Compost+Paper

Sweet Water Urban Village Composting

Sweet Water Urban Village is currently trying to compost as much waste as possible on their existing site. The owner will go and pick up vegetables and fruit from the Roundy's Supermarket when their sell by date has expired. However, currently there are some issues with their compost pile on the existing site. Through research, we have found that multiple complaints have been filled with the city about the smell, the look, and the health hazards that neighbors believe are originating from this compost pile. Other issues with the compost pile could include rodents coming to the area trying to eat the rotting compost. The goal of this research paper, is to look in depth into other ways of having a compost pile that could be inside a facility. This paper will help Cloud 9 Design to determine the most feasible options for moving a compost pile indoors and help to determine what extra construction and cost will be added to the project due to the compost pile.

**In-Vessel Composting System** In-vessel composting is exactly what the name implies, making compost in containers. The process is started by layering food waste and saw dust. The nitrogen from the food and the carbon from the saw dust are the key ingredients for the decomposition process. This is an aerobic process and is facilitated by air passing through vents on the top and bottom. Temperatures reach 150 degrees Fahrenheit and the compost is reduced in volume by one fifth in this phase. After 10 to 15 days in the vessels the second step of curing can begin. The content of the vessels is then transferred to windrows. Red wiggler worms are added to the windrows to further decompose the material. As the worms digest the compost they make worm castings. The castings are high in nutrients and energy for plants. The final step is to simply screen the compost to remove stones and other material not decomposed (Lower East Side Ecology Center). __Lower East Side Ecology Center.__ 2009. 14 September 2010 . **Vermicomposting** Vermicomposting is a process where earthworms are used to make compost. The preferred worms are red wigglers or manure worms. For this process to work, bedding is needed. The bedding can consist of dried leaves, shredded paper, ground cardboard, and peat moss. Peat moss cannot be used alone as it is too acidic. The compost must be kept at 50 percent moisture to keep the worms alive. With the bedding, soil of finished compost is mixed. This mixture is to fill ¾ of the container. Under the bedding is the waste to be turned into compost. The bedding filters out any odors which makes this a very good indoor process. After three months the compost is ready for use (Organic Consumers Association). __Organic Consumers Association.__ 14 September 2010 . Vermicomposting is very similar to many other composting techniques, however, the worms must be accounted for and attended too. The three main techniques for vermicomposting are windrows, bins, and flow through reactors. Each techniques draws upon the same principals, yet they have a different ways of managing the worms. **Windrows** Windrows are in essence nothing more than a stretched out pile spread across an open area made out of feed and padding. These piles are then left alone until all of the processing of the material has been completed by the worms, and then the compost may be harvested. The key problem with this technique is the amount of space that it takes to layout the compost pile. As piles should ideally not reach more than one meter in height, these piles tend to grow outward and can take up quite a large area. For this reason, this process is ideally suited for the outdoors, and could prove to be troublesome in certain areas. In northern areas of the country it becomes too cold in the winter for the worms, and in some studies large amounts of worms have died off. This may not be viable in an urban area either for two main reasons; one being that there is a large area required, and the other being that the process produces undesirable odors. **Bins** This method is similar to using the windrow method, but concentrates the composting in a series of indoor beds. The use of beds allows for year round composing, as the heat given off of from the process itself will keep the beds warm. This method is very similar to the method of using rectangular agitated beds discussed in the paper, except that the worms work as the agitators, so there is no reason to have to turn the compost. It is also easy to separate the worms from the compost with the method, through the use of a few screen dividers. When an area of compost is ready to be harvested, no new material should be put in for a couple of days. As soon as the worms run out of composting material they will migrate horizontally to another portion of the bin. While this method is better suited for urban uses than windrows, it still requires a lot of square footage, and is depends on uncovered piles that could give off foul odors. **Flow Through Reactor** In this method the worms are contained in a raised box which material is continually fed into. The composted material then flows down through a grid, aided by a hydraulic pressing mechanism. Because the material is allowed to flow through the device, there is never any need to manage the movement of the worms, because they always stay isolated in the top. Of all the possible vermicomposting techniques, this one is easily the most commercially viable because of the ease of use, and the small amount of area it takes up. There are smaller commercial units available that could handle up to 75 pounds per week while only requiring a four square foot area per unit. However, researchers tend to believe that a larger unit, with a 1000 square foot surface area, could handle up to two to three tons of organic waste per day. While the initial investment on one of these flow through reactor units may be higher than the other methods start up costs, the compact design and ease of use, easily make this the most practical vermicomposting technique for urban applications. Munroe, Glenn. "Manual of On-Farm Vermicomposting and Vermiculture." Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada. Web. 19 Sept. 2010. . "FAQ." //Worm Bins for Composting with Worms (vermicomposting)- Worm Wigwam//. Web. 20 Sept. 2010. .
 * Vermicomposting Techniques**

