BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Converted Organics Inc. (NASDAQ:COIN) announced today that the company has formed an innovative partnership with the city of Gonzales, CA and the Gonzales Unified School District to recycle food waste from local school cafeterias into all-natural organic fertilizer for application on Gonzales school fields, city parks and public spaces. The recycling program will begin in mid-August to coincide with the start of the school year. The fertilizer will be made using Converted Organics’ proprietary technology and process known as High Temperature Liquid Composting (HTLC). “This unique public-private partnership will bring to life Converted Organics’ founding commitment to sustainable development; utilizing the natural capital of food waste to create a product that benefits the environment without generating additional waste,” said Ed Gildea, President of Converted Organics. “We applaud the city of Gonzales and the Gonzales Unified School District’s foresight for bringing the process of waste generation full circle by creating and using an environmentally-sound product that will enhance their children’s recreation areas. We are confident that their vision will serve as a model for other communities across America.” The partnership between Converted Organics, the city of Gonzales and the Gonzales Unified School District was developed through the city’s “Gonzales Grows Green” initiative, which was spearheaded by city and school employees, Harold Wolgamott and Trini Zavala. In addition to using local waste to create a high-quality product for local use, the program also saves the school district money, as the disposal fee to Converted Organics is 20 percent less than that to the local landfill. “This program is a win-win-win situation,” said René Mendez, City Manager, Gonzales, CA. “The school district wins because its garbage will be used to create a product that benefits Gonzales students, while teaching them important lessons about recycling. The city wins because taxpayers’ dollars will be conserved, waste will be diverted from the city landfill, and public areas will be improved through Converted Organics’ innovative technology. The environment wins because reduced landfill deposits will result in reduced methane emissions, and synthetic chemical fertilizers will be replaced with Converted Organics’ all-natural organic fertilizer.” In order to reinforce the importance of environmental stewardship, Converted Organics will offer Gonzales High School environmental studies students the opportunity to track this program as a class project throughout the school year. Students will conduct ongoing research about the benefits of recycling the district’s source-separated food waste from semester to semester, and Converted Organics will sponsor community service hours for Gonzales students who volunteer as food waste diversion coordinators during the lunch hour at all three local schools. “Our recycling partnership with Converted Organics is the most recent example of the Gonzales Unified School District’s longstanding commitment to innovative educational programming,” said Liz Modena, Superintendent, Gonzales Unified School District. “This program will not only help our community achieve state-mandated goals for food waste diversion, it will also educate our children about making the right decisions regarding where to divert not only food waste but other recyclable products. Converted Organics is to be commended for their commitment to environmental sustainability and the education of tomorrow’s environmental stewards.”
