Beneficial Use Determination registry

We originally issued this BUD approval to the Ponderay Newsprint Company. In June 2021, the company was sold and renamed "Ponderay Renewable Fiber and Blockchain." Requirements of the original approval remain effective.

This material is distributed as "FIBERAY SC" by the generator. It has been approved for land application as a soil amendment for its value as a carbon source, and to promote tilth, water holding capacity, and water infiltration on agricultural and reclamation lands. This material was previously approved as a commercial fertilizer by the Washington State Department of Agriculture in accordance with WAC 16-200. In 2015, WSDA opted not to approve renewal of the "FIBERAY SC" material as a commercial fertilizer due to its very low nitrogen content and referred Ponderay Newsprint Company to Ecology for consideration of land application under the BUD program as a soil amendment.

This company no longer exists. The BUD itself was never utilized since operations ended before going into production. Ingredients were to be combined and composted to produce mushroom substrate for distribution to mushroom growers in Washington.

This approval was terminated February 8, 2019, effective March 9, 2019. As part of a status review, Ecology determined that none of the individuals who had originally applied to Ecology for the beneficial use determination (BUD) were any longer involved with the project. Ecology further determined that the mint waste was no longer being managed in accordance with the approval. Instead, it was being composted or used as animal feed. Ecology’s decision to terminate the BUD was based solely on assessment to changes in material management and personnel. Termination was not based on compliance matters.

The mint waste was the vegetative matter left over after the mint oils were extracted from harvested plants through a steam distillation process. It had been approved for use as a soil amendment to add tilth & water holding capacity to agricultural soils.