Leading biosolids and organics solutions provider, Lystek International Ltd. (Lystek), is pleased to announce that it has been awarded multi-year, multi-million dollar contracts by the both the City of Benicia (Benicia) and the City of Palo Alto (Palo Alto) for Biosolids Management. The two agreements will see Lystek accept biosolids generated in both cities, converting them into LysteGro®, a US EPA, Class A EQ (Exceptional Quality) biofertilizer product at its 150,000 ton, state-of-the-art, Organic Material Recovery Center (OMRC-FSSD), located at the Fairfield-Suisun Sewer District (FSSD) in California.
The result of a unique, P3 style partnership, the OMRC-FSSD opened in August 2016 with a baseline volume of 14,000 tons per year. The facility, which features the patented, low temperature, Lystek Thermal Hydrolysis Process (Lystek THP®) continues to scale toward capacity by securing volume commitments from a growing list of Bay area and other California agencies, including San Francisco, Petaluma, Santa Rosa, and more. The center is rapidly contributing to Lystek’s leadership in diverting hundreds of thousands of tons of biosolids from North American landfills annually, in favor of higher and better uses.
“These two contract awards demonstrate a growing recognition of Lystek as the preferred biosolids management partner for agencies in and around the San Francisco Bay area,” says Jim Dunbar, General Manager of the California facility and the western U.S. market for Lystek. “Our customers want to be sustainable and seek practical, reliable biosolids and organics management solutions. The OMRC-FSSD is the critical centerpiece in providing responsible, resource recovery services in this market.”
California regulations around the use and management of organics, including biosolids, are rapidly evolving, offering opportunities for forward-thinking agencies to partner with sustainability leaders like Lystek who offer advanced, proven solutions. Lystek’s portfolio of solutions is based on its multi award-winning process which leverages years of sound science and research to tap into the value of biosolids and organics. Once considered “waste”, these materials are now viewed as recoverable resources for the production of high quality products, such as biofertilizers, green energy, alternative sources of carbon.
An excellent example of this is the LysteGro biofertilizer produced at the OMRC-FSSD. In its first year of release, LysteGro garnered significant recognition as a leading solution for growers by achieving a Class A EQ (Exceptional Quality) classification from the US EPA, a license from the California Department of Food and Agriculture as bulk fertilizer and acceptance as an agricultural product by the Solano County Department of Agriculture. These recognitions help to eliminate many of the historical barriers and prohibitions imposed on traditional land application of Class B biosolids.
As such, demand for the organically-based LysteGro product already outpaces supply with all of the available material being purchased by eager end users in Solano County and surrounding areas.
These contracts provide real solutions for the Cities of Benicia and Palo Alto who are driven by the desire to be sustainable. By leveraging proven, leading edge solutions such as those offered by Lystek, they are able to move their biosolids management plans away from landfilling and toward higher and better uses.
“Even before the regulatory landscape started to change in California, many communities were looking for ways to transition from disposal to beneficial use. Lystek offers a solution this is sustainable over the long term and that provides a true resource recovery model,” adds Jim Dunbar of Lystek. “These agreements allow us to help forward-thinking agencies participate in the green cities movement.”