What happened when top engineers met two waste haulers and a cheesemaker from Wisconsin? A common sense application of technology we call GreenWhey Energy.

Our story began in 2009, when two dairy waste haulers, Larry Peaster and his son, Tim, faced a new and urgent problem: How to dispose of a growing amount of wastewater from cheese factories and other dairy producers, and how to do so in a way that protected their business and the environment.

With their company Northern Liquid Waste Management, the Peasters had been hauling the rinse water and whey permeate from area dairy plants near their home in Almena, Wisconsin since the mid-1980′s. They spread the water on area farmland, where it was used by farmers for its limited value as a fertilizer.

Though they were careful to follow state regulations, traces of the water from their operation and others were still finding their way into local streams and water beds. The state stepped up its regulatory efforts as a result–prohibiting spreading in the rain, increasing the allowable distance between field spreading and streams, and all but banning spreading during the winter. They increasingly felt their hands were tied.

The implications for local cheese producers looked grim. Faced with the option of investing in expensive water treatment facilities or cutting back production, more and more chose to scale back. The cost of doing business went up. Competitiveness with large producers in places like California began to suffer.

Then one day, the Peasters met with longtime cheesemaker Tom Ludy, and together they thought up an interesting idea: What if, instead of searching around the area for suitable fields, they could simply take all of their waste products to one central location

The result of that question was three years of tireless legwork and a new company, GreenWhey Energy.  Working with leading engineering and design firms, the founders researched, planned and finally built an anaerobic digester facility in Turtle Lake, Wisconsin.

Today, the our young waste disposal company has already outgrown its name, serving not only the local cheese industry but a growing mix of food and renewable energy producers. Equipment is being installed that will process expired and out-of-spec food products like milk cartons, produce, and soda. Process changes and upgrades are being made that will allow the facility to provide sustainable waste treatment services to large and small businesses throughout the country.

As our story carries forward, however, one thing won’t change: Our steadfast commitment to clean and responsible liquid waste management.

Our anaerobic digestion facility has flipped traditional waste management on its head. While other facilities are exposed to the elements, we maintain a fully enclosed and controlled indoor environment. While landfills and other digesters are typically located far from human habitation, we have put down roots in the same community we are proud to call home.

We could have gone the easy route, but that would have been selling ourselves, our clients, and our community short.

Sustainable Waste Management

Our technology is anaerobic digestion, an old waste management method that is finding new use in the emerging waste to energy sector. With over 350,000 gallons per day of wastewater and liquid byproducts from food manufacturers coming in to our Turtle Lake, Wisconsin facility, we produce enough biogas to power two, 1.6 MW Caterpillar generators. We treat remaining water up to discharge quality, removing solids and nutrients into a fertilizer byproduct that finds use on area fields. At the end of the day, our technology powers homes with renewable electricity, keeps greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere, and excess nutrients out of area lakes and waterways–all while providing a sustainable waste management service to the food and renewable energy industries.

Convenience

If you have struggled to find a home for waste products in the past, you understand the value of an offload facility that is convenient and available year round. At GreenWhey, we have a full-service intake on site. With two loading bays and pumps capable of offloading at more than 275 gallons per minute, we are optimized for bulk loads of liquid waste product. In addition, forklifts and around-the-clock staffing give us the ability to unload pallets of discarded and out-of-spec waste materials quickly and safely.

Diligence

Whether in our laboratory or in our administrative office, we are committed to diligence in testing and record keeping. Our lab technicians test everything that goes in and out of our facility for quality. Administrative staff are able to provide for any documentation needs, from liability waivers to proof of destruction documents.