Mar 12 - Local Food Recycling Startup Makes Huge Expansion

The Sacramento Business Journal reports that California Safe Soil, which turns food waste into fertilizer, is in the middle of putting together a $7.1 million investment to build a new plant at the McClellan Business Park near Sacramento.

California Safe Soil has operated a pilot project composting facility in West Sacramento since 2012. This aerobic digestion process can be done in just 3 hours and is an exciting and innovative way to create a truly farm to fork to farm system. California Safe Soil's Dan Morash told the Business Journal that "We're selling out of everything we can produce. We already have two shifts working in West Sacramento."

The McClellan plant will have 32 times the capacity of the West Sacramento plant. CAW-sponsored legislation that goes into effect in 2016 will also help tackle the problem of food waste. AB 1826, authored by Assemblymember Wes Chesbro (D-Arcata) will require commercial generators of organic waste like grocery stores and restaurants to subscribe to composting or anaerobic digestion services like California Safe Soil. This will ensure the waste does not contribute to landfills where it becomes a significant source of greenhouse gases.

"Despite California's robust recycling infrastructure for traditional recyclables, the state continues to landfill organic materials at an alarming rate" said Nick Lapis, CAW Legislative Coordinator.

This year, CAW has introduced another bill that will help recyclers and manufacturers make investments in equipment crucial to filling the need for instate recycling capacity. AB 199, authored by Assemblymember Susan Eggman (D-Stockton), will provide a sales and use tax exclusion for equipment involved with recycling, including food recycling. The bill will help companies throughout California hire new workers in addition to the 125,000 already employed in the industry, and move California towards a more sustainable, closed-loop recycling economy.