Dairy aims to be first to test system that reclaims waste

Here’s how it works: At least half of the wet waste that currently goes to the lagoon would instead go into the new machine. A process that relies on heat would separate the waste. More than 90 percent of the end product would be distilled, reusable water. The other byproducts are a dry, fibrous substance that could be used for bedding or in potting soil, and a concentrated liquid fertilizer containing nutrients from the manure.The water should be safe for animals to drink, said Jeff Graf, in business development at Janicki.“It completes the cycle,” Visser said. “Our cows would drink the water and produce milk and manure.”Visser has been working with the Stillaguamish Tribe and the conservation district for about four years to improve how local dairies manage waste. They wanted to put in a digester, technology that has been around for years and captures methane gas from manure to generate energy. They hoped for something multiple farms could use. It wasn’t penciling out.