Client
Central Valley Ag-Recycle Cooperative (47 farm members)
Location
Fresno County, California, USA
Sector
Vegetable and fruit production (tomatoes, strawberries, peppers)
Implementation Date
March 2024
Total Investment
$385,000 (complete turnkey solution)
What Went Wrong
The Central Valley Agricultural Cooperative had a severe waste management challenge. Processing over 12,000 acres under plastic mulch cultivation, the Cooperative was also generating around 2,400 metric tons of contaminated mulch film every year. The main difficulties were:
Levels of Extreme Contamination
The mulch film that was being collected contained 45-65% soil, sand, and organic debris by weight. This was caused by the region’s sandy loam soil and mechanical harvesting of sandy loam soil.
Increasing Disposal Expenses
The cost of filling a landfill was over $78 a metric ton, and without factoring the expenses around collection and transportation, the cooperative was spending over $187,000 yearly just on disposal.
Regulatory Pressure
New California SB 54 legislation was increasing recycling quotas on specific types of plastic, especially agricultural plastic which was qualifying for new Producer Responsibility laws.
Limited Recycling Alternatives
Local recyclers chose not to process the contaminated material, and the applicable facility for recycling would have been over 400 miles away, making it economically unreasonable to transport.
Our Response
Our engineering team, after performing an on-site evaluation and reviewing samples of the contaminated mulch film, created a tailored, high-contamination recycling line for agricultural film that was specially designed for the more difficult material characteristics:
Pre-Treatment Stage
For the first step in processing, we included a sand remover with a 3-stage dry cleaning process. This proprietary design eliminates 70-80% of sand and soil before the material is sent to the wet washing line, which greatly improves the downstream equipment’s lifespan and reduces water usage.
Advanced Washing System
The washing line for PE film has two in-series friction washers and an agricultural film float-sink separator which is more efficient. The system is capable of producing flakes for pelletizing after achieving contamination removal levels of over 99.2%.
Water Recycling System
In response to the water shortages in California, we designed a water treatment system with a closed loop that recycles 85% of the process water. The sedimentation and filtration system is designed to accommodate the heavy sediment load from mulch film processing.
Pelletizing Line
A single-screw compactor-style plastic film pelletizing line processes clean flakes into LDPE pellets of the highest quality. The system features a degassing mechanism, which processes residual volatiles from the agricultural film.
Implementation Process
The project was carried out sequentially, in four phases, spanning a total of 16 weeks:
Phase 1 – Weeks 1-4
Site Preparation
Our team provided the cooperative with detailed drawings of the foundation and the necessary utilities for the site. The cooperative modified the internal space of the 15,000 sq ft agricultural equipment warehouse by constructing the eliminated electrical (480V, 3-phase, 600A service) and water service infrastructure and supply line for the required utilities.
Phase 2 – Weeks 5-10
Delivery of Equipment and Installation
All equipment was delivered in four containers, each measuring 40 feet. The supervisor for our installation team traveled to the site to oversee the installation and worked with the local mechanical contractors. The modular system design facilitated seamless and efficient assembly without the need for any special construction tools.
Phase 3 – Weeks 11-14
Testing and Commissioning
A comprehensive commissioning process was conducted by our senior technician. This process is inclusive of the testing of individual pieces of equipment, integration of the system, and trials for the full production capacity of the system. Based on the material from the cooperative’s collection program, the process parameters were modified to perfection.
Phase 4 – Weeks 15-16
Training and Handover
We delivered a full spectrum of operator training to 8 employees. This training encompassed operational troubleshooting and quality assurance, as well as logistical and maintenance training. Operating Manuals and maintenance guides were developed and delivered in English and Spanish.
Results and Performance Metrics
Operating for 10 months, the system has surpassed all performance benchmarks:
1,050-1,120 kg/h
Actual Throughput
99.4%
Contamination Removal (45-65% to <0.5%)
380-420 kg/h
Clean LDPE Flakes Output
350-400 kg/h
Pellet Production
MFI 1.8-2.2
Pellet Quality (g/10min)
1.8m³/ton
Water Usage
285 kWh/ton
Power Usage (clean output)
2,400 hours
Equipment Hours (10 months)
1,850 tons
Material Processed
94.7%
Equipment Uptime Availability
Financial Metrics
Avoided Disposal Costs
$144,300/year
(1,850 tons × $78/ton)
Revenue from Pellet Sales
$385,000/year
(at $550/ton average)
Annual Operational Costs
$165,000
(labor, utilities, maintenance)
Annual Net Benefit
$364,300
Break Even Expectation
13 months
(expected February 2025)
“Out of five prospective equipment suppliers, theirs was the only one that showcased some understanding of the difficulties unique to our industry – namely, the recycling of agricultural films mulch films. Contamination levels in our mulch films defeated the other systems we tried. Before coming up with a solution, their engineering team spent 3 days on our loans analyzing our materials and methods of collection. The system he designed for us transformed our mulch film washing from a $200,00 annual expense to a profit-generating business unit. The commissioning support and continued technical assistance have been outstanding.”
Miguel Hernandez
Operations Director, Central Valley Ag-Recycle Cooperative
