Q: Why recycle by-products?
A: Recycling by-products helps cut down on wasted resources. If these by-products were not recycled, the nutrients would be wasted in landfills or sent to already overburdened municipal wastewater treatment plants. Ultimately, these methods would require more public cost and still generate an unusable waste.
Q: Who decides if a by-product can be recycled?
A: The state Department of Natural Resources regulates and therefore determines suitability for land application. However, it is BYTECs and our customer's responsibility to show beneficial re-use for every by-product land applied. This is achieved through testing and past experience with similar materials.
FACTOID: Organic by-products are beneficially reused at many public areas. One example: bio solids are used to condition soil in Manhattan parks.
(Ref: EPA Guide to 40 CFR Part 503)
Q: What does BYTEC land apply?
A: BYTEC recycles only organic based by-products and bio-solids which have a demonstrated beneficial re-use, onto agricultural fields as a fertilizer.
Q: What is a bio-solid?
A: Bio-solids are residuals from municipal wastewater treatment processes.
Q: Where do by-products come from?
A: All by-products are derived from food making or related processes. These include: pre-packaged foods, vegetables, meat processing, beverages, egg packing, cheese and other dairy.
Q: Is there human waste in by-products?
A: NO. By-products do not contain bio-solids (human waste). By-products and bio-solids are regulated and handled separately and therefore, never co-mingled.
Q: Are there any heavy metals?
A: Everything contains some metals, even the food we eat. BYTEC routinely monitors and tests for 8 metals, these concentrations are well under the safe limits established by EPA and DNR. Many aren't even detectable in the by-products. Some of those that are can be considered micro-nutrients, such as copper and zinc.
Q: Is there an odor?
A: There is some odor, as with any organic material. However, odor should dissipate within a few days.
FACTOID: Dairy by-products have been extensively researched for their effects on soil properties and plant growth.
(Ref. Department of Food Science, University of Wisconsin at Madison)
Q: Why recycle on agricultural fields?
A: By-products from either BYTEC storage or direct from our customers, contain organic matter, three macro-nutrients and some micro-nutrients. Not only is the fertilizer an immediate benefit, but the organic matter acts as manure would, increasing the soils tilth and general health. In some cases, part or even most of the crops nutrient need can be met through the use of by-products.
FACTOID: Land application is not a new concept. According to a USDA report, 285 dairy plants applied over 300 million gallons of whey alone in 1975.
(Art Peterson, University of Wisconsin Extension, A3098, Feb. 1981)
Q: How often can you land apply on the same field?
A: The maximum yearly application rate is about 27,000 gallons per acre or equal to 1 inch of rainfall. In other words, 4 and one half semi tankers of by-product per acre could potentially be land applied.
Q: How are potable wells protected?
A: First, BYTEC maintains a setback of 250 ft from private wells and 1000 ft from public wells. Second, BYTEC only land applies on soils where no shallow bedrock or groundwater is present.
