Agromin and partner Harrison Industries have opened a new food waste processing center in Oxnard, California, the first dedicated food waste recycling center in Ventura County. The Mountain View Food Waste Processing Facility is projected to recycle up to 300 tons of food waste daily. Agromin, California’s largest organics recycler and manufacturer of earth-friendly soil products, began planning the facility in 2017. Mountain View will help jurisdictions comply with SB 1383, which requires jurisdictions to shift 75 percent of their organic waste from landfills to reusable materials and recover 20 percent of unsold, still-edible food for distribution.
鈥淢any more food waste recycling centers are needed for jurisdictions to meet SB 1383 requirements,鈥� says Bill Camarillo, Agromin CEO. 鈥淭he demand is huge. With every new food waste recycling center and food donation program, California keeps more food waste out of landfills, reduces greenhouse gas emissions and feeds those in need.鈥�
Once food waste is received at Mountain View, it is shredded to create a homogeneous material then screw pressed to remove non-food items such as glass, plastic and metal, finally it is screened to produce a clean food waste slurry. Food waste is turned into renewable natural gas, organic fertilizers, animal feed pellets and compost. Mountain View uses the latest technology in food waste processing, including shredders, augers, centrifuges, and aerobic in-vessel digestion (for composting).
鈥淏efore Mountain View鈥檚 opening, much of Ventura County鈥檚 food waste was transported to out-of-county processing sites,鈥� says Camarillo. 鈥淣ow, food waste can be processed locally, which cuts down on transportation costs.鈥�
Food waste is collected and delivered to Mountain View by Harrison Industries from large local farms, food processors, restaurants, schools and homes. It provides residential, commercial and industrial trash and recycling collection services to 90,000 customers in the cities of Ventura, Camarillo, Ojai, Fillmore and Carpinteria; unincorporated areas of Ventura County; and the Channel Islands Beach Community Services District.
鈥淲e work closely with cities and food producers to close the loop on food waste, so everything gets collected and put to good use,鈥� says Donald Sealund, Harrison Industries. 鈥淲e also encourage local businesses and residents to do their part to keep food waste out of landfills, and in turn, help the environment.鈥