Massachusetts Company To Open In 2009 Facility Capable Of Converting 250 Tons Of Leftover Food Into Organic Landfill Material

October 27, 2008 8:49 a.m. EST

Boston, MA (AHN) - A five-year old Boston firm is collecting food leftovers and converts it into fertilizer subsequently used as organic landfill material.

At present the fertilizers churned out by Converted Organics are being used by golf courses, landscapers and maintenance companies. Next year it will come out with pellet fertilizers for use by residences.

Next year also Converted Organics is slated to open a plant in New Jersey capable of processing every day 250 tons of food waste. But that is not sufficient to accommodate all the wasted food since leftovers from New York City alone is sufficient to keep 24 similar plants running.

According to a University of Arizona study in 2004, 40 to 50 percent of all food produced in the U.S. are thrown away and end up in landfills.

To convert food into fertilizer, the enhanced autogenous thermophilic aerobic digestion technology is used, which has also been used to treat wastewater. Converted Organic's process stops the breakdown before completion, which leaves a byproduct that becomes an effective fertilizer.

Aside from earning from fertilizer sales, Converted Organics generates additional income from payments it receives from garbage haulers who are relieved of the task of bringing the throwaway food to landfills, sourced mainly from large commercial food manufacturers and food-service facilities.

In preparation for the full operation of its New Jersey facility, the plant received last week its first shipment of solid food waste from Royal Waste Services in New York, said Converted Organics president Edward Gildea.