Composting in a Zero Carbon Footprint System
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Transcript of 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
From: On Farm 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
From: On Farm Composting
Composting Time
From: On Farm Composting
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
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.
Let’s Make It Green!
Campus Dining Goes Through 3,000 gallons of Waste Vegetable Oil Each Year!
Make It Into Biodiesel!
$10,000 MISSOURI SOYBEAN ASSOCIATION
50 gallons every 48 hours
By product Glycerol which contains methanol
Challenge to remove the methanol, then the Glycerin can be Composted Burned Animal feed Made into soap
Biodiesel
Fillin’ UpTractors, Mowers, etc
Sources of Info
University of Illinois http://web.extension.illinois.edu/homeco
mpost/
Cornell http://compost.css.cornell.edu/
science.html
QUESTIONS? COMMENTS?
http://aes.missouri.edu/bradford/