Transcript Slide 1

Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals
Tribal Solid Waste Education and Assistance Program (TSWEAP)
Source Reduction Strategies for Tribal Solid
Waste Programs
“Designing and Managing a Compost Program”
Laura Medvin- Susanville Indian Rancheria
Environmental Technician
What are the benefits of composting?
Depending on your waste stream, anywhere from 30% to 60% of your waste can be
composted. By removing compostable materials you:
Lessen the weight of waste that ends up in landfills and transfer stations
Reduce the types of waste that smell and attract scavengers
Reduce the amount of waste that contributes to Greenhouse Gases –
especially methane
Compost improves all soil types – opening up heavy clay soils and helping light
soils retain moisture and nutrients – which means less watering and reduced
fertilizer use
Compost improves the health of plants, meaning less problems with pests and
diseases
How does composting work?
A compost pile works to break down certain
materials until the items are once again in their
original state. The materials must be items that
originated from the earth.
A combination of many gases, oxygen, sunlight,
water and air assists the decomposition process.
How does composting work?
To be more specific…..
Successful composting is all about getting the right proportions of
compostable materials, air and water.
Greens: These bacteria and fungi
use the nitrogen as “digestive
enzymes” to break down the
carbon
Air: A well aerated
compost pile breaks
down quicker
Browns: The bacteria and fungi use
the carbon as an energy source
Microbes: The workhorses in any compost system
“A living organism that can be seen only with a microscope. Soil
microbes help dead plants and animals to decompose
www.soilassociation.org/web/sa/saweb.nsf/a71fa2b6e2b6d3e980256a
6c004542b4/3f488deea330775f80257149004fc2c8!OpenDocument
Water: The
process
works best if
the compost
is kept moist,
but not
saturated,
with water
What you will need:
• “Greens” + “Browns” +Water + Air = Compost
• Greens are the nitrogen source and include
– Yard waste (grass trimmings, green leaves, etc)
– Food wastes (kitchen scraps, spoiled fruits and vegetables, tea
bags, coffee grounds, etc.,)
– Greens are also a good source of moisture
• Browns are the carbon source and include:
– Dry Leaves
– Wood chips and sawdust
– Some paper and cardboard
Creating a Tribal Compost System
• What are your sources for
compost?
• Are these sources reliable
and consistent?
•What size of system makes sense for you?
•Who will manage and staff the program?
•What funding do you have available to start, and
maintain, a composting program?
•Do you have a market – or who will use the
finished compost?
Are these sources reliable and
consistent?
• 108 Susanville Indian Rancheria Homes
• 680 Tribal Members
(living on and off the reservation combined)
And/Or
• 24 SIR Tribal Business sources
Types of Systems: Large Scale
• One example of a large scale system was started by the Eastern
band of Cherokee Indians
• They operate one composting project for food wastes
– 72 tons per month collected from area restaurants and the
tribal casino
– Mixed with office waste paper at compost facility
– Packaged and sold as premium compost at $35 per ton
– Provide compost coupons and starter gardening kits to tribal
members
• They operate a second composting project for biosolids
– 96 tons per month
– Sold for $15 per ton
Types of Systems:
Home Bins
Compost bin with pallets
Wire Screen Compost Bin
• Many communities focus their compost
programs on encouraging individuals,
households, and offices to use basic bins
• These can be built as part of a community
project from construction and demolition
debris
• Basic bins can also be purchased from a
variety of retail stores or online.
conservationtutorials.org
Types of Systems: Tumblers
• The Agdaagux Tribe of King Cove (AK) made
tumblers and local kids decorated them. Tribal offices
competed to make the best compost.
• Larger tumblers can be purchased, or made with
waste materials, for larger scale projects.
• These usually speed up the process.
More Compost
Methods
Bamboo Composters
Pile Composting
Automatic Composters
Vermiculture
Vermiculture – “The
process whereby worms
feed on slowly
decomposing materials
(eg, vegetable scraps) in
a controlled environment
to produce a
nutrient-rich soil ...
www.phoenix.edu/about_us/glossary_of
environmental_terms.aspx”
Vermiculture
Plants are growing
from this area naturally
as a result of the
vermiculture method
As a pilot project the SIR NRD has
constructed several beds inside the
greenhouse. The beds are
approximately 5inches deep. Compost
is added to these beds weekly. Worms
are breaking down the compost
material and making nutrient rich soil.
Plants are healthy
Plants are Producing vegetables
Tribal Case Study:
Susanville Indian Rancheria
Received funding from USEPA
in 2006 to design and
develop a composting
program. The objective of
acquiring these funds was to
address the composting need
at the casino kitchen.
Vermiculture approach was
added later.
Tribal Case Study:
Susanville Indian Rancheria
Currently collecting
green waste scraps from
21 SIR Business and
office areas.
Tribal Case Study:
Susanville Indian Rancheria
•The finished product is used
for the tribe’s community
gardens.
•Compost as well as
surplus worms are
available for
community use
•Compost is being
mixed into the
pre-existing garden
soils
Tribal Case Study:
Susanville Indian Rancheria
• This project is funded and managed by the tribe’s
environmental program.
• First year funding provided by a grant from the USEPA
Resource Conservation Fund Grant Region 9 in 2006 –
this funding was utilized to secure equipment, supplies
and a plan for the compost program.
• This program has now been added as a task in the SIR
EPA Performance Partnership Grant as part of the
recycling program. NOTE: The EPA PPG is intended
to act as a capacity building grant only. EPA PPG is a
funding source ideal for start up programs.
Tribal Case Study:
Susanville Indian Rancheria
Challenges?
•Compost productivity
•Developing a marketing strategy
•Developing a plan to acquire 100% of green
waste coming from the Casino Kitchen
•Developing a plan to efficiently process the
compost collected
•Community/Staff Outreach
Tribal Case Study:
Susanville Indian Rancheria
Challenges?
Developing a marketing strategy
The biggest challenge will be to develop the marketing plan.
The marketing plan will be determined by compost productivity.
Consider this:
How will the compost be most useful?
•Soil additive only?
•Improving the Tribal community garden?
•Growing starter plants in the Tribal community garden?
•Selling those starter plants?
•Consider the feasibility of growing plants in the community garden?
•Are there certain challenges you might face in doing so?
Who will the compost be most beneficial to?
Is there an interest or need in the Tribal community?
Surrounding communities?
Financing a Compost Program
• Finding start up money is only the beginning of the
battle.
• Unless you have a reliable source of money to keep
your compost program going it will not be
sustainable.
• The benefit of home/office composting projects are
small start up costs (if they are built with scrap
material) and individuals are responsible for their
maintenance.
• Larger scale programs can, at least, be partly funded
through the sale of finished compost.
• Creativity is the key in finding maintenance funds.
Greenhouse Harvest
2010
Laura Medvin
SIR Environmental Tech.
530-251-5646
[email protected]