버지니아주에 본사를 두고 있는 비료회사 Nutrients Plus사와 칼스배드의 공기관인 엔시나 폐수당국(Encina Wastewater Authority, EWA)이 바이오고형물을 비료로 사용하고 처리하는 데 대한 기준 및 안전사항을 평가하는 독특한 민관협력 벤쳐를 최근 발표했다.

9년이 넘는 기간동안 EWA는 A등급 품질의 비료 PureGreen을 개발·생산해 왔다.

 

 

 

Nutrients Plus, LLC, a fertilizer company headquartered in Virginia Beach Va., and Encina Wastewater Authority (EWA), a public agency based in Carlsbad, Calif., recently announced a unique public-private joint venture that elevates the standards and safety requirements for treating and using biosolids as a fertilizer.

 

For over nine years, EWA has been developing and producing PureGreen, a Class-A Exceptional Quality fertilizer. The Authority has consistently produced a safe product rich in the nutrients and micronutrients essential to the full development of healthy plants. This partnership forges a path for future public-private partnerships in the treatment and reuse of nutrients recovered from waste.

 

Under this partnership, Nutrients Plus will continue to study the commercial feasibility of a jointly owned and operated facility for reusing recycled nutrients as a premium fertilizer. The partnership also includes a supply agreement, through which the company will purchase PureGreen from EWA. This mission-driven business relationship will serve communities by protecting rivers, beaches and oceans through the development of innovative technologies and products in a sustainable and fiscally responsible manner.

 

EWA's facilities are a model of excellence and innovation in resource recovery: water is recycled for on-site use and retail distribution by its municipal partners; solids are refined to provide inputs to the PureGreen manufacturing process; anaerobic digesters create methane gas that fuels a 3.5-megawatt renewable power production system; and staff have successfully marketed PureGreen as a soil amendment product since 2012.

 

"Through sound planning and the support of our member agencies, EWA has made appropriate investments to convert biosolids into forms appropriately valued in the fertilizer market," said General Manager Kevin Hardy. "We provide compelling value to our owners by protecting the Pacific Ocean and preserving public health and will continue to pursue fiscally responsible, efficient and innovative means of doing so."

 

Over the past decade, EWA has received over 40 awards for organizational performance. Further, EWA staff has won dozens of safety, certification and leadership awards (see "CA wastewater authority recognized for perfect regulatory compliance"). The National Biosolids Partnership, for example, certifies EWA at Platinum, the highest level for excellence in compliance, operations and self-assessment.

 

Additionally the Environmental Protection Agency recognized EWA's Biosolids Management Program as the nation's best in 2006 and recognized EWA as a national leader in green power production from 2011 to 2014. The California Water Environment Association also named EWA's water resource recovery facilities as California's best in 2005, 2011 and 2013.

 

[출처 = Water World / 2015년 3월 4일]