The term “landfill gas” probably does not
evoke many pleasant thoughts. Gross as it
may be, however, it produces enough energy to heat about 500 homes in Lake County.
This gas is produced at the Lake County
Landfill and is actually used to run four
boilers and two heaters operated by
Magnus International Group Inc. The
endeavor is just one way the company is
practicing sustainability.
Magnus was formed in 2007 by its co-owners, Eric Lofquist and Scott Forster.
The new company acquired Twin Rivers
Technologies LLC and changed the name
to Hardy Industrial Technologies LLC.
It formed a second company, Recycling
and Treatment Technologies LLC, which
Magnus wholly owns along with Hardy.
The core business of Magnus is the application of recycling and treatment technologies to convert byproduct plant and
animal fats and oils into materials that can
be used as a substitute for petroleum-based feedstock in a variety of all-natural products.
In doing so, the company is implementing
important pollution prevention initiatives
that will directly benefit local government
resources and the community.
Hardy uses the feedstock to sell to manufacturers of fire logs in both the United
States and Canada. These biowax feed-stock logs are carbon neutral and produce
70 percent less greenhouse gas emissions
than gas fireplaces. They also compare
favorably to the burning of real wood, with
80 percent less fine particulate matter, 75
percent less carbon monoxide and 90 percent less hazardous air pollutants.
As for the usage of landfill gas by the
Magnus companies, it helps protect the
public from the potentially harmful effects
of subsurface migration of explosive
methane and air pollution caused by surface emissions and odor nuisances.
When landfill gas is burned as a source
of energy or is converted into electricity,
the user not only reduces landfill emissions but also offsets the use of nonrenewable sources of fuel. This reduces the
emission of pollutants from fossil fuel
combustion.
But Magnus isn’t done. It’s working with
Applied CleanTech Inc. on a new technology that would recover cellulose from
municipal wastewater treatment sludge
and convert it into a solid fuel.
Initial testing is promising, and a pilot
facility is hoped for this year.
HOW TO REACH: Magnus International Group Inc., (216)
592-8355
