MARIBEL, Wis. (WFRV) - Typically in Wisconsin the word digester is associated with farms using manure to create energy.

Now plans are in the works to turn food scraps into fuel, with a proposed project in Maribel.  

"This stuff is either destined for either direct land application or landfill" says a spokesman with the Maribel Renewable Energy Project.

According to the EPA a typical family of four throws away $600 worth of food waste each year.

"The proposal is to use waste from various food manufacturers and turn them into a renewable natural gas fuel" says the spokesman.

However, simply hearing the word digester has some residents saying "not in my backyard".

"The environmental impact is one of the other is the value of my home now going down" says Sue Kornely who lives near the proposed plant.

According to the management team "If we have odor that means we're losing money. That is not our intentions".

The facility would be built at the site of the former Ridge Restaurant just off Interstate 43.

"Let's not put it in an interchange next to a community, let's think about maybe something like the Whitelaw landfill where they're already bringing garbage into" says Kornely.

According to Maribel Village Trustee Kevin Habeck " This is our business / industrial area here on the east side of the village so this is where a business like this would go in our village [of Maribel]".

Project managers say the plant would create jobs, and tax revenue.

As for environmental concerns the spokesman says "The Wisconsin DNR has some very excellent people who work for them and they review all these projects very thoroughly".

The meeting is Monday at 7:00 p.m. at the Maribel community center.