Municipal Compost Facility Management

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Municipal Compost Facility Management

• Facility Operation and Product Use
• April 9, 2008

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Leaves, grass clippings and yard debris are NOT
waste, but resources that can be used to produce
a valuable product!
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Composting as a Manufacturing Process

• Producing a Product
• Quality can be measured
• End use will influence process and inputs
• Regulatory Issues/Health and Safety
• Product Use

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Wisconsin Regulations

• Administrative Rules
• NR 500
• NR 502
• NR 518
• DNR oversight

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Regulatory Requirements

• Location
• Design
• Operation
• Performance

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Types of Compost Facilities

• Yardwaste
• lt 20,000 yds3
• gt 20,000 yd s3
• Food Waste - Vegetable
• lt 500 yds3
• gt 500 yd s3
• Onsite Farm Waste
• Solid Waste Processing Facility

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Yard Waste Composting Facilities w/ capacity of
20,000 yds or less

• Yard Waste materials
• Clean chipped wood waste
• Regulations address
• Location
• Design
• Operations
• Operating license is required, but exempt from
  plan approval.

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Location Requirements

• Compost Facilities may not locate
• W/in a floodplain
• W/in 5 of seasonal high groundwater table
• 250 of a private well or 1,200 of a public well
• 250 of a navigable water
• w/in 1000 of a state hwy or interstate
• w/in 1000 of any public park
• w/in 100 of land owned by a person other than
  the owner or operator of the facility

NR 502.12 (8)
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Design Requirements

• Runoff Control
• Compost pad shall be sloped sufficiently to
  prevent ponding
• Discharge to a gentle sloping grassed area
• Erosion control on site using vegetation,
  containment ditches and retention ditches
• Ditches and berms shall be used to prevent storm
  water run-on
• Facility size shall be based upon process
  residence times for materials to be composted

NR 502.12 (11)
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Obtaining a License

• Submit request for an initial site inspection.
• DNR completes ISI w/in 22 days.
• DNR issues preliminary opinion letter w/in 22
  days of ISI.
• License issued if all criteria are met.
• Construction operation can begin.

NR 502.04(2) NR 500.05(5) to (8)
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Operational Requirements

• Good management practices should meet most
  operational requirements.
• Odor
• Vectors
• Nuisance
• Stockpiling
• Accumulation of material
• Maintain quality

NR 502.12 (10)
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Operational Requirements

• Materials shall be source separated from
  non-approved wastes
• Materials shall be debagged w/in 24 hours
• Grass clippings shall be incorporated w/in 72
  hours.
• Materials shall be size reduced if necessary for
  effective composting

NR 502.12 (10)
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Operations Cont.

• Mixed aerated as necessary to ensure adequate
  Oxygen turn when temp gt150 or O2 lt 15
• Minimum CN of 121 - (201 -401 is optimal)
• Windrow size and spacing shall meet the
  capability of facility equipment

NR 502.12 (10)
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Operations Cont.

• Wet materials for dust control efficient
  composting (50-60 is recommended)
• Materials resulting from composting shall
• Be stabilized to eliminate pathogens
• Not reheat upon standing
• Be free of sharp particles
• Be free of toxins which could cause harm to
  public health or the environment

NR 502.12 (10)
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Operations Cont.

• Compost product storage time shall be minimized
  to maintain the quality of the compost and
  prevent excess stockpiling
• Facility shall be operated in a nuisance free and
  environmentally sound manner

NR 502.12 (10)
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Performance Standards

• Compost or any solid waste facility shall not
• Have a detrimental effect on any surface water
• Have a significant adverse impact on wetlands
• Have a detrimental effect on groundwater quality
• Take an endangered or threatened species
• Cause the migration and concentration of
  explosive gases
• Cause the emission of any hazardous air
  contaminant exceeding limitations in NR 445.04 or
  445.05

NR 502.04 (1)
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Bottom Line to Meet Performance Standards.

• Control Run-off
• Control Odors

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A Final Thought on Operations

• Size of a facility is related to volume of
  material.
• Slow Process More Space
• Shorten the cycle time to increase capacity

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Health and Safety

• Heavy equipment
• Noise
• Flails, screens, hammers
• Feedstocks
• Metal, bowling balls, rocks
• Spontaneous combustion
• Pathogens
• Skin contact
• Aerosols- Molds Fungi

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Compost Product Use

• Compost is a valuable product
• Municipal Uses
• On-site
• Parks and Facilities
• Erosion Control
• Reduce sediment transport
• Speeds revegetation

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Not All Compost is the Same

• Feedstock material inputs
• Particle Size
• Tailor for final use
• Photo courtesy US EPA

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Compost Product Qualities

• Chemical
• pH, soluble salts, NPK, etc.
• Carbon/Nitrogen
• Physical
• Bulk density, particle size, moisture
• Inerts
• Biological
• Stability/Maturity
• Weed seeds

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How to Use Compost

• Use as a soil amendment
• Improve soil quality
• Speed vegetation establishment
• Stormwater applications
• Control sediment
• Retain water onsite
• Improve infiltration

Photo courtesy US EPA
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Stromwater Use Resources

• EPA BMPs
• Blankets, Berms and Socks
• Mulching for Construction Sites WiDNR
• Wisconsin DNR Specification S100 for Compost

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Compost Recipes

• Feedstocks and particle size
• Compost blankets courser materials
• Soil amendments leaves/grass possibly
  shredding
• Balance Carbon and Nitrogen
• Higher CN if erosion control
• Lower CN if vegetation

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Sampling and Monitoring

• Use your senses
• Hands for moisture
• Nose for turning
• OR,
• Temperature Probes
• Oxygen or CO2 measurement
• Add water when needed

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In the Future

• Food waste composting
• Compost and the carbon market
• Building soils

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• Joe Van Rossum
• UW-Extension Recycling Specialist
• 608-262-0936
• vanrossum_at_epd.engr.wisc.edu