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by Diana Rivera, CalMAX Coordinator
In 1996, the CIWMB presented Mike Daley of Triad Incorporated with the
CalMAX “Match of the Year” award, commending his outstanding work in reuse
and recycling. The award recognized Triad for converting 20,000 tons of
stockpiled sugar byproducts from C&H Sugar’s filtration process into an
agricultural soil amendment and fertilizer. Triad Inc. has had great
success over the years, effectively operating with soil amendment
processes. The company works in the central valley to the benefit of many
valley growers.
In 2003, we feature another article about Triad Inc. because they have
continued their work in reuse and recycling in extraordinary fashion. The
amount of organic materials the company has handled over the years is
staggering. By way of CalMAX alone, more than 322,000 tons of organics
have been recycled by Triad.
We interviewed Mike Daley for this article because he can best tell us
about the success of his business and how materials exchange connections
have worked for him.
CalMAX: Tell us about the beginning of Triad Inc.
Triad was started back in November of 1988. I happened to be on a tour of
the Modesto energy power plant, which used to burn old tires and produce
electricity. While walking through the plant I noticed a white substance
coming from a scrubber into a truck. I asked what it was and they informed
me that it was calcium sulfate and that they hauled it to the nearby
landfill for disposal. Being from the agricultural field, I knew that
calcium sulfate is gypsum and we use thousands of tons of gypsum in the ag
industry here in California every year. I asked if I could have a sample
and took it to be analyzed. The product was very clean. I decided to begin
the Triad Company to handle the gypsum from the tire plant. We were able
to save the company the tipping fees at the landfill and actually paid
them for the product. After thinking about this facility I came to the
conclusion that other businesses must have the same problem with waste
streams. I began to contact other companies and it turned into a flood of
people seeking my help to find better ways to utilize their waste
products.
CalMAX: Did you have any employees in the beginning?
I started the company with $500 and only myself handling everything. We
now employ up to 20 people and hire out many subcontractors for hauling
and handling.
CalMAX: How much organic material does Triad handle annually?
On an average we handle any where from 100,000 tons up to as high as
250,000 tons.
CalMAX: What type of materials?
We have handled quite a variety now, including scrubber sludge from the
energy plant; flyash from the biomass plants; fish waste, crab shells,
shrimp shells; grape pumice and stems and leaves; olive pits; olive
pumice; horse manure; animal manure; jelly beans; chocolate; mitten crabs
from the Delta; coal ash; spent liming materials; rainwater; whey and
rinse water; floor sweepings from food processing companies; tea dust;
dilute fertilizer from fertilizer plants; filter media from wineries;
filter media from C&H Sugar; outdated wine; sugar waste; spent juice; and
any other natural and organic materials that come across my desk.
CalMAX: What types of materials are you selling?
We have a line of products that include humic acids; compost; soil
amendments; liming materials; gypsum; shrimp and crab meal; seaweed. If we
can’t use it as a source of nutrient we blend it into compost.
CalMAX: We have been tracking your use of CalMAX over the years, and
my data shows that through our program alone, you diverted more than
322,000 tons of organic materials from landfills. Does this correspond
with your figures?
We have diverted many thousands of tons of waste products in the past 14
years. I’m sure the actual number is much higher than the estimate you
have of 322,000 tons.
CalMAX: Triad Inc. has become quite large and international. Do you
use other material exchange programs from other parts of the country?
I have been contacted by other exchanges on their lists of products but we
have never had a successful exchange through them. We have focused our
efforts here in California but have done projects in many states and in
different countries around the world. We have composting sites in
Australia, Guatemala, Mexico, and are currently working on a project in
Papua New Guinea to compost food processing waste with fish waste. Japan,
China, Taiwan, Thailand are some other areas we have helped develop
projects using waste. I was invited to Canton in China to help set up
recycling programs there. There is a need all around the world for this
kind of business!
CalMAX: About how much money would you estimate that you have saved
using materials exchanges?
It is really hard to give a number of what we have saved using the
material exchanges. We provide a service to the companies and they are
really the ones who save by using our expertise. Some companies have saved
hundreds of thousands of dollars by letting us help them with their waste.
One company was able to save $60,000 a month in tipping fees by working
with us. So the true savings come to the businesses that no longer have to
have their products taken to a landfill. Yes, this does help keep our
costs down on making products so everyone wins in the end.
CalMAX: Tell us about Triad’s marketing efforts. Do you use the Web
extensively? Advertising through a sales staff?
