The recycling facility expects to grow 180 tons of tomatoes at the 5,945 square meter greenhouse, and to earn 400 million won (US$370,000) in additional profits. (image: Geoje City)
SEOUL, April 22 (Korea Bizwire) – Tomatoes grown at a greenhouse heated by an incinerating facility have boosted its profits.
According to an April 21 statement fromGeoje City officials, a southeastern shipbuilding city, the sale of tomatoes from the “Well-being Greenhouse” adjacent to its Resource Recycling Facility began on March 25.
The city installed the greenhouse last October to alter residents’ perception of the incinerator as an unpleasant facility, and selected tomatoes as its first product. As agricultural chemicals are not used in the growing process, and the tomatoes produced taste good and keep fresh for more than a month, their popularity has grown.
The recycling facility expects to grow 180 tons of tomatoes at the 5,945 square meter greenhouse, and to earn 400 million won (US$370,000) in additional profits. Currently, tomatoes produced at the greenhouse are supplied to Seoul and two large shipbuilders in the city for food service.
The greenhouse heats the tomatoes by turning the heat from the incineration plant into steam. A greenhouse of the size would normally have an annual heating bill or approximately 30 million won. The city plans to grow other produce such as peppers and mangoes based on the test production results from the tomatoes.
The resource recycling center, which opened in 2011, can treat 200 tons of garbage and earns 230 million won on average by selling electricity generated from the facility every year.
An official from Geoje city said, “Besides selling electricity, the facility is gaining additional profits from farm products. We hope that our efforts will help people to think differently about recycling facilities.”
By Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
