Denali’s de-packaging machines upcycle would-be waste into cost-efficient, planet-friendly farming solutions
“Everything we do is trying to make the economy more circular, helping strengthen agriculture and make the food system more resilient. Our mission is to replenish the earth by repurposing waste and … give it a second use instead of it going to landfills,” Justin McCurnin, executive vice president of sustainability at Denali, told AgTechNavigator.
“Last year alone, we recycled more than 14 billion pounds of organic materials and of that 2.6 billion pounds was just food waste,” including food that was expired or in outdated packaging (like Halloween candy after Oct. 31), spoiled produce, food scraps, waste water and more, he said.
He explained would-be wasted food and packaging are run through the company’s de-packaging machines which separate about 97% of all trash and food waste at a rate of about 15 tons of waste per hour.
Depending on the input, the output is turned into feed, fuel or fertiliser, all of which can lower farmers’ costs and often can improve the health of their land or livestock, said McCurnin.
'A great alternative for farmers’
The feed Denali upcycles from would-be waste is “a great alternative for farmers in years where there are droughts or it is difficult to get corn or hay or other products that they would usually feed their cattle” or other livestock, and which they can feel safe in knowing is “totally fine” nutritionally, McCurnin said.
He explained the company’s environmental team will work directly with farmers to identify the nutritional needs of their livestock and then create a pellatized or powdered feed from the would-be waste. Each batch is tested by outside labs that breakdown the feed’s content and calories and ensures safety, he added.
Denali has five animal feed manufacturing sites and currently supplies about 235 farms with animal feed annually. Last year, Denali sold 500 million pounds of animal feed from discarded food and ag byproducts, including cottonseed, almond hulls and watermelon rinds.
Denali says fertiliser can save farmers $100 or more per acre in input costs
Output from the de-packaging machines and other technology optimized by Denali can also be converted into nutrient-rich, natural fertiliser and compost that can offset farmers’ input costs and help restore soil health, said Sam Liebl, director of sustainability and communications at Denali.
“In 2022, we supplied more than 10 billion dry pounds of fertiliser substitute to farmers, who often see an offset on their input costs of $100 or more per acre – making this a really important economic solution for farmers,” he said.
The fertiliser Denali offers typically comes from residuals from food manufacturing plants as well as water treatment facilities, he explained.
“What is really unique for us is we test the soil at the farm sites and then we test the material that we’re getting from the food manufacturing site to make sure we understand what is needed on the soil, how much [to apply] and then we work to either apply it ourselves or with the farmers to apply it,” McCurnin explained.
“The majority of this goes on hay fields as a natural solution. It is high in nitrogen and more economical,” he added.
Denali also upcycles waste to create nutrient-rich compost and soil blends – some of which it sells at retail but most of which is delivered in bulk by landscaping companies, builders and farmers.
“In certain situations, farmers may want to put it on fields because it will help maintain the water better and it is also extremely high in nutrients compared to other composts and mulch that is just wood or green waste,” McCurnin said.
Lowering emissions with biodiesel, anaerobic digesters
Denali also converts the would-be waste into fuel that can help lower emissions through two main methods.
First, in select states it collects cooking oil, which it converts into biodiesel. It also feeds select other processed foods into anaerobic digesters to create gas that can generate electricity.
‘We will see city-wide composting become the norm’
The solutions Denali offers will become increasingly important for retailers and food manufacturers in coming years as more cities and local municipalities increase composting mandates and either refuse to allow food waste in landfills or charge a hefty fee for accepting it, predicts the company.
For example, “composting and other ways of preventing the landfilling of organics became mandatory across California with the state’s implementation of Senate Bill 1383 in early 2022.” This led to 74% of California communities creating residential organic waste collection with a goal of reducing the volume of organic waste going to landfills by 75% by 2025, Jeff LaBlanc, Denali’s chief growth officer, said in a statement.
“Other states and cities are following suit – Washington State in 2022 passed HB 1799, a law similar to California’s SB 1383. The City of Denver rolled out a voluntary composting programme this year, Washington D.C. has begun a curbside composting pilot, and Boston started a curbside food waste collection programme in 2022,” he added, predicting, “While large, coastal cities are leading the way, we will see city-wide composting become the norm across the US. The logistics, infrastructure, and political will are coming together.”
Ultimately, he said, Denali is active in all of these processes and eager to work with partners across the value chain to help governments and businesses achieve their sustainability goals while also effectively managing costs.
