Composting in a Zero Carbon Footprint System

DEVELOPING A ZERO CARBON FOOTPRINT

COMPOSTING SYSTEM

Tim ReinbottBradford Research Center

Steven KirkLincoln University

Eric CartwrightCampus Dining Services

Why Do We Compost?

Recycle Nutrients-N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Micros

Organic Matter Improves soil quality

Feed Soil Microbes Analogy to a cow’s

stomach

Nutrients in Compost

Nitrogen-3% Phosphorus-2% Potassium-2%

Calcium-6% Magnesium, Iron, Zinc, Copper,

Manganese

Where Do Most of Our Nutrients Come From? Overseas!

Nitrogen-Middle East Extremely high C

footprint-from natural gas

Potassium-Russia

Phosphorus-Morocco

Organic Matter

This is what separates us (Missouri) from Central Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Indiana, etc

In these areas climatic conditions favor the accumulation of Organic Matter Slower breakdown, long

history of deep rooted native perennial plants

What Does Organic Matter Do?

Nutrient Cycling Nutrient Holding Capacity Pool of Nutrients Food for soil organisms

Water Dynamics Improves water infiltration Improves water holding

capacity Structure

Reduces crusting, compaction, erosion

Encourages root development

Loss of Organic Matter and Loss of Soil Structure

Micro Organisms: In One Teaspoon of A Healthy Soil

Bacteria-100 million-1 Billion!

Fungal Filaments-Several Yards

Protoza-Several Thousand

Nematodes-10-20

Microorganisms

The Decay Zone

Many Micro-Organisms in Compost Than in Most Soils

METHODS OF COMPOSTING

A Science and an Art

Lot’s of Ways To Compost

Composting

A Mix of Greens and Browns To Balance the C:N Ratio Greens (high N)-Food

Waste, Fresh Grass Clippings, manures,

Browns (high C)-dry leaves, paper products, sawdust, straw

Aeration-speed of the process and products produced

C:N Ratio-What Does This Mean?

Micro Organisms have a carbon to Nitrogen ratio of about 14:1. Or for every 14 parts Carbon (C) there is 1 part Nitrogen (N). Carbon is for their bodies, nitrogen for

proteins They will tie up nitrogen if not enough

Plant Materials will vary depending upon what their function is.

C:N RatioFormula or Rules of Thumb

Food Waste- 20:1 Manures-10-30:1 Green Grass

Clippings-20:1 Leaves-60:1 Straw 80:1 Newspaper-400:1 Sawdust-400:1 Wood

Chips/Shavings-500:1

Our Goal Is to Start Our Compost With a C:N Ratio of 30:1

Can Be Mixed

Or layered

Why Don’t We Have a Ratio of 14:1?

THE COMPOSTING PROCESS

Plant Cells

Compost Pyramid

Bacterial The Backbone of Composting

Bacteria-rapid breakdown of proteins, fats, cellulose Pysochrophillic

Up to 70oF

Mesophillic Up to 104oF

Thermophillic 105-150oF

Oxidation By Bacteria of Organic Compounds Produces Heat-and CO2 Release

Pysochrophyllic

Mesophyllic

Thermophyllic

From: On Farm Composting

ActinomycetesBacteria That Look Like Fungi

Rich Earthy Smell

Responsible for breaking down complex carbohydrates such as Lignin and Pectin. Important breaking down wood materials.

Grey Colonies of Actinomycetes Near the Outside of the Compost Pile

FungiBreak down very complex materials such as lignins and pectinsthat keep bacteria working. Found all through the Compost Process.

PHYSICAL CONDITIONS NEEDED FOR COMPOSTING

Physical Conditions Needed For Proper Composting

Temperature Regulation

What if it is not hot enough and I am turning on a regular basis?- More greens

Too hot? Turn it (aerate) and/or add more browns

Aeration and Moisture Will Determine The Products

Too Dry-bacteria won’t work well, will not heat up

Too Moist- anaerobic conditions which results in methane production, loss of N through ammonia loss

Compost Moisture

Too Dry-30% Moisture Too Wet-80% Moisture

How Can You Determine Percent Moisture?

