Transcript The Composting Toolkit

Yard Waste Management
Presentation 2:
The Composting Toolkit
Funded by the Indiana
Department of
Environmental
Management Recycling
Grants Program
Developed by the Indiana
Rural Community
Assistance Program RCAP
Introduction to
Yard Waste Management Options
Percents (By Weight)
2003 EPA Statistics
35.2% - Paper/Paperboard/Cardboard
12.1% - Yard Waste
11.7 % - Food Waste
That is over 50% of the MSW that can easily be composted!
11.3% - Plastics
8.0% - Metals
7.4% - Rubber, Leather, Textiles (Clothing)
5.3% - Glass
1.0% - Household Hazardous Waste (HHW)
2.2% - Other
5.8 % - Wood
Some of this “wood” portion of the waste stream tends to be within furniture or
building products and is often treated and not suitable for composting.
Some of this “wood” portion of the waste stream is pallets which make an excellent
mulch product.
Recycling Rates
National: 30.6%
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Food Scraps: 2.7%
Yard Waste: 56.3%
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Motor Vehicle Batteries: 96.4%
Steel Cans: 58.8%
Aluminum Cans: 40.0%
Paper/Paperboard/Cardboard: 48.1%
Glass Bottles: 18.8%
Plastic Containers and Packaging: 9.6%
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Container and Packaging Waste: 38.8%
Non-durable Goods: 31.0%
Durable Goods: 18.1%
(2003 EPA Statistics)
The Second Most Recycled Item
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By weight, yard waste is the #2 most recycled
material in the United States
16.1 million tons of yard trimming are
recycled annually (Second only to corrugated
boxes and paperboard boxes which recover
21.9 million tons annually)
Wood packaging is also recycled to a
respectable tune of 1.3 million tons annually
(2003 EPA Statistics)
An Impressive Rise
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Over approximately 20 years, composting has
become a significant portion of the nations
total recycling
Yard Waste Composting (Recycling) by Year:
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1970: Negligible
1980: Negligible
1990: 12%
2000: 56.5%
Yard Waste
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What Is Yard Waste . . .
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Grass Clippings
Leaves
Tree Trimmings
Brush Trimmings
Yard Waste
Yard Waste By Weight And Volume
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Yard Waste By Weight . . .
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Grass Clippings represent the largest portion,
approximately 50%
Leaves represent approximately 25%
Tree and Brush Trimmings represent
approximately 25%
Yard Waste By Volume . . .
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Leaves represent the largest volume item in the
yard waste stream
Yard Waste Seasonal Nature
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Unlike other parts of the municipal solid waste stream, the
volume and weight of collected yard waste varies greatly over
the course of a year.
The majority of grass will be collected over summer months.
The majority of leaves will be collected over fall months.
The collection of both grass and leaves drop to near-zero over
winter months.
Of all components of the yard waste stream, large limbs and
stumps tend to be the most year-round in disposal.
During growing seasons yard waste can represent as much as
50% of the residential waste stream.
Composting Programs and
Yard Waste Management Programs
Across The United States
Composting Facilities Nationally
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There are about 3,227 yard waste composting
facilities in the United States, primarily located
in the Northeast and the Midwest.
The State of Ohio has the most composting
facilities of any State.
(2003 number from EPA)
States with Yard Waste Bans
A Cost Effective Solutions
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Based on national averages . . .
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For yard waste, compost programs are clearly the
most cost effective means of managing this portion
of the solid waste stream.
For food waste and contaminated paper products,
compost programs may also be the most cost
effective management solution.
Cost Effective In Indiana
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But more important than national averages . . .
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Successful Indiana programs support the national averages!
Composting is a cost effective solution right here in
Indiana.
On a cost-per-ton basis yard waste management comes out
least expensive
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State Average for Yard Waste Collection and
Composting: $62.40 per ton
Averages come from a 1997 study of 240 Indiana Cities and
Towns conducted by the Indiana Institute on Recycling
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State Average for Garbage Collection and Disposal: $90.80 per ton
State Average for Recyclables Collection and Recycling: $143.87
per ton
Introduction to Composting
So Let’s Talk About Composting . . .
Compost
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NOUN OR VERB?
BOTH!
The verb: “Composting” is the process by
which microorganisms break down waste and
turn it into a valuable product.
The noun: This end product is referred to
simply as “compost.”
Types of Composting:
By Material
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MSW Composting
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Yard Waste Composting
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Limited only to the yard waste portion of the waste stream.
