Engineering:Sedron Technologies
Sedron Technologies is a private, US-based company founded in 2014 that develops and deploys advanced technologies specializing in sustainable waste management and resource recovery.[1] Founded as a spinoff of Janicki Industries, the firm develops systems to transform liquid waste streams – such as biosolids, manure, and other slurries – into fertilizers, biomass fuel, and reusable water.[2] The company characterizes its mission as driving a circular economy in waste treatment, delivering carbon-negative commodities and reducing environmental footprints of municipal, agricultural, and industrial waste management.[3]
History
Sedron was established in 2014 as a spinoff from Janicki Industries, initially developing waste treatment technology (Janicki Omniprocessor[4]) for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to address global sanitation challenges related to human waste[3]. The company was originally named Janicki Bioenergy but was renamed in 2018 to Sedron Technologies.[5]
Although Sedron is headquartered in Sedro-Woolley, Washington, the company has expanded operations nationally, including facilities in Texas, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Florida.[6]
Technology
The company's flagship product is the Varcor system (Vapor ReCompression with Concentration & Recovery), which uses mechanical vapor recompression and thin-film drying to process biosolids, livestock manure, and wastewater into sterilized liquid and dry fertilizers, biomass fuel, and clean, reusable water[2].[7]
This process captures ammonia directly from waste streams. In agriculture, this prevents methane emissions from manure decomposition in lagoons and reduces reliance on petrochemical-based fertilizers.[8]
The system is energy-efficient, reducing electricity consumption by up to 95% compared to traditional methods, and produces outputs such as carbon-negative ammonia, phosphorus-rich dry solids, and certified Organic liquid nitrogen[8] (when using dairy manure as the feedstock[9]).
Sedron's facilities can handle large-scale operations, such as processing 250 million gallons of cow manure annually at a site in Indiana.[10]
Awards and recognition
In 2025, Sedron Technologies received Fast Company's World Changing Ideas Award for its Varcor system, recognizing its contributions to sustainability in waste management[1][6].
The award was given because technology addresses environmental issues, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions from dairy farms, which account for approximately 2% of total U.S. emissions.[11]
Sedron was also featured in the MIT Technology Review for its up-cycling technology that can be a meaningful new source of nutrients and help reduce waste-treatment burdens[2].
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Fast Company's World Changing Ideas". https://www.fastcompany.com/91336555/sedron-world-changing-ideas-2025.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 page, Bryn Nelsonarchive. "How poop could help feed the planet" (in en). https://www.technologyreview.com/2025/01/03/1108658/poop-feces-agriculture-varcor-biowaste/.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Herald, AVA RONNING Skagit Valley (2025-03-19). "U.S. Rep. Larsen visits Sedron Technologies" (in en). https://www.goskagit.com/news/local_news/u-s-rep-larsen-visits-sedron-technologies/article_6009538a-0445-11f0-94bb-cbc41ca25202.html.
- ↑ Bill Gates (2015-01-05). Janicki Omniprocessor. Retrieved 2025-10-27 – via YouTube.
- ↑ Catalano, Frank (2024-05-30). "Drinkable water from poo? Sedron showcases waste treatment ideas | Cascadia Daily News" (in en-US). https://www.cascadiadaily.com/2024/may/30/drinkable-water-from-poo-janicki-showcases-waste-treatment-ideas/.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Herald, AVA RONNING Skagit Valley (2025-06-18). "Sedron Technologies receives national award for sustainability" (in en). https://www.goskagit.com/news/sedron-technologies-receives-national-award-for-sustainability/article_5c3578e8-35dc-4358-8641-2bd001ed1036.html.
- ↑ "Patents Assigned to SEDRON TECHNOLOGIES, LLC - Justia Patents Search". https://patents.justia.com/assignee/sedron-technologies-llc.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Savage, Steven. "A New Circular Economy Example: Closing The Loop For Poop" (in en). https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevensavage/2022/07/28/a-new-circular-economy-example-closing-the-loop-for-poop/.
- ↑ "Organic Material Review Institute (OMRI)'s certificate page for Sedron's product". https://www.omri.org/mfg/sel/certificate/19402.
- ↑ Brown, Alex. "Northwest Indiana dairy farm see environmental benefits from new $80M facility" (in en-US). https://www.insideindianabusiness.com/articles/northwest-indiana-dairy-farm-see-environmental-benefits-from-new-80m-facility.
- ↑ Rotz, C. Alan; Mitloehner, Frank (2025-03-01). "United States dairy farms and global warming". Journal of Dairy Science 108 (3): 2610–2619. doi:10.3168/jds.2024-25360. ISSN 0022-0302. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022030224013821.
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