Our Story
Synagro’s history is the story of two industry-leading companies being formed,
growing and coming together, to form North America’s premier biosolids management firm.
It all began with a small group of pioneering environmentalists who started Bio Gro in 1978 to help the municipalities in which they lived craft their biosolids management programs in response to the Clean Water Act of 1974. This group of entrepreneurs worked with growers, technologists and their municipal customers to continually advance the science of biosolids management, protecting and improving America’s water supply. Along the way, the team helped hundreds of municipalities move to more environmentally friendly, sustainable biosolids management technologies, and by 1990 the company had grown to become North America’s largest and most-respected biosolids recycling company. Through Bio Gro’s subsequent combination with Wheelabrator, it added in-vessel composting and by its combination with Enviro-Gro in 1992, thermal-drying expertise.
Synagro, started in 1986, paralleled Bio Gro’s path of growth to support the biosolids management needs of hundreds of municipalities. Through Synagro’s substantial, continuous investments in research and development and partnering with other biosolids management providers, the company grew rapidly.
In 2000, the story of the two companies came together as Synagro purchased BioGro. The same year, Synagro acquired NETCO, the leader in biosolids thermal reduction, and a rail arm – Environmental Protection & Improvement Company – creating the broadest biosolids management portfolio that defines us today.
As we look to the future, the nearly 1,000 passionate environmentalists of Synagro take pride in the important environmental mission the company provides for the communities in which we live and work. We have been energized by our mission to be a reliable partner who removes risk from a complicated process, so customers can help us make our communities healthier. We partner with stakeholders to clean our water, protect our environment and serve our communities by generating worth from what others consider waste. We work to protect the health of our water, our Earth and those who depend on them now and in the future.
Our Mission
Synagro’s mission is to be a reliable partner who removes risk from a complicated process, so customers can help us make our communities healthier. We partner with stakeholders to clean our water, protect our environment and serve our communities by generating worth from what others consider waste. We work to protect the health of our water, our Earth and those who depend on them now and in the future.
Our Capabilities
As the largest recycler of organic by-products in North America, we’re trusted because we remove risks while keeping the logistics clean. Much of our work isn’t pretty. But a greener world emerging from a cleaner one – worth coming from waste – and we think that’s pretty beautiful.
Community Outreach
Synagro’s belief in always doing what’s right is not only for Synagro and our people, but also for the communities we serve, the world we live in, our customers and the institutions that invest in us.
We want to make a positive difference in the communities across the country where we operate. You can be confident that the work Synagro does in your community supports a cleaner, greener world. Our Creating Sustainable Communities fact sheet offers more detail about how we work to serve you.
We provide jobs, environmental stewardship, agricultural incentives and community support. Our community outreach efforts include:
- Donations to food banks and other community-based service organizations;
- Compost donations;
- Soil analysis of farm fields; and
- Collaboration with local officials on community issues.
If you have an idea of how Synagro can support your community, contact us.
Recognition and Certifications
Throughout our more than 35 years of service, Synagro has won numerous awards in partnership with our clients including:
2019 Annual Contractor’s Performance Rating Excellent
2018 Friend of the Garden Award
2018 Governor’s Continued Excellence Certificate
2014 Platinum Level Recognition for Biosolids Management Program
2013 Silver Level Recognition for Biosolids Management Program
South Kern Compost Manufacturing Facility, Taft, California
1990 EPA National, Special Recognition Award; Outstanding Support to WPCF, EPA and Communities for Beneficial Use of Sludge Throughout the U.S.