Ridgewood April 8, 2009 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • Page 3 Council agrees to save $57,000 and environment by John Koster The Ridgewood Village Council has agreed to support the use of bio-organic catalysts to save taxpayers $57,000 over the course of a year and help save the environment from greenhouse gases and global warming. “Is it safe, is it going to save us money, and why are you here?” Mayor David Pfund asked Jay Johnston, a representative of the company that manufactures sludge treatment catalysts. When told the process is safe, would save money, and needed council approval, Mayor Pfund and the council tapped village experts and then concurred that it was a good idea. The use of bio-organic catalysts by the Ridgewood water treatment plant will speed up the digestion of fatty acids in waste, and will generate gas that can be used to generate electricity. Johnston, vice president of Bio-Organic Catalyst Inc., explained that this system has already been used in New York City and has been tried experimentally in Ridgewood with complete success to date. The Ridgewood Village Council agreed last week to spend $55,000 for drums of the catalyst, projecting a savings of $57,000 on the natural gas that would have been used to purify the sludge by the older method. Village Manager James Ten Hoeve and Village Engineer Chris Rutishauser both said the technique had been employed to their satisfaction and recommended that it be sustained and expanded. After the meeting, Johnston explained that injecting the catalyst into an anaerobic (airless) digester would replace the current product used to break down grease, and would produce increased renewable energy in the form of biogas, which will enable Ridgewood to investigate on-site production of electricity. The combined heat power program can be substantially funded under the New Jersey Clean Energy Program through grants and accumulation of renewable energy and/or carbon trading credits. The program, which has been in progress in Ridgewood since November of 2007, set as its goal the increase in renewable energy production in the form of biogas, the replacement of the consumption of natural gas in boiler heating for anaerobic digesters -- this is where the savings will be realized. Ridgewood increased the generation of biogases by 62 percent during the project and reduced the consumption of natural gas by 70 percent in the course of the project. The 29 percent reduction of sludge volume and weight, which is good for the workers and for the environment, reduced off-site disposal costs. The process is also said to reduce odor at the site. The product employed is non-toxic, hypoallergenic, and patented. IT’S TIME! �������������� ��������������������������������� “The Gardener’s Shed” ���������������������������������������������������������� Generous gift ������������������������� ������������� George Washington Middle School music teachers Janelle Jacoby, Laurie DeGroat, Brian Brown and John Lange received a letter of appreciation from Tomorrow’s Children Fund at the Hackensack University Medical Center for the school’s donation of more than $1,500. The money was raised from collections made at the school’s winter concerts. Farm-Grade Top Soil Sale $ 99 MUST PRESENT THIS COUPON • EXPIRES 4-30-09 1 40 lb. Bag 10% Off Any Spring Flowers Martha Washington’s Beautiful Bulbs, Gorgeous Hydrangeas and More! MUST PRESENT THIS COUPON • EXPIRES 4-30-09 Pansies Tulips Pottery • Spring Flowers • Fresh Nursery • Professional Stock Landscape Design • Free Delivery �������������������������� ����������������������������� 201-444-9995 • OPEN 7 DAYS 9AM–6PM PROPANE Spring specials available now for a limited time only. Call Robin at 973-636-7000 ������������������������������������������������������������������ ���������������������������������������� 201-447-3910 www.FELNJ.com FLEXIBLE PAYMENT PLANS ���������������������� NJHIC License #13VHO3311000 ������������������������������� ���������������������������������������������