TOWN OF RIVER FALLS – The cause of a gas leak at a local biodigester facility last Friday has not been determined and no one reported injuries, according to River Falls Fire Chief Justin Wilson.

River Falls Fire Department was dispatched at 10:17 a.m. Dec. 12 to the Vanguard Renewables biodigester facility at W10247 County Road FF for a reported gas leak from the onsite biodome where the membrane on the anaerobic digester separated from the digester tank structure.

Wilson said RFFD arrived about 10 minutes after being dispatched and conducted an investigation of the facility and surrounding areas using gas detection meters.

“There was no fire, no concerning readings on the meters and the areas checked were determined to be safe,” Wilson said. “No evacuations of the surrounding areas were required, and there were no reported injuries to employees or fire personnel.”

Assisting agencies included Allina Ambulance and the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department. Fire crews remained on scene for just over one hour, with all units clearing and returning to service at 11:28 a.m.

Wilson said the response went smoothly without any mishaps or significant challenges. The National Weather Service estimated wind speeds at that time to be about 3 mph.

In a news release dated Dec. 10, 2025, Vanguard Renewables, a national leader in organics recycling and renewable energy production, celebrated the opening of its new anaerobic digestion and advanced depackaging facility in River Falls at the Peterson Family Dairy, a fourth-generation farm. The site provides food and beverage manufacturers, retailers, and processors across the Minneapolis-St. Paul region with a sustainable way to recycle food waste while reducing risk and improving efficiency.

“Food and beverage companies in Wisconsin and Minnesota face growing regulatory pressure to manage organics responsibly and recover packaging materials. Both states are advancing policies such as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging and commercial organics diversion requirements, driving demand for solutions that ensure compliance and advance sustainability goals,” the news release states.

“Vanguard Renewables gives food and beverage companies a turnkey solution to simplify organics recycling and reduce risk,” said Kent Bartley, President of Organic Solutions. “We combine deep industry expertise with full-service capabilities, from managing logistics with our own fleet to providing real-time data for compliance and reporting. Our approach makes organics recycling simple and reliable.”

The River Falls facility can process up to 275 tons of food and beverage waste per day and will generate 289,000 MMBtu of renewable natural gas (RNG) annually—enough to power 53,000 homes and businesses each year. The project is part of Vanguard Renewables’ joint venture with TotalEnergies to accelerate the development of renewable energy infrastructure across the U.S. The RNG will help power AstraZeneca’s U.S. research and manufacturing facilities, supporting the company’s commitment to reducing emissions and advancing sustainability, their website states.

“Unlike other disposal methods, the facility uses anaerobic digestion to turn food waste into renewable energy—giving it a second life and creating a circular solution for businesses and the environment,” the news release states. “The River Falls facility features advanced depackaging technology to handle both bulk and packaged food and beverage products and is already processing more than 50 waste streams from over 30 customers in the region.”

This is Vanguard Renewables’ second location in Wisconsin, joining its operational site in Eden serving the Milwaukee area.

Vanguard Renewables is a leading U.S. environmental services company and producer of biomethane from organic waste. Headquartered in Weston, Mass., the company builds, owns, and operates on-farm anaerobic digesters that convert food, beverage, and agricultural waste into pipeline-ready renewable natural gas.