Garden-Ville partners with city to compost sewage, brush
The composting process can take anywhere from six to eight weeks at Garden-Ville as it uses machines to treat the organic material that will eventually become compost.
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WHAT ARE BIOSOLIDS?
Since the 1980s, local governments have been required to treat their wastewater. Before this regulation, sewage was dumped into bodies of water.
When the sewage is treated, it becomes biosolids, nutrient-rich organic materials, which governments may choose ...
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WHAT ARE BIOSOLIDS?
Since the 1980s, local governments have been required to treat their wastewater. Before this regulation, sewage was dumped into bodies of water.
When the sewage is treated, it becomes biosolids, nutrient-rich organic materials, which governments may choose to recycle, incinerate or bury in a landfill.
Recycling biosolids helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
To be recycled, the biosolids must undergo further treatment and processing upon which residuals can be used as fertilizer.
BLOOMINGTON - Mounds of earthy material dot the land at Garden-Ville's compost production site.
And though the composter's products appear as earthen as clay, some of the compost is derived from sewage.
"We're taking material that would just go into the landfill and be wasted and turning it into a beneficial product," Paul Gregory, manager of the local site, said.
The composting site has been serving the Victoria area since May in a partnership with the city.
In a given month, the city can transport up to 1,400 tons of sludge to Garden-Ville and 5,000 yards of brush, Gregory said. Before that is done, however, the sludge is treated and turned into biosolids.
Biosolids provide a nutrient-rich fertilizer to enrich soil. Sludge-based composts can be used to grow trees. Some even use them on vegetable gardens.
Many municipalities recycle their wastewater to be reused for soil improvement.
"It makes your yard look better, ultimately," Gregory said. "It's an aesthetic thing, but more than that, it's actually feeding the soil and reintroducing organic material back into the soil."
The treatment process is meticulous and involved. Biosolids composters must meet the Environmental Protection Agency's regulations.
Garden-Ville's biosolids-based compost is a blend of mulch and sludge, Gregory said.
Garden-Ville's San Antonio location turns its sludge into a compost called "Alamo Grow."
Local master gardeners held a contest to name Victoria's own biosolids compost. The winning entry? Coastal Grow.
Garden-Ville has a 10-year contract with the city.
Victoria is the only Texas city of its size to have a compost facility that recycles city waste, Darryl Lesak, environmental services assistant director, said.
"The city of Victoria needs to be applauded for their efforts in recycling," Gregory said. "We're going to recycle tens of thousands of tons of material every year."
People who would like to recycle their brush, grass clippings and yard clippings may do so at a rate of $4.69 per cubic yard.
The city receives a 5-percent royalty from all sales of locally produced fertilizers.
Garden-Ville is located at 18545 Farm-to-Market Road 1686 in Bloomington.
Comments
Dear Patb,
If you like this recycling fee, you'll love the Cap and Tax(Trade) bill.
November 6, 2009 at 11:51 a.m.Familyman - you take it there in whole pieces. I called them before and it's $4.69 for a pick-up load.
Bigdogdaddy - You are exactly right. Look at every city in the nation and there are tons of these partnerships set up, unless of course the local government is incompetent. It relieves the city from the burden of doing a task as well as the expense of handling that task and they get money back in return. Smart business!
Pat - Uh, i've been out there one time now and you begin to realize what it costs this company to operate once you see all the equipment it takes to compost the material we bring them. It wouldn't surprise me at all if they had over a million dollars in equipment out there. We live in a world where recycling of materials is happening more and more often so remember, next time you buy a soda, or a water in a recycled plastic container, you just paid for that too! If you're not being charged for recycling household products, you soon will be as cities across the nation put that burden on its inhabitants.
November 6, 2009 at 11:43 a.m.$4.69 per cubic yard! Is that before or after shredding?
November 6, 2009 at 9:48 a.m.That is exactly what happens when a city decides to "work a deal" with a private entity. It's called a tipping fee and you pay it if you want to dispose of something at the landfill or composting site. Now, remember a short time back when the city wanted to end the service of picking up yard waste because there was "not enough deamand"? The only other (legal) alternative would be to hire someone to dispose of it at $4.69 (or more) per cubic yard. I guess the council and mayor had it figured out that it was a good way to increase the 5% take on sales of product sold if they could help increase the amount of product produced. Not to mention the huge increase in tipping fees that Garden Ville would receive. What a great public-private partnership!
November 5, 2009 at 7:33 a.m.Am I the only one confused by this story? If I read it correctly,these nice,friendly people will take my yard waste off my hands IF I PAY THEM $4.69/Cu. Yd. They will composte it and sell it back to me for some unknown amount? As my hero John McEnroe was fond of saying"YOUCANNOTBESERIOUS"!!!!!!
November 5, 2009 at 6:58 a.m.