Wet “As Is” Dry in oven Subtract Wet from

Dry and divide by Wet

So, in ours5 lbs-3.2 lbs=1.8 then divide by the wet weight: 1.8/5=36% Moisture

Aerobic vs AnaerobicWhat Should We Expect

Aerobic Earthy Smell

-much of the nutrients are kept in the compost and not released

Anaerobic Acidic smell-vomit

-release of methane and Nitrous Oxide

Nitrous Oxide (N20) Contributes 300 Times More to Climate Change Than CO2

Agriculture Contributes 90% to Nitrous Oxide Nitrogen Cycle

Fertilizer Manure

Courtesy of Peter Scharf

SO WHAT ARE WE DOING?

Vegetable Research and Campus Dining

Campus Dining-A Survey

Each student through out 4.5 oz of food each meal

250 tons/year!

400 big round bales!

Tray-less Dining

What If We Could Make Compost Out Of the Food Waste?

FOOD WASTE 20:1 HORSE BEDDING 40:1

MU’s Campus Dining halls generate 3,000+ gallons of

Waste Vegetable Oil annually. This WVO will be

converted into biodiesel.

An estimated 40% of all food produced in the country is discarded, according to a new federal report. Each day, every person in the U.S. puts about 1,400 calories worth of food in the garbage, according to researchers at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). Food waste has increased 50% since previous estimates were made in 1974, and now totals some 150 trillion calories per year. SOURCE: CALIFORNIA EMERGENCY FOODLINK

Zero Carbon Footprint Vegetable & Compost Production SystemUniversity of Missouri Bradford Research & Education Center & MU Campus Dining

Tim Reinbott, BREC Superintendent; Eric Cartwright, MU Campus Dining; Steven Kirk, MU Division of Plant Sciences

Several large-scale composting methods exist. These include: Windrow, Aerated Windrow, Aerated Static Pile, In-Vessel, Containerized In-Vessel, Rotating Drum and Bag Systems. Variables include: cost, compost consistency, time, labor and area requirements.

The University of Missouri Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine produce 1500 tons of manure and bedding material each year. MU’s Campus Dining produces 270 tons of food waste annually.

BREC can serve as a model for similar institutions by providing a working example for alternative waste management. Food waste from Campus Dining will be collected and taken to BREC, mixed with animal manures and beddings as needed to balance any nitrogen or carbon requirements, and composted to create the optimum soil amendment to be used to grow produce that will then be sold back to Campus Dining completing the circle. In addition to the compost utilized by horticultural researchers and students to grow vegetables, excess compost can be applied to larger fields such as sweet corn, pumpkins, melons and other crops, as well as be used as a soil amendment by MU’s Landscape Services and the Mizzou Botanical Garden.

There is a growing interest in locally produced food by the general public and in our school systems. This proposed system is the

essence of Community Development, and can serve as a model of how food waste from any type of cafeteria (school, business,

institutional) can be utilized to produce a valuable commodity. Similar systems could be used to provide schools with a healthy source of

locally grown food, and provide vegetable producers with a creative way to convert so called waste materials into assets to sell at local

farmers markets and to the general public. The cost/benefits realized from not sending materials to the landfill could be substantial.

Biodiesel will power the trucks, tractors & equipment used for vegetable production as well as pick-up and delivery of food waist and produce to and from campus. Carbon Credits will be used to off-set any other energy needs for this project.

Compost Facility-$35,000 Mid Missouri Solid Waste District and $35,000 from Campus

Dining

Grand OpeningNovember 18, 2011

Composting Operation-Food Waste

Loading and Mixing

Time of Composting Dependent Upon Style

CHOICES AERATED STATIC PILE

Passive Composting (no turning) Leaves-2 years

Infrequent Turning Leaves-6 months to a year

Frequent Turning Manure + leaves-1 to 4 months

Aerated Static Pile Manure+leaves-5 weeks

Composting Time

Aerated Static Pile

From: Composting on the Farm

Dr. Steve BorgeltWorking With Students on the Aeration System

Aerated Static Pile

In the Process of Composting

Finished Product With Opportunities for Student Entrepreneurship

Loading and Spreading the Compost

MU Students Growing Vegetables to Take to Campus Dining

First Produce of the Year

Completing the Circle

Not Just Food Waste!

FFA Field Day-Table ServiceElementary School Field Trips

Compostable Tableware Welcome Back Bash! 714 lbs of Compostable Table Service

Future/NOW!?

Summer Welcome: 10,000 Andy’s Frozen Custard Cups

Biodegradable Table Service

South Farm-Beef and Hog Facilities

Stephens Stables