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Quantum Organics in Southington acquired by national company

Southington-based renewable energy producer Quantum Organics has been acquired by New York City-based Circular Services, the largest private recycling and circular economy services provider in the United States.

Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed. 

Quantum Organics, located on a 60-acre site near Interstate 84, uses an anaerobic digestion process to convert food waste into a biogas that is combusted to produce electricity. The process also creates nutrient-rich compost as a byproduct.

In early 2017, Quantum Organics’ predecessor, Quantum Biopower, began operating the first anaerobic digester in Connecticut. Since then, several other waste-to-energy generators have opened, including one at Hytone Farm in Coventry.

Quantum Organics’ Southington facility is capable of processing 100,000 tons of food waste and 500,000 yards of leaf and yard waste per year, which produces enough electricity to power about 900 homes per day. The company employs about 50 people.

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The organic waste comes from a variety of sources, including UConn, Athletic Brewing in Milford and Sardilli Produce in Hartford.

Much of that waste has been diverted from landfills.

Quantum Organics was created through a merger between Quantum Biopower and Supreme Forest Products at the beginning of 2025. 

Circular Services operates more than 20 material recovery facilities in Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas, processing more than 1.5 million tons of materials annually. 

Quantum Organics is its first location in Connecticut.

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In recent years, Circular Services has increased its capacity through several acquisitions and partnerships.

Brian Paganini

“We are thrilled to join Circular Services,” said Brian Paganini, vice president and managing director at Quantum Organics. “Being part of Circular Services allows us to scale our vision of turning organic waste into a valuable resource while addressing pressing environmental challenges.”

Circular Services is owned by Closed Loop Partners, a New York City-based clean energy investment company.
 

By the Numbers: CT food waste

Connecticut ships more than 900,000 tons of waste out of the state each year, costing more than $100 million annually, a Quantum Organics spokesperson said. 

Also, Connecticut wastes over 520,000 tons of food each year, of which 230,000 tons derive from the commercial sector, according to the spokesperson.

Food waste is seen as a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, and adds to the cost of out-of-state waste shipping.

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