Rectangular Agitated Beds are made of Concrete block walls around 30m longs, width 180 – 160 cm width, depth 90 – 300 cm. The raw material is loaded into one end of bed, then the Turning machine will turn the material either daily or every other day. The machine moves the material 300 cm each cycle (daily, or every other day) to keep the material porous. This process takes from 10 to 20 days depending on the turning cycle. The beds are broken up into sections this is to have different zones of aeration. Each stage of composting may need more or less aeration and is controlled by a temperature sensor or a time clock to aerate and cool the compost. Once compost is discharged give it time to cure and we can use it as fertilizer.
 * Rectangular Agitated Beds**

FOA. "On Farm Composting Methods." //FAO: FAO Home//. Web. 14 Sept. 2010. .

This is a bottom unloading technique. A machine will remove a portion of the compost every day from the bottom, then usually transferred to another silo for curing. This process before curing takes about 14 days. When using this process the silo should have 1/14 of material taken out daily and 1/14 put back in it to maintain composting capacity. A disadvantage to this method is that the compost will compact over time. So proper aeration is necessary, and the air can be treated at the top of the silo before it goes into the atmosphere.
 * Silos**

FOA. "On Farm Composting Methods." //FAO: FAO Home//. Web. 14 Sept. 2010. .

A Bio Tower is a self contained automated unit. It converts food waste, animal manures, sewage sludge and other bio degradeable material. This machine has a small footprint/ton capacity. It can do 1 to 20 tons per day which is good to save on space. This machine will control temperature, oxygen and moisture content to maintain idle composting conditions. Exhaust Air is treated through a bio filter which takes out 100% of leachate and makes air smell good. This machine eliminates pathogens, weed seeds, rats, bugs, birds. This machine is ideal for urban and rural settings.
 * Bio Tower**

FOA. "On Farm Composting Methods." //FAO: FAO Home//. Web. 14 Sept. 2010. .

__ Hot Composting __
====Hot composting is a batch process meaning it differs from a passive pile that simply sits there. This method is best used for gardens that have access to large volumes of yard debris. Hot piles require some effort, but the compost is typically higher quality than other methods. The high temperatures provide an added benefit of killing weed seeds and many plant diseases that can ruin a compost pile. Also with the raised temperature hot composting can be matured faster than open-air composting. There are nine basic steps to hot composting: ====

9. Active, Hot Composting
====Preparing your compost area and choosing the correct bin are very important. The area should be higher in elevation than the rest of the yard and located away from the residence to ensure storm water and runoff water do not reach the composting area. When starting a hot compost pile it is best to have a stockpile of organic matter ready to start the compost. Without a large enough pile the process cannot be executed correctly. The inoculation of the compost is essential. The microorganisms within the inoculation break down the ingredients more quickly. When starting out it is critical to mix the pile thoroughly. This ensures that the microorganisms are spread evenly throughout the compost allowing for an even decomposition. Balancing the ingredients is another way of saying; properly mix your compost so elements with high carbon content do not slow the composting process. As each layer of the pile is created it must be watered. Too much water can ruin a compost pile but not enough will slow the decomposition dramatically. The microorganisms that cause most of the decomposition require oxygen to survive. Poking holes to the center of the pile provides passage for oxygen to reach the center of the pile. Once formed correctly the compost pile will heat up to over 140oF. Turning the pile every so often during this process will help to excelerate the decomposition. ==== ====Earth911. “Nine Steps to Hot Composting.” __Earth911.com__. 9/16/2010. . ====