Food Waste Composting
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Composting of Municipal Solid Waste Stream. Waste is
ground, metals removed, and all remaining materials
composted. Usually produces low quality compost.
Most commonly the vegetable waste only. Animal
byproducts require higher temperatures and much greater
care to prevent spreading of pathogens.
Co-composting
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Common term when one or all of the above are combined
with sewage sludge and the combined mixture is then
composted.
Types of Composting:
By Technique
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Backyard Composting
In-Vessel Composting
Windrow Composting (10 ft.wide, 6 ft. high, < 150 ft. long)
Forced Aeration
Worm Composting/Vermicomposting
Mulch Production
Co-Composting (Sewage Sludge [Nitrogen rich] + Wood Waste)
Land Application
Types of Composting:
Aerobic or Anaerobic?
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We are talking today about AEROBIC composting.
That is, composting in the presence of OXYGEN
Microorganisms decompose organics aerobically
(with oxygen) under carefully controlled conditions
to produce finished compost
Anaerobic decomposition is what occurs in a landfill
with Carbon Dioxide, Methane, and Leachate being
three major products.
Backyard Composting
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Low tech.
Lowest energy costs
because the compost is
treated at the location where
it was “created”.
Many styles of bins. The
key, however, is not the bin
but maintaining optimal
conditions.
Backyard composting is
considered SOURCE
REDUCTION by the EPA
hierarchy of waste
management.
In-vessel
In-Vessel Composting
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Operations and Energy Intensive.
Most commonly used for MSW composting.
Most commonly used in Europe where space is at a premium.
Because of high initial and operating costs, not a major point
of discussion in the composting tool-kit
Windrow Composting
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Most common method of yard waste
composting in the United States
Generally a “row” of material is composted,
usually about 10-25 feet wide, 6 feet high, and
as long as 150 feet.
Windrow composting has been shown to be
highly cost effective. For community
programs it is the major point of emphasis for
the composting tool-kit.
Windrow Composting
Forced Aeration
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A variation on the windrow pile with the
addition of air being forced through the pile
via pipes at the base of the pile.
Worm Composting
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Can be done indoors or outdoors
Uses the macro-organism, red worms, verses the
micro-organisms used in other forms of composting
Most effective with vegetable matter food wastes
Can be very small or very large scale
Mulch Production
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Not a true form of “composting” (in the verb
sense)
An excellent method of managing certain
woody waste products
Mulch is a valuable and much sought after
gardening product
Mulch Production
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Woody wastes are ground/shredded
Can be colorized
Some municipal programs provide the product
free-of-charge
From home improvement stores, to
commercial composting and mulching
operations, to the corner gas station, bags or
truckloads of mulch can and are purchased by
landscapers and gardeners everywhere.
Co-Composting
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Co-composting utilizes combining sewage sludge (which is
nitrogen rich) with woody wastes (which are carbon rich) for
composting.
This type of composting is not covered within the “tool-kit.”
Land Application
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Land application is the direct incorporation of raw,
uncomposted, leaves, grass, and/or other non-woody
landscaping waste directly into the soil.
The raw yard waste decomposes slowly over a period
of time and are incorporated back into the soil.
Land application must be managed carefully to ensure
proper proportions to prevent aesthetic or
environmental problems from occurring.
Land Application
Wrapping Up Our Introduction
Conclusions – Renewable Resource
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As with all forms of recycling we must shift from
looking at compostables as “waste” and instead as a
feedstock for a useful finished product
Many people do not realize that peat moss is MINED.
At best, peat moss is a VERY SLOWLY renewable
resource.
Compost and mulch both offer a RENEWABLE
RESOURCE that is an effective alternative to peat
moss.
Conclusions – Cost Effective
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Based on national averages . . .
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For yard waste, compost programs are clearly the most cost
effective means of managing this portion of the solid waste
stream.
For food waste and contaminated paper products, compost
programs may also be the most cost effective management
solution.
But more important than national averages . . .
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Successful Indiana programs support the national averages!
Composting is a cost effective solution right here in
Indiana.
Conclusions – Win-Win
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Composting is a COST EFFECTIVE means of
managing over 50% of the municipal solid
waste stream.
Composting is a COST EFFECTIVE means of
meeting landfill diversion goals.
That sure sounds like a win-win scenario to
me!
QUESTIONS?
Thank You!
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Additional Questions, Comments, or You
Think You Have A Potential Pilot Community
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Please Feel Free to Contact Me:
Mark W. Davis
Technical Assistance Provider
Rural Community Assistance Program
Office: 1-800-382-9895
Wireless: (812) 320-0720
E-mail: [email protected]