Recycling Fish Waste into Organic Fertilizer 
(15/04/2008)
The Pacific Seafood Group is a seafood company based in the Western United States. Converted Organics Inc. has entered into a two-year contract with Pacific Choice Seafood to manufacture, distribute and sell two organic, fish-based fertilizers that will be developed using fish by-products.
Converted Organics will accept delivery of the fish by-products at Pacific Choice Seafood’s Eureka, CA processing facility, where Converted Organics will partially process the products using new equipment and storage tanks that Pacific Choice Seafood will install on-site. Converted Organics will subsequently deliver the partially treated product to its plant in Gonzales, CA, where the manufacturing process will be completed.
Converted Organics' fertilizer products will be produced in both a dry pellet and liquid concentrate. Converted Organics' products have been tested in numerous field trials for more than a dozen crops with the result that, on average, the net value of the farmer's crop increased 11-16%, depending on the particular crop and product application. This is due, in part, to the disease suppression characteristics of the product, which reduce or eliminate the need for other costly, often toxic, crop protection applications.
Increased use of nitrogen in commercial agriculture and turf grass applications, such as golf courses, has reduced the soil's ability to absorb nitrogen and other nutrients. Using the products produced by Converted Organics helps restore the soil by replenishing these micronutrients. This reduces the amount of nitrogen required in a virtuous cycle that benefits from long-term use. As a result, use of the product will reduce chemical run-off to streams, ponds and rivers, an objective with significant long-term benefits to the environment.
The products have a long shelf life compared to many other organic fertilizers. In a number of lab and field trials, the liquid product has been shown to be effective in mitigating powdery mildew, a leaf fungus that effects most plants and grasses and restricts the flow of water and nutrients to the plant. The Company's fertilizer products can be used on a stand-alone basis or in combination with more traditional fertilizers and crop protection products
“We are very pleased to have a company as reputable and quality-driven as Pacific Choice Seafood supplying such an essential ingredient for Converted Organics’ all-natural organic fertilizer products,” said Edward J. Gildea, President and CEO of Converted Organics Inc. “Our partnership to recycle Pacific Choice Seafood’s fish by-products will have the added benefit of diverting many tons of organic waste from local landfills annually.”
“Converted Organics’ commitment to excellence compliments that of Pacific Seafood Group, and we are confident that this joint venture will prove successful for both organizations and result in superior organic fertilizer products, while limiting our impact on the environment,” said Tim Horgan, Chief Operating Officer of Pacific Seafood Group.
Related categories: Biodegradable waste Environmental technologies for industrial plants and factories Wildlife protection
