Synagro Technologies Inc. has agreed to develop a composting and green waste recycling facility near Punta Gorda, Fla.

Houston-based Synagro said in a news release it reached a lease agreement with the Charlotte County Public Works Solid Waste Division to create a regional biosolids and green waste Bio-Recycling Center at the county’s landfill near Punta Gorda. Under a 20-year agreement, Synagro will design, finance, build and operate a covered windrow composting facility that will recycle about 50,000 tons of biosolids per year.

Construction on the new facility should begin the middle of this year, and full commercial operation should start by the end of 2012, pending approvals from the state Department of Environmental Protection.

More stringent planning requirements coming in 2013 to Florida may leave land application sites and/or landfills more than 150 miles away as the only options for some municipalities. Synagro said the new composting facility will substantially reduce the transportation issues for biosolids compared with those options, thus cutting fuel consumption and costs. The facility also will enable communities in southwest Florida to meet the state’s new recycling goal.

“By transforming natural waste materials into valuable Class AA compost, we’re enabling regional biosolids generators to meet civic goals while fulfilling a critical environmental requirement of local communities,” said Pamela Racey, vice president of sales and development for Synagro.