Royal Organic Products permit reinstated with conditions

The Sun Tribune News stock

by Sun Tribune Editor & Ted Escobar
| August 3, 2016 6:00 AM

ROYAL CITY — Royal Organic Products, whose operation was suspended for a few weeks after problems with wind-blown trash, has had its permit reinstated by the Grant County Health District on condition that a clean-up is completed by Oct. 31.

The GCHD board made its decision at a special meeting on July 5. That was after owner Thad Schutt answered in the affirmative to a question about a deadline from County Commissioner Cindy Carter. If the cleanup is not complete by Oct. 31 or if there other infractions by then, ROP could be fined $1,000 per day until resolution.

ROP, which has been in business since late 2006, is a producer of organic compost and soil amendment products for farmers, gardeners, golf courses and erosion control. It uses agricultural residues, green waste, and other organic matter to make its products.

A side effect of ROP’s products is keeping thousands of tons of organic matter from being left in landfills or burned. But there can be challenges, such as the spreading of trash onto adjacent property, which happened late last year.

Schutt said a winter windstorm that included 85-mile-per-hour gusts wreaked havoc on the ROP property and an adjacent property. It threw about the trash that resulted from the composting process.

On July 5, members of the Health Board agreed unanimously to reinstate the permit. They were satisfied that ROP had cleaned up or was cleaning up the refuse. But the job was not complete. So the board added the stipulations.

Refuse, such as that spread in this incident, is material that cannot be composted. Plastic is the main culprit, according to Schutt. He noted many people bring their green waste to landfills in trash bags or other plastic bags and leave the bags too.

The Health Board’s Environmental Health Officer, Todd Phillips, reminded the Board on July 5 that the meeting was for determining the reinstatement or not of the Royal Organic Products composting permit.

At that point, he said, two main issues that needed to be addressed were keeping the litter from migrating (containment) and a complete cleanup of all properties affected (ROP and neighboring). ROP satisfied the board on those questions.

Phillips suggested the board add some sort of requirement like fines of up to $1,000 per day in accordance with the Health District Ordinance 2003-3 if ROP is found to be in violation after reinstatement.

ROP representatives said a cleanup crew went to the neighboring site and cleaned up litter. After that, wheat was planted and was growing, not allowing ROP to continue litter clean up. Schutt said last week that part of the cleanup has been completed.

Schutt noted that much of the green waste ROP receives for its composting operation comes with non-compostable materials. ROP has stopped taking material from one source that included an excessive amount of garbage.

“The material they are receiving now is fairly clean, and they have better sorting methods in place,” Phillips said.

Schutt said ROP has made changes in equipment and the composting process to head off these problems in the future.

Schutt said it used to be that crew members picked through loads of green waste to remove trash before starting the composting but didn’t get it all. Now crew members spread and flatten the loads so that trash won’t be missed.

After the composting is finished, the composted material is screened for any remaining trash before being made into final pelletized products. That trash and any trash removed previously is secured at the site until it can be removed to a landfill.

Schutt said the new equipment and process have worked in favor of ROP. They have added efficiency.

Schutt said the permit suspension affected production only. ROP was still able to sell and ship product.

ROP has seven employees now and can have as many as up to nine. Schutt said the market is still getting to know ROP’s products and sales are growing. His plan is to grow it even more.

“Would you please tell people it would be better if they don’t leave their plastic bags with the green waste when they go to the landfills,” he said.