ATD Waste Systems is in the process of identifying a cooperator prepared to field demonstrate its closed loop liquid manure management system.

The system uses a conveyer to separate the solid and liquid components of livestock manure then processes the two streams separately, returning the nutrients from the liquid stream to the solids which are palletized eliminating the need for manure storage facilities and problems associated with odor while cutting water consumption in half.

ATD President Victor Van Slyke says, while there is interest, no one wants to be the first to adopt the technology.

Victor Van Slyke-ATD Waste Systems

We have a plan in Canada now that gives us a refund for research and development.

What we don't have is a way of getting those developed products introduced to the market place.

I have no objection to any review of the technology prior to any of this but what we need is a program that says I'll give the farmer 20, 30, what ever percent of his initial capital investment in environmental processes to cover that large part of risk and make sure that there is something measurable coming out of it and that everyone knows that it's on a declining basis.

I think the public wants it to happen and, strangely enough, the farmers do too but they can't take on more risk.

So we've got to help that first timer occur and that means some kind of public money assistance.

Van Slyke believes these technologies will ultimately reduce production costs but he's convinced government support is necessary to encourage their initial adoption.