• Wastewater treatment and renewable energy solution recognized by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
ROCHESTER, NY, Dec. 7, 2007 -- Ecovation, a developer of value-driven wastewater treatment and renewable energy solutions, today announced that it has received an 2007 Environmental Excellence Award from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) for its dairy waste stream management solution for Breyers Yogurt Co., North Lawrence Dairy. Both Ecovation and Breyers Yogurt were recognized for the project that treats dairy plant waste in a biogas production system. The DEC award program acknowledges organizations that are solving environmental challenges using innovative and environmentally sustainable practices or creative partnerships within New York.
In 2005, Breyers Yogurt (formerly CoolBrands Dairy) entered into an agreement with Ecovation to install a waste treatment and renewable energy system at its North Lawrence, NY facility. Breyers was searching for a solution that would allow it to increase production capacity and reduce costs, while enhancing environmental stewardship. Ecovation's patented Mobilized Film Technology (MFTSM) system processes Breyers' high-strength waste streams to generate methane-rich biogas, which is used to offset fossil fuel use in the plant's production facility. The facility also accepts dairy byproduct wastes from nearby dairy plants, reducing waste generation in the surrounding community. The system is currently on track to replace nearly 250,000 gallons of No. 6 fuel oil each year -- about 25 percent of the plant's total usage -- with renewable biogas, while simultaneously lowering operating costs. In addition, this community friendly solution has allowed the plant to decrease its use of fossil fuel, resulting in a one third reduction of the plant's sulfur dioxide emissions.
"The high costs and environmental impact associated with managing our high-strength waste streams created a need for us to look at treatment alternatives," said Jay Straight, Engineering Manager of Breyers. "In working with Ecovation, we developed a renewable energy system that allowed us to become a more sustainable operation and cut approximately one quarter of our oil use."
Ecovation designs, builds and operates wastewater management systems for clients in a variety of industries. Employing patented MFT, Krofta, and other owned and licensed technologies, Ecovation's wastewater treatment solutions offer superior performance, while requiring a much smaller footprint. Compared to competitors, many of Ecovation's systems produce renewable biogas that can assist in offsetting energy consumption at clients' facilities. Having grown 770 percent over the past three years, Ecovation was recently named #366 on the 2007 Inc. 500 list and #1 on the 2007 Rochester Top 100 list.
"We worked closely with Breyers to develop a system that specifically matched not only their waste stream, but also their business model," said Diane C. Creel, Chairman and CEO of Ecovation. "At Ecovation, we are devoted to developing the best solution for each client's specific needs. This award is testament to the dedication of the people at both companies that made this project possible."
The New York State DEC Environmental Excellence Awards are presented to businesses; educational institutions; not-for-profit organizations; local, state and federal government programs; and individuals located in New York in acknowledgement of their innovative approaches to specific environmental challenges. Other recipients of this year's awards included Delphi Thermal Systems, the Gloversville-Johnstown Wastewater Treatment Facility, IBM, the Syracuse City School District and the Nature Conservancy -- Adirondack Park Chapter.
Ecovation provides value-driven, sustainable solutions to meet the wastewater management and renewable energy needs of industrial clients.
Breyers Yogurt Company is a leading manufacturer and distributor of refrigerated yogurt products, producing premium yogurt in a number of varieties. Based in North Lawrence, New York, the Breyers brand is part of Healthy Food Holdings.
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Also see:
-- "Renewable Energy Production from Dairy Byproducts" (Industrial WaterWorld, July/August 2007)
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