(Credit: GoFundMe)
Earlier this year, Bright Feeds, a New England–based waste management company, proposed opening a food waste processing facility on Potters Lane in Plumstead Township.
The company’s model converts unwanted food into nutrient-rich animal feed using algorithm-driven batching. Glenn Gaudette, one of its technical advisors, describes the system as automated and precise, eliminating the need for operator guesswork, according to a report from the Bucks County Herald.
Neighbors organized quickly in opposition, citing trouble at the company’s Connecticut plant. Residents of Berlin have reported persistent odor and noise issues, with complaints including that people “can’t open our doors or our windows” during bad periods.
In response, Bright Feeds installed a regenerative thermal oxidizer system costing over $1 million in an effort to reduce emissions, and local managers say the smell improved afterward, according to an article.
In Plumstead, more than 400 residents voiced objections and supporters launched a GoFundMe campaign that raised over $25,000 in under two weeks to help fund legal challenges, signage, mailings, and expert testimony.
According to the Herald, Friends Against Bright Feeds — saveplumstead.net —claim that the application incorrectly lists the parcel's zoning. There will be a zoning hearing board meeting on Tuesday that residents hope will provide clarity. The applicant is on the agenda, according to the newspaper.
Opponents worry about 24/7 operations, increased traffic, odors, and noise in a largely residential corridor. They also claim the facility’s application misstates the parcel’s zoning designation.
The project has become a political issue in the township’s supervisor race.
Democrat Jen Moroney said, “I am firmly against the Bright Feeds Project … the very same concerns I share as a member of this community.”
Republican Lurleen Worthington likewise criticized the plan: “Bright Feed Tech’s company mission sounds all well and good, but not for a residential area. It could potentially jeopardize Plumstead Township’s rural character and quality of life.”
