08/27/07 Grants for turning organic waste in to useful products

Washington Ag August 27, 2007 The Washington Department of Ecology is making up to $740,000 in research and outreach grants available to study and educate the public on ways to turn organic waste into energy, fuels, or other useful bio-products such as soil amendments, cosmetics, food and nutrition products. Mark Fuchs, an organics specialist with Ecology, says the Biomass Inventory showed lots of agricultural waste material. Fuchs: "We've got wheat straw, barley straw, corn stover, potato waste, pumice from apple and grape juice manufacturing. Just a whole host of agricultural waste. " University and college researchers are encouraged to apply for the 600-thousand dollars that will be awarded competitively for research projects in individual amounts up to 120-thousand. Ecology is also making 140-thousand available for pilot or demonstration projects in individual amounts up to 50-thousand dollars. You can get more information on the Ecology website or call Fuchs at 509-329-3501. I'm Bob Hoff. http://www.ecy.wa.gov/services/contract/contract.html.