Burlington County’s co-composting facility at the Resource Recovery Complex in Florence resumed operation after a temporary shutdown for capital improvements and transition to the new operator, WeCare Organics.
The Freeholders awarded a 10-year contract to WeCare last year that is projected to save the County $7.4 million over the contract period.
The facility decomposes dewatered sewage sludge to produce stable compost which is then sold to customers in New Jersey and surrounding states.
According to the county, the plant is one of the largest operating composting facilities in the U.S.
The facility has been closed since the fall while the 168,000-square-foot enclosed composting building had major capital improvements including structural steel repairs, a special moisture resistant coating, installation of five new compost mixing agitators, and upgrades to the aeration systems in the long composting bins.
Freeholder Bill Haines, Jr. and other county officials and contractors toured the facility last week to view the improvements before the start of operations.
The freeholders approved the contract award in August to WeCare Organics of Jordan, New York, which had the lowest cost proposal of the three proposals received by the county.
WeCare assumed operations after the former contractor Synagro’s contract expired in September.
WeCare’s contract includes a $1 million base operating fee for the first year with the county receiving a 20 percent share of composting revenue.
The county’s co-composting facility won the Water-Wastewater Project of the Year Award by the Design Build Institute of America in 2006.
According to the county, the plant was completed on schedule and under budget with the county saving more than 50 percent of the original bid, $36 million vs. $86 million.