We have conducted most of our marketing through word of mouth and our Web
page, www.triad-organic.com. The main source of new customers comes from
the CalMAX magazine. I go through every issue with a fine-tooth comb
looking for potential products that we could do something with. I then
contact the business and see if they have an interest in working with us.
We also receive many calls from people regarding our ad in the magazine.
The New York Times ran a full-page article on us on March 17, 1999,
which also created a stir around the country. We have helped many
different companies find ways to use their by-products.
CalMAX: How about the products you provide your customers. New,
innovative products? Unique products?
I think all of our products are unique! One such product would be our
SEAGOLD product. We take shrimp and crab shells from fish processors, then
grind and dry the shells then add other beneficial ingredients to make a
natural organic fertilizer. We sell this product around the world and
can’t find enough shells to take care of the demand for the product. We
bring in shells from the bayous of Louisiana and Mississippi and have even
brought them in from the northeast U.S. This has been such a positive
project that we are considering setting up a plant in Australia just to
handle the demand down there. This project helps take care of a stinky
waste that is a major problem and utilizes it back as a natural organic
fertilizer. I’m always looking for products and ways to create new and
exciting products from other waste streams.
CalMAX: Does Triad provide particular services for its customers?
We have been providing many services to the companies we work with. We
develop a plan for them to help save money by not having to take all of
their waste to landfills. We help get the products registered or permitted
if necessary with the different agencies involved. We set up plans for
handling of the products and in many cases we even do the trucking from
their facilities. We try to make the process as simple as can be and then
we keep track of the reporting issues where needed so that the companies
know where their products are going and how they are being used.
I have helped with a recycling program developed for kindergarten kids
to help teach them about recycling. I have helped overseas in setting up
regulations for handling waste streams.
I think that it is critical to educate the public on how much waste is
generated and that if each one of us gets in and helps, that we really are
helping the environment and making this world a better place to live. We
are creating a world where our children and their children will be able to
know that our generation really did step up to the plate and made a
difference that will always be remembered by the beauty we have enhanced.
CalMAX:. Do you focus on a certain group, such as organic farmers?
We do not focus towards selling our products to organic farmers. I think
it is more important to get the commercial guys thinking about how to do
things differently. I have one such customer, that by utilizing our
products over a five-to-six year span they were able to cut back on their
chemical use by up to 60 percent from their previous years. It is people
like this that will help make a difference for the future. We focus on a
complete nutritional program for the crops and utilize the waste products
for their specific nutrient values. We do soil and leaf and water tests
with our customers and then put together a balanced nutrient program that
will help build up the soil and provide the necessary nutrients to the
plants so they can produce a high- quality product. We take into
consideration as many factors as possible when designing the programs for
the growers, that is, PH of soil, soil type, plant type, etc.
CalMAX: Tell us a bit more about your work internationally.
We are currently selling our products in 62 different countries around the
world. We have set up distributors to handle the sales in the different
areas. This does mean I have to travel a lot during the year, but I have
enjoyed getting to see different places and meet the people and learn
about their culture. I think this has been a great experience that I will
always cherish.
Everywhere I go, I try to help our clients determine if they can
utilize by-products from their own areas. It is amazing the excitement I
have created. I have been recently invited to help set up a program in
Saudi Arabia to utilize some of their waste products back into their
agriculture market.
CalMAX: What have been the benefits of Triad’s work in your
community?
We are a good resource for our community in that when they have a new
business moving in, they refer them to us to give them an option as they
are looking at what to do with their waste. We have also helped out when
there have been food-related cleanup problems. Many times we do not
actually get involved with a cleanup but give advice on what might work.
We have created new jobs in the area and also provided many outside
jobs because of the projects we do get involved with. It is really hard to
say how many people we really work with, by the time you figure out all of
the people we work with as handlers, etc. We get involved with the
different chambers of commerce around the county so that they know who we
are if there is someone needing us.
CalMAX: What does the future hold for Triad and its associates?
We feel that we have a nice niche in the business world and feel that we
will continue to expand our coverage into different areas in California
and across the U.S. We will also continue to expand internationally by
having partner companies working with us and using our experience to make
their ventures a little less stressful. There is a great big world out
there and a lot of waste that is not being handled properly. If we are
willing to all work together we can and will make a difference in this
world. I firmly believe that if people put their minds together there is a
beneficial use for every waste stream out there. It just takes one person
to start the ball rolling and it takes cooperation from the business
community, regulatory agencies, and recyclers to work together for the end
result of making useful products from our waste.
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