Florida Engineer Plans to Convert Lake Muck into Commercial Fertilizer

Lakeland, Fla., engineer Bob Hayes is shooting for mid-February to crank up a new plant near Lake Hancock to turn the lake's muck into commercial fertilizer.

Hayes, who first announced plans for his project in March 2006, said he has selected a site for the plant and is proceeding with permitting.

"We should be on the site in four months," he said.

Hayes' project consists of pumping the estimated 4.5 million tons of muck from the bottom of the 4,519-acre lake and processing it into organic fertilizer.

The $160 million operation will employ as many as 41 people at full production. The project is expected to last eight to 10 years.

"The challenge will be to use the most efficient mix of chemicals," Hayes said, referring to a type of chemicals called polymers that will remove much of the water from the muck and return relatively clean water to the lake.

Hayes said he plans to locate his plant on a 20-acre site on the former Hampton ranch near Thornhill Road and Winter Lake Road. Swiftmud officials purchased the 1,177-acre ranch in March for $39.2 million.

Hayes said he had been negotiating with the former owners of the ranch for a site before the Swiftmud purchase.

He said the plan is to sell the processed muck to road construction companies, which would use the material on roadside landscaping projects, and to fertilizer companies.

Once the plant is in full production, Hayes said they will not only be producing bulk fertilizer, but also will include a bagging operation for individual clients.

However, there are some hurdles awaiting him that could affect the startup date.

He must work out details with Polk County and the Southwest Florida Water Management District to get permission to establish a commercial operation because of some restrictions associated with the state bond proceeds used to purchase the property.

In addition, Hayes will have to get a zoning permit from the Polk County Planning Commission, but he has yet to submit an application for a hearing.

Finally, the operation will have to get the normal state environmental permits.

Polk County Natural Resources Director Jeff Spence and his staff have been working with Hayes because they think the project, if it works as advertised, could improve water quality in Lake Hancock, which is one of the most polluted lakes in Florida.

Hayes' project is the latest in a long list of projects dating back to at least the 1970s to do something about water quality in the lake. For decades Lake Hancock was the dumping ground for sewer discharges from Lakeland and Auburndale as well as urban runoff.

Spence said the project wouldn't turn Lake Hancock into a crystal-clear lake - scientific tests have shown it never had great water quality - but said it could reduce the number of annual fish kills.

He said Polk County is working with Hayes and Swiftmud on a deal to legally secure the land via a contract that would have to be approved by both Swiftmud's governing board and the County Commission.

Fritz Musselman, head of Swiftmud's land management section, said he's still waiting to hear from Polk County, but if things can be worked out on the county's end, he didn't see any obstacles in getting Swiftmud approval.