VICE PRES. McGOWAN & MWRD OPEN WORLD’S LARGEST NUTRIENT RECOVERY FACILITY

Reclaimed elements protect and clean the environment

Metro. Water Reclamation District Commissioners partnering with Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies to announce the opening of the world’s largest nutrient recovery facility. Cutting the ribbon to launch the facility are: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Acting Regional Administrator Robert Kaplan, MWRD Finance Chairman Frank Avila, Commissioner David Walsh, Ostara President & CEO Phillip Abrary, MWRD Vice President Barbara McGowan, MWRD President Mariyana Spyropoulos, Ostara Board member Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Chicago Deputy Mayor Steve Koch, MWRD Exec. Dir. David St. Pierre, and Commissioner Kari Steele.

MWRD Vice President Barbara McGowan & fellow Commissioners dip their hands into the usable phosphorus recovered from the wastewater stream and converted into a high quality, slow-release form, which can be sold as fertilizers. Marketed as Crystal Green, the recovered fertilizer will provide revenue to the MWRD, which expects to produce 10,000 tons of Crystal Green annually. Phosphorus, a non-renewable resource essential for life, is estimated to be depleted from reserves within 50 years.