Garick and the Port of Tillamook Bay Form Partnership
01/23/08
(TILLAMOOK, OR) Garick and the Port of Tillamook Bay are proud to announce a strategic partnership in which Garick will operate and manage the Port of Tillamook Bay Bio-Gas Methane Digester Facility located on the Port’s property. Garick, a nationwide processor and distributor of sustainable and renewable natural resource products, specializes in processing manure and other waste materials, converting them into reusable, beneficial byproducts. Garick will begin its operations at the facility in January 2008.The Digester is designed to biologically process the manure from up to 4,000 of Tillamook County's approximately 30,000 dairy cows, while utilizing the biogas to supply fuel for the production of electrical power. The manure is delivered and placed in storage tanks where natural bacterial go to work generating biogases. This process, called anaerobic digestion, also produces end materials that are used in a variety of horticulture and agriculture applications, such as potting soils, soil conditioners, and natural, organic liquid fertilizers. Additionally, anaerobic digestion creates many benefits to the Tillamook community that include protection of water quality by reducing the discharge of pathogenic organisms, manure, and excessive nutrients for land applications, and protection of air quality by reducing odors.
John Gundlach, Garick’s Vice President of Sustainable Environmental and Energy Group, says, “We are excited and proud to be the newest member of the Tillamook commercial community. We look forward to working at the Port to assure the Digester Facility meets its goals to improve air and water quality in the Tillamook Bay. Our mission at Garick is ‘Enhancing People’s Lives and the Environment®’, and with our work at the Port, we will be further helping the environment; ‘We are Nature’s Helper®’.”
Robert H. Van Borssum, the Port Director of the Port of Tillamook Bay stated that “ The Port and Garick have been working on the development of the agreement for over a year now. The more the Tillamook Community became acquainted with Garick and its representatives, the more appreciative we were to have a company of Garick’s quality and vision to become a contributing member of our local commercial community. Further, we look forward to greater and bigger development as a result of our partnership with Garick.
For detailed information on the Tillamook Digester and its handling of waste manure from dairy operations, please view the report that was prepared for the United States Government at http://www.osti.gov/bridge/ and search for “The Port of Tillamook Bay”, or visit www.potb.org .
Garick, headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, services the landscape, recreation, lawn, garden, and construction industries. Garick prides itself on its commitment to sustainability and environmental practices. Using organic and green waste streams, such as lawn and garden, food, agriculture, and forest by-products, Garick diverts hundreds of thousands of tons of waste from landfills and reproduces it into organic mulches and soils. An expert in composting, Garick is an active member of the United State Composting Council (USCC) and its Vice President of Sustainable Environmental and Energy Group, John Gundlach, serves on the Board of Directors of the California Association of Compost Producers (ACP).
Garick's composting facilities and partnerships are located strategically throughout North America. These facilities make nationally branded products Nature's Helper® organic soil amendment, Black Satin® Mulch, Designated Dryer® sports turf conditioner, HydRocks® soil enhancer, Kids Karpet® recreational surfacing, and Moo-Nure® organic compost. With these composting facilities and other terminals and ports located throughout the United States, Garick has the capability to supply a complete range of products in bags, bales, or bulk. For more information on Garick, please visit www.garick.com.
