Lake expected to yield 5 M tons of fertilizer

Lakeland, Fla.-A Lakeland chemical engineering partnership expects to get state environmental approval in the next six weeks to begin dredging 5,000-acre Lake Hancock and turning the organically rich material into commercial fertilizer. Lakeland engineer Bob Hayes told Green Markets that Hayes Bosworth Engineering has an agreement with a Japanese consortium and sees Florida citrus and cane producers as prime customers. Neither Polk County nor the Southwest Florida Water Management District, who jointly own the property that Hayes plans to use for a process site, has raised any objections. Polk Natural Resources Director Jeff Spence supported Hayes’s efforts so far, saying if the project succeeds it would improve water quality in what is considered one of the most polluted lakes in Florida as a result of a combination of local geology and decades of sewage discharges and storm water runoff. Water district spokeswoman Robyn Hanke remarked that “if a private entity wants to come in with a project that benefits the environment, we say go ahead. We’re not planning to fund any of it, but we’re willing to let them use our part of the land and don’t have any concerns about any adverse impact.” But a spokeswoman for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, which requires permits for the lake project, said the agency is still waiting on Hayes’s application. “Staff in DEP’s southwest district office recently had a pre-application (meeting) with the engineer,” reported Press Secretary Sarah Williams. “His proposal would require an environmental resource permit, as well as state lands authorization to conduct the removal. The project may also need an industrial wastewater permit as well depending upon what, if any, discharges there may be from the plant. We are currently awaiting an application for a permit, which we will then be able to process.” Hayes noted that a similar project had already been approved and that the state was using that as “a template for the Hancock project.” He said that the process is simple chemical engineering, with the dredged water coming in the front end and clean water piped out the back and returned to the lake, while a sandy material comes out the side. When the sand is removed, he explained, an 8-6-2 organic rich material remains and can be naturally enhanced up to 15-10-2. Hayes claims 5 million tons can be produced over a 10-year period.