__ Bokashi __ Bokashi composting is considered a method of intensive composting. Bokashi compost can use either aerobic, oxygen based organism, or anaerobic, organism not requiring oxygen to grow, inoculation to produce the desired compost. Commonly Bokashi compost is made with only molasses, water, EM, and wheat bran. This mixture ferments the food scraps in a nearly odorless process. According to the Tiny Choices website the decomposition process reportedly smells like apple cider vinegar. Bokashi composting is best now for its versatility. Large amounts of paper waste and liquids are bad for the compost but jellies, condiments, meat, dairy, and nearly all food scraps can be broken down by the Bokashi mixture into a workable compost. The only real downside to the Bokashi composting method is the never ending need to purchase the bokashi mixture. The cost per bag, one bag should last a few months, of the mixture ranges from $10-$12 so it is inexpensive but over the lifetime of the compost the price adds up. "Four Ways to Compost Indoors.” __Tiny Choices.__ 9/16/2010. .

**__ Managing Odor in Urban Environment __** While composting is good for the environment and easy to do, there is a rather unpleasant smell that comes along with composting. Many composting facilities now have to adapt due to a growing urban environment that is surrounding them. Some facilities are now managing the organic waste that is coming in, and will not store or stockpile waste. Inspectors will sort through the waste coming in and then determine the best composting conditions for that load and immediately get it to an area to start composting. Then, the basic concept of managing the odor is to collect the emissions and then filter those emissions. One particular facility uses specially designed cells to manage their odor (see Fig. 1). By putting an organic cover over their piles, it traps the odors in the pile. Also, the facility does not turn their compost in the cells because it reduces the chances of unpleasant odors being released into the air. Then a negative air pressure system pulls air in the pile to a perforated pipe which will take it to a biofilter (Good Compost Neighbor Uses Robust Odor Control).



The biofilter is also a very environmentally friendly tool in managing odor. The biofilter may just appear to be a pile of woodchips, but those wood chips are covered with a “biofilm.” This biofilm is a microbial community that sticks to the wood chips and eats the odors and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs). As the air from the cell passes through the filter the small microbes consume the odor and produce a filtered water vapor. To maintain a higher quality of air the filter should be changed often. Then to dispose of the old filter, it can just be thrown into a compost pile where it will easily decompose (Good Compost Neighbor Uses Robust Odor Control).

Other methods of odor control include using various chemicals and outside controls to reduce and maintain odor. Many facilities will typically have a chemical back up to their filtration system because the use of chemicals can be very costly. Also, some facilities may use a giant fan to blow the odor away from residents and mixes it with the normal air to dilute the smell. Finally, as a quality control, some facilities will have an employee who is designated to periodically walk the neighborhood downwind from the facility and do a quality control check to make sure the odor is not present. If odor is detected the facilities will respond with control measures and various techniques until the odor is eliminated (Good Compost Neighbor Uses Robust Odor Control). Sorensen, Meredith. __Good Compost Neighbor Uses Robust Odor Control__. 13 September 2010 <[]> Compost Composition A compost pile that produces high quality fertilizer is a direct result of materials put into it. There are many sources of compostable materials, but having the right proportions of these materials is the key to successful composting. When looking for things to compost it may be beneficial to consider how long it takes for certain objects to breakdown. Coarse materials with high carbon content such as wood, straw, nut shells, and corn stalks take much longer to decompose than materials like grass clippings and manure that have much higher nitrogen levels. By managing the ratio between carbon rich and nitrogen rich matter in the compost, one can achieve more efficient decomposition therefore making the pile usable much sooner. The higher the carbon to nitrogen ration the longer it will take for the matter to breakdown. So why not have just put only high nitrogen materials in the compost so decomposition happens rapidly? First, the microorganisms that make the compost fertile cannot flourish in an environment overwhelmed with nitrogen; a balance with carbon is needed for energy and growth. Secondly, greener nitrogen based materials tend to compact and seal out oxygen which is also essential to composting. Thirdly, rich nitrogen compost can begin to form ammonia which may lead to an odor problem. Even though coarse materials take longer to decompose they serve an essential purpose in the development of the compost. They serve as bulking agents thereby reducing compaction of other raw materials. By breaking down slowly they allow air to circulate throughout the pile keeping it dryer and more manageable while providing oxygen to the microorganisms. Good air circulation will also help prevent the compost from overheating. Certain types of materials used in composting can result in foul odors and the attraction of unwanted pests. Certain types of organic material though compostable should be avoided. Things such as processed foods, fatty foods, and bones should be avoided in some cases as they can attract rodents, dogs and cats and create odor problems. Depending on the location of the compost pile these can be major issues with surrounding inhabitants.

__Composting Fundamentals__ 17 September 2010 < []

__**Rotating Drums:**__

Rotating Drums are a horizontal composting system that continually rotates the compost by means of bull gears. This composting system takes about three days from the time the material enters the drum to the time it is fully decomposed. What makes this aerobic system so effective is that the air flow moves in the opposite direction as the decomposing material. As the material enters it is introduced to hot air so the decomposing starts immediately. As it moves down the line it enters a chamber with warm air and finally after three days the material is cooled by fresh air and then leaves the drum. All of the material moves continuously and consistently through the drum leaving all composted matter at the same consistency when it leaves the drum.

At the end of each day the compost will needs to be transferred to the next stage. The drums are divided into two or three sections. The first step in to empty the last chamber of the fully decomposed material followed by opening the remainder of chambers and transferring the partially decomposed matter to the next compartment. Finally new raw material can be put into the drum to start the decomposing process. Any mater that leaves discharge end of the drum will get sifted through and any larger pieces can be put back into the drum to decompose further to the conditions of the owners liking.

__On-farm composting methods__ 18 September 2010 < [] >

__**Effects of Indoor Composting**__ Indoor composting has its advantages and disadvantages. Moving composting indoors reduces the amount of neighbors complaining of the site, smell, and rodents from the composting process, however, there is a downside to indoor composting. Indoor composting creates "corrosion from high levels of moisture and gases emitted from the composting process.' Due to the corrosion, there is need for engineers to look at materials used when building the structures and ways to protect the facility. If the proper materials are not used in the construction process there can be drastic results. The City of Davenport, Iowa has experienced some of these results. After about nine years of operation, the facility had to repair beams and cables that had snapped due to corrosion from the composting process. In another case an organics farm in Nova Soctia had to deconstruct their building just a few years of opening due to severe damage to their roof structure. Yepsen, Rhodes. "Buildings and corrosion control." //BioCycle// 49.10 (2008): 38-41. //Academic Search Complete.// EBSCO. Web. 18 Sept. 2010.

Other issues with indoor composting includes problems with air quality and emissions from the composting process. With indoor composting there are many regulations needed to be follow, these include the Federal Clean Air Act, state legislation, and local jurisdiction rules. The emissions in the facility depends on the activity rate of the facility. The larger capacity of the facility the more emissions released. Due to the emissions and odors in the facility, there is a need to negatively pressurize the building. This is so employees and other people in the area do not smell the decomposition process. The pressurization of the facility, will require more equipment to keep the building negatively pressurized. Also, there will be a need to have more analysis of the materials in the structure to make sure it can hold up to the negative pressure inside the facility. Indoor composting has its positives and negatives, however, if companies can afford the extra costs involved with the process of moving composting indoors, more neighborhoods will be likely to allow the composting in their area.

Coker, Craig. "Emissions and Air Quality Compliance. It's not just about odors!" //BioCycle// 47.1 (2006): 37-44. //Academic Search Complete.// EBSCO. Web. 18 Sept. 2010.