VANCOUVER, B.C.—Micron Waste
Technologies Inc., a leading developer of waste
treatment systems for food and cannabis waste, announced an expanded
collaboration with BC Research Inc. (BCRI) to facilitate rapid
commercialization of the company’s second-generation food waste processing
system. The new Organivore 2.0, designed for on-site waste processing for
commercial producers of food waste, including supermarkets and food processors,
producers and distributors, will combine new innovations developed for the
Cannavore system, which Micron and BCRI purpose-built for the cannabis
industry. Micron and BCRI will now rapidly install new technologies and
applications into the Organivore 2.0, with market readiness anticipated in the
second half of this year.
A Clean Tech Solution to Conventional Waste Treatments
Roughly one-third of the food produced in the world for human consumption
every year—approximately 1.3 billion tons—is lost or wasted. Food losses and
waste amounts to roughly $680 billion in industrialized countries and $310
billion in developing countries (FAO). Much of this food is diverted to landfill:
- Landfills are the second largest single human source of methane emissions, accounting for 16 percent of all methane sources (UNECE).
- Methane is 34 times more damaging to the environment than CO2 (IPCC).
The Organivore reduces air and water pollution by:
- Utilizing an aerobic process with patented microbes and enzymes to break down food waste without producing methane.
- Converting organic waste on-site into clean water and reusable biosolids, resulting in diversion of up to 95 percent of the waste sent to landfills.
- Avoiding production of water-polluting leachate from waste.
- Extracts, reclaims and purifies water from food waste.
- Requires no trucking or incineration, which both produce greenhouse gas emissions.
“The Organivore will target, in particular, the
significant segment of the food industry that has challenges with compliant,
sustainable and cost-effective management of food waste, including restaurants,
hotels, cruise ships, food processers and hospitals,” said Alfred Wong,
President & CEO of Micron. “We will initially prioritize the treatment of
specialized waste, which has more contaminants. Specialized waste is more
highly-regulated and offers high-margin opportunities for Micron. Conventional
methods of treatment are under increasing government and regulatory scrutiny,
putting pressure on waste producers to find cleaner and more efficient
management strategies.”
Unique Blend of Microbes & Enzymes
The Organivore will utilize a unique blend of microbes and enzymes specifically
designed for organic waste, including waste generated by the beer, wine and
spirits industries, which is one of many sectors that has expressed interest in
Micron’s patented bio-process for effluent treatment. The Organivore, which
extracts and purifies water from waste, will allow clients to reduce waste
management costs incurred by: landfill tipping fees, hauling costs and water
permits and/or fines for exceeding municipal effluent discharge standards.
“BC Research is excited to be a part of the team rolling out Micron’s
technology to a large and growing market and is very impressed with the
executive team’s forward vision,” said James Lockhart, BCRI Vice President and
Chief Technology Officer. “Dr. Bob Bhushan has developed very timely
innovations that promise to simultaneously reduce facility operating costs and
greenhouse gas emissions associated with trucking and methane generation from
landfilling.”
In the expanded collaboration agreement, as with the previous cannabis waste
technologies collaboration agreement announced in February 2018, Micron retains
all intellectual property rights to systems and processes developed. BCRI is
based in Richmond, B.C., near Micron’s new R&D facility in Delta, the
Micron Waste Innovation Centre, which is slated to commence full operations
before mid-Q2. The proximity of the companies’ engineering and wastewater teams
facilitates synergies and increases efficiencies for rapid development of
commercial products and streamlined systems testing.
Tested Under Commercial Conditions
“Our prototype Organivore has already been successfully tested under commercial
conditions. The next step is to make the system turnkey for customers,” said
Dr. Bhushan. “We have worked closely with BCRI on the Cannavore and know they
can hit the ground running and compress our timelines to install next-gen
bio-processing, upgraded computer systems, safety systems, customized housing,
temperature controls and automation.”
In January 2019, Micron announced it was awarded a United States Patent and
Trademark Office (USPTO) patent US10,144,044 on the company’s proprietary
bio-process and compositions for the treatment of waste effluent. The patent
recognizes and safeguards the innovative process developed by Dr. Bhushan,
whose research led to the development of “immobilization technology” to protect
and enhance highly selective and effective microorganisms and enzymes. Dr.
Bhushan’s advanced bio-process effectively allows effluent-degrading,
GRAS-certified organisms to biodegrade organics inside Micron’s patented
industrial-grade Cannavore and Organivore cannabis and food waste digester
units. The immobilization process protects the live agents, which activate with
increased potency and enhanced metabolic activity.
