Waste-to-energy company Covanta Energy Corp., Morristown, N.J., and Turning Earth LLC, King of Prussia, Pa., an integrated organics recycling company, have announced a new partnership to provide organics recycling to Connecticut municipalities and businesses. The 10-year agreement calls for Turning Earth to build, own and operate an integrated organics recycling facility in central Connecticut to which Covanta will divert organic waste for beneficial reuse in partnership with municipalities and commercial customers. Covanta and Turning Earth will explore future opportunities in the Connecticut and Massachusetts region.

The facility will be powered by Denmark-based Solum Gruppen's Aikan Technology, a patented, high-solids anaerobic digestion (HSAD) and in-vessel composting system which converts organic waste streams into several valuable and environmentally beneficial products including renewable base load energy and high quality compost. Organic waste residuals provided by Covanta will come from Connecticut communities and businesses and will be comprised of yard waste, food waste and other organic waste streams.

“We couldn’t be more excited about our partnership with Turning Earth,” says Stephen Diaz, Covanta Energy vice president. “Organics recycling is important to our customers and an important part of CT DEEP’s (Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection’s) goals. This arrangement will now enable Covanta to provide our area municipal and commercial customers the ability to include organics recycling within their sustainable waste management programs.”

Covanta’s energy-from-waste (EFW) facilities will continue to provide disposal for postrecycled waste. Covanta’s Connecticut facilities generate energy for more than 34,000 homes in the state and recycle enough metal to build more than 12,000 automobiles annually, according to the company.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Covanta,” says Andrew Kessler, president, Turning Earth.“Our partnership with Covanta, local communities, and other important stakeholders, sets a new standard for organic waste management, renewable energy production and the replenishment of our soils.”

“I am proud that the Bristol region will be among the first to benefit from this unique partnership,” commented Bristol, Conn., Mayor Art Ward. “It continues a long-established collaborative effort between Covanta and Connecticut communities to attract environmentally-sound, cutting edge technologies and solutions to waste management in a manner that stimulates our local economies.”

Christian Christensen, CEO of Denmark-based Solum Group and creator of the Aikan Technology, remarked, “Aikan is a proven Danish technology that we have been working in partnership with Turning Earth to commercialize in the U.S. This is exactly the kind of project we envisioned when we decided to focus on the North American market – an alignment of interests from a broad range of stakeholders to achieve common objectives.”

Facility construction is anticipated to begin in the latter half of 2014 following site selection, the receipt of permits and procurement of organic waste.