Wednesday, May 14, 2008
By J.B. Smith
Tribune-Herald staff writer
Snickers, Skittles and Starburst candies come in many colors, but from now on they’ll all be a little greener. Green, as in environmentally virtuous.
This week, the Mars Snackfood US factory in Waco that makes those confections started fueling its boilers with methane from the Waco Regional Landfill.
The gas, an odorless, flammable byproduct of decaying matter, is harvested through 56 wells punched into the landfill. It then is piped some five miles to the candy factory at 1001 Texas Central Parkway.
The landfill gas will replace 60 percent of the natural gas the factory was using to generate steam for cooking, hot water and humidity control.
The switch will save a projected $600,000 in gas costs a year, while ridding the landfill of explosive gas and cutting down on greenhouse gas emissions, Mars officials said.
The energy from the landfill would be enough to heat 2,700 homes.
“This project is about taking responsibility for the future, for our business, our associates, our community and our environment,” said Mars president Todd Lachman on Tuesday at a celebration for the project in Waco. “It’s an incredible example of how a public-private partnership can benefit us all.”
Lachman said the project also demonstrates that Mars is continuing its investment in Waco even as the company prepares for a huge change: the $23 billion acquisition of Wrigley Co., which would make Mars the largest candy company in the world.
“This underlines that we’re committed to Waco,” he said. “Every facet of this project is evidence of a long-term commitment to Waco.”
A parade of public officials praised the project Tuesday, including State Rep. Charles “Doc” Anderson, regional EPA administrator Richard Greene and Waco Mayor Virginia DuPuy, who flipped the switch to start the landfill gas flowing.
The project has been in the making since 12 years ago, when a private firm called Cromeco contracted with the city of Waco to harvest and sell landfill methane.
Cromeco president Steve Cromeens said he discussed selling the gas to Mars early on, but the economics didn’t work until natural gas prices soared a few years ago.
Cromeens spent more than $750,000 installing the collection infrastructure, but until now he has been flaring the gas at the site or using it to run a small generator. In 2005, Cromeens and the city of Waco settled a legal dispute over whether the firm was adequately removing the flammable gas from the landfill.
Mars site director Darci Jo Harris said buying landfill gas now makes more financial sense than in the past.
“With the price of natural gas going up, it’s much more attractive than 12 years ago,” she said. “This is also a time when the community is much more interested in environmental issues.”
Mars has spent less than $1 million to build new pipes on-site and to retrofit its boilers to use the landfill gas, which is more corrosive than natural gas.
Cromeens pays Waco a nominal fee for the gas and is responsible for operating the system and shipping it to Mars Snackfood along pipelines that he built.
Cromeens said that in the past he has done methane removal projects at other landfills using municipal subsidies.
“Now with the price of gas going up, we can actually make a profit without subsidies,” he said.
jbsmith@wacotrib.com
757-5752
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