which claims to have already received letters of intent from national distributors to purchase its product based on tests to date.

"We've got committments from some of the peatmoss companies you'll find at Home Depot, for instance, and will hopefully be receiving committments from others soon," said Ross.

Del McGill, Organix VP, says the company's process is even more environmentally friendly than outdoor composting of manure. "In the RePeat manufacturing process, all of the material is kept in-vessel, so there's no leachate or runoff. There's also minimal dust and odor generated in the process – much less than with a conventional outdoor composting process. The thing that may be the most surprising of all is that the cost to operate is less than a windrow compost site."

Organix is responsible for processing nearly 1,000 tons daily of organic wastes throughout the northwest, including dairies and municipalities. Its most well-known client, Threemile Canyon Farms in Boardman, Oregon, operates a dairy complex that milks 23,000 cows.

The company is supervising the construction of two more facilities, one in Wendall, Idaho and one in Rickreall, Oregen, with more expected to be online by end of 2007. Organix expects $20M in sold or booked sales in 2007.

For more information:

www.organix.com