Municipal Scale Composting

Michael Simpson Resource Management & Conservation

Aerobic Composting is:

Just one of the waste management options

which utilizes the natural process of biological

composition to stabilize and reduce the volume

of organic wastes.

Compost is:

The end product resembling a dark humus-like

material which can be easily and safely

handled, stored and applied to the land as a

soil conditioner.

Food Waste:

34 Million Tons Generated

www.epa.gov/epawaste/nonhaz/municipal/msw99.htm

Current U.S. Composting Industry

• Food Waste — 225

• Yard Trimmings — 3,500

• Biosolids — 265

• Farm Composting — 600

• Universities, institutions — 500

• Schools — 500

• Vermicomposting — 100

N. Goldstein, Biocycle 2014

T. Siegler, DSM Environmental 2014

Residential Industrial/Commercial/Institutional

Estimated 98,721 Tons of Organics

Disposed in Vermont in 2012

Unpackeged

Vegetaitive

foodwate,

17%

Unpackaged

Protein

Foodwaste,

1%

Food waste

plastic

packaging,

24%

Food waste

other

packaging,

6%

Yard waste,

4% Recycled

Paper, 9%

Recycled

Metal and

Glass, 2%

Recycled

Plastics, 4%

Other

Wastes, 33%

T. Siegler, DSM Environmental 2016

Convenience Store Waste Composition (Delaware)

Primary consumers

Secondary consumers

Tertiary Consumers

Thermophilic Composting

Generic Graphic Representation of

Temperature Change within Windrows

Fungi

Bacteria

Actinomycetes

INPUTS

INPUT

End-Product

Bi-Products

Composting: A process of

aerobic decomposition

• Air – the process needs adequate oxygen for respiration

• Food – the organic materials provide energy for growth

and reproduction, which results in heat being generated

• Water – decomposers need a liquid medium to survive,

both for the external digestion of organic materials and

the assimilation of these nutrients into their bodies

The Challenge :

Oxygen-rich (Aerobic) Environment

Balancing Nutrients

The Challenge : Carbon-Based Streams

The Challenge : Appropriate Siting

Exclusionary Criteria MatrixFor Compost facilties Criteria

Name Size Wetlands Ground Water Public Private Surface Adjacent Adjacent Sensitive

of Site < 2 ft Wells Wells Water Facilities Ag-Land Habitat

WWTP south x x x - - - - - -

WWTP north - - - - - - - - -

McGuirk Stadium x x x - - - - - -

Wysocki - - - - - - - - -

Trailer Storage - - - - - - - - -

Governor's Drive - - - - - - - - -

Power Plant west - - - - - - - - -

Power Plant east - - - - - - - - -

Hadley farm - x x - - - - - -

Belchertown - - - - - - - - -

Deerfield - - - - - - - - -

Preferential Criteria Matrix

For Compost facilties

Criteria Total

Name Traffic Adjacent Visual Noise Odor Wetlands Floodplain

Safety Land Use Buffer Buffer Buffer Impact Impact

WWTP north 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 15

Wysocki 1 2 2 2 2 3 3 15

Trailer Storage 2 3 3 3 3 1 3 18

Governors Drive 2 3 2 3 2 3 3 18

Old Power Plant west 2 1 2 2 2 3 3 15

Old Power Plant east 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 19

Belchertown 2 2 2 3 2 3 3 17

Deerfield 2 2 2 3 2 3 3 17

Existing Compost Site 2 1 3 2 1 3 3 15

Note: This preferential assessment did not take into account cost impacts as a criterion for comparison.

Composting Methodology Drives:

Site Choice and Design

Windrow

Static Aerated Piles

In-Vessel

Source

Wind

Odor Screening Model:

•Local Meteorological Data and

•Odor Emission Rates From Existing Compost

Operations

Horizontal Dispersion

Vertical Dispersion

Source

The Challenge : Site design

Mixing

Active

Composting

Curing

Post

Processing

The Challenge : Manageable Throughput Rate

The Challenge : When is the Compost Ready (stabile)

A Unique Marketing Challenge

Composting Facility

Organics from MSW

Wholesale/Retail

Commodity

Wholesale Buyers Retail Buyers

Manufacturing

Point

Recyclables from MSW

Recycling Facility

Raw Material

Manufacturers of

Commodities

• Markets

– Green Industries

– Bulk Wholesalers

– Public Agencies

– Agriculture

– Land Restoration

• End Uses

– Soil Amendment

– Growing Media

Component

– Blended Topsoil

Component

– Mulch

– Emerging Uses

The Challenge : Who Will Buy the Compost

Middleboro Residents Say Smell From Recycling/Composting Center Is Making Them Sick

WBZ News May 9, 2016

The Challenge : How to Stay Open

• Odor – Cause of Closure of Most Compost Facilities

• Site Constraints– more material throughput then is

manageable by site size and compost methodology

chosen

• Poor Business Plan – Either undercapitalized and/or

product quality did not bring in projected revenue.

T. Siegler, DSM Environmental 2014

Estimated 98,721 Tons of Organics

Disposed in Vermont in 2012

As of July 1, 2016 : (Vermont Act 148)

If generated food residuals are > 26/tons per year

and

generator is within 20 miles of a certified organics

management facility

must

separate food residuals from other wastes and arrange for

the transfer of the food residuals to a location that manages

food residuals

July 1, 2020, …any person who generates any amount of food

residuals” …no matter the distance from a facility