McGill Composting Technology Selected for First Advanced Facility on Tribal Land

OKEECHOBEE, Fla. - Oct. 17, 2013 - PRLog -- McGill Environmental Systems has been selected by Johns Family Enterprises (JFE) and AgriCycle Alliance to provide designs and technology for the first high-rate, advanced-technology compost manufacturing plant to be constructed on Native American land.

The McGill Regional Composting Facility at Brighton (McGill-Brighton) is a joint venture between AgriCycle and Seminole-member-owned JFE.  The indoor composting operation will be sited on 85 acres located on the Brighton Seminole Indian Reservation (http://www.semtribe.com) on land leased from the Tribal Council near the community of Lakeport in Glades County, Florida.  With an annual processing capacity of about 100,000 tons, the facility is expected to employ about 20 people.

Primary service area for McGill-Brighton will include most of south-central Florida between the Gulf and the Atlantic coasts.  Construction is underway with start-up anticipated for mid-2014.  The first compost products manufactured at the plant should be available for distribution later in the year.

Financing for the project has been provided by the Native American Bank (http://www.nabna.com) (NAB), Denver, Colo., in cooperation with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Division of Capital Investment.  "It is important to the financial health of any local community to develop a diverse economic base spread across multiple sectors," said Clay Colombe, senior vice president-chief lending officer for the NAB.   "This project not only represents a major step toward that goal for the Brighton Reservation, but also brings beneficial economic and environmental impact to the entire south Florida region.  The role this facility will play in protecting the Okeechobee River Basin cannot be overlooked, and we welcome the opportunity to support these types of projects."

As a tribal elder and JFE’s manager, Stanlo Johns is also mindful of the facility's significance from an environmental perspective.  "Respect for the earth is so much a part of our traditions that when this opportunity presented itself, it just seemed like the right thing to do," he explained. "Through composting and compost use, we all become better stewards of a sacred trust.”

The project represents the first of its type for AgriCycle and the fourth composting facility designed by McGill for others.  According to Gene Lewis, AgriCycle spokesperson, the company hopes to replicate its successful development model by partnering with other native-owned companies and tribal councils across the U.S.

"Location is a critical component in the successful siting and operation of a composting facility this size," he explained.  "Land assets on the Brighton Reservation offered all essential components -- a good building site within 100 miles of major metropolitan centers, acceptable highway access, and an enthusiastic and supportive community.  McGill brings to the table a depth of expertise unparalleled in the industry with a long-held commitment to environmentally-preferred best practices.  Its designs and operating protocols demonstrate that dedication, making it an ideal choice for this particular site. But more important, its 20-plus years of hands-on construction and operating experience are a testament to McGill's practical, cost-effective approach to compost manufacturing.  The AgriCycle-JFE-McGill collaboration makes an excellent team."

M. Noel Lyons, president of McGill, says Florida is a prime market for the premium compost products manufactured at McGill facilities.  "In urban areas where soils are sandy and irrigation water is precious, the use of high-quality, performance compost is the only practical means of raising soil organic matter to the point where it will hold moisture, reduce stormwater runoff, and cut the amount of commercial fertilizers required to keep turfgrass and landscaping in peak condition.  The Brighton plant is ideally situated to serve those types of markets."

About the AgriCycle-JFE joint venture

AgriCycle, headquartered in Tallahassee, Fla., is a company that develops recycling projects for agricultural and other waste streams.  JFE is owned by Seminole tribal elder, Stanlo Johns, and his family, and the Seminole Tribe of Florida.  AgriCycle provided project development, management and financing expertise for the project.

About McGill

Responsible for day-to-day operations of the facility, McGill Environmental Systems is headquartered near Raleigh, N.C.  One of the largest privately-held compost manufacturers of its type in the world, it specializes in environmentally-secure, indoor operations and advanced bio-technologies for the recycling of high volume, biodegradable waste streams.  It owns and operates a number of industrial-scale, indoor composting facilities in the eastern U.S. and Ireland, licenses its technologies, and develops augmentation systems for bioenergy production and sludge drying.  The company's branded product line features bulk and bagged products for professional markets like landscaping, turfgrass management and stormwater control.

For more information about AgriCycle and Brighton facility development, contact Gene Lewis at 850-425-5002 or farm@polaris.net.   For more information about McGill, contact Lynn Lucas at 919-362-1161 or www.mcgillcompost.com.