Colman Bradwell

FMC Corporation, a leading agricultural sciences company, initiated a sustainability-focused project at its Mobile, Alabama manufacturing site. Recognizing that incineration of process waste—comprised of 70% water—was the major environmental contributor, FMC launched a multiphase initiative to divert 66% of this waste (~12.3 million pounds annually) from incineration to onsite wastewater treatment.
The project encompassed EPA permit modifications, treatability assessments, and installation of storage and transfer infrastructure. Through material balance modeling and pilot bioreactor studies, the waste stream was validated as compatible with the existing WWTP, with no detectable toxicity or discharge impact. System upgrades enabled compliance verification and automated diversion of treated water.
As a result, the Mobile site achieved $4.5 million in annual savings in 2022, with projections reaching $10 million by 2030. Additionally, the initiative reduced 575 MT of CO₂-equivalent emissions annually—split between incineration (308 MT) and transportation (267 MT)—underscoring FMC’s commitment to operational excellence and environmental stewardship. Ongoing expansions aim to increase waste reclamation to 80%, further enhancing long-term impact.