Composting WWTPs and composting (Was Re: [compost_tea] Re: MICROBIOLOGY TESTING of COMPOST TEAS

From: Ted Peterson <ted.peterson_at_tcsn.net>
Date: Sat, 25 Dec 2004 13:45:04 -0800

----- Original Message -----
From: soilfoodweb_at_aol.com
To: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
Sent: Saturday, December 25, 2004 12:44 PM
Subject: Re: [compost_tea] Re: MICROBIOLOGY TESTING of COMPOST TEAS



You use temperature in the first 3 to 4 days to tell you how the mix might =
need to be adjusted so that every pile comes out pathogen-free, with the cr=
itters you want.

Only if you are doing anaerobic digestion must you be excruciatingly exacti=
ng about the starting mix being the same every time. So there is a differe=
nce there.

It frightens me that we have all these anaerobic digestion facilities going=
 in, as municipal authorities get convinced that these facilities are easie=
r and fool-proof. They are anything BUT foolproof. The starting materials=
 have to be exactly the same, through the whole year, because the few speci=
es of methanogens, hydrogen-gas and alcohol producers, etc that generate th=
e energy wanted from those facilities are very picky about the conditions i=
n which they will perform. Change their diet, and they aren't going to do=
 their job.

The sludge left over after anaerobic digestion is a horrible thing as well.=
  What do you do with that? Toxic waste?

So, people can get mis-lead about the whole composting process. They have =
to realize that there must be a hundred different ways to compost. Or is t=
hat a hudred thousand different ways? You have to know what it is you want=
 as an end product, and then compost to achieve that end-product. I can fi=
nd the microbe to help you do anything you want, except perhaps, deal with =
synthetic herbicides.....



Temperature has a specific purpose in the composting process. Gummint regul=
ators have decided that a certain temperature for a certain length of time =
will control pathogens and speed material breakdown MOST of the time. The t=
emperature requirements do not, as far as I can tell, indicate how to adjus=
t your pile. Too much N is just as bad as too much C for composting purpos=
es but the temperature reading alone will not give you an indication of the=
 imbalance. There are other readings you can take like CO2 and moisture th=
at give a little more information but you've got to be able to understand y=
our materials to a degree and what their potential is in a compost pile or =
windrow. There are lots of books and pamphlets that give a start on this p=
rocess.

Also, please don't assume than anaerobic digestion is inferior. Our system=
s are anaerobic digesters. If you take the example of a WWTP, some use ana=
erobic digestion and some use aerobic digestion. Both have drawbacks and b=
oth have positive sides. Anaerobic digesters have been in use for over 100=
 years in one way or another. Septic systems are basically anaerobic diges=
ters and septics work quite well.

As with any system, certain inputs or the form of those inputs work better =
than others. Unfortunately a municipality or even a commercial facility ca=
nnot completely control the material they get to work with. For an example=
, look at Washington State and the problems they ran into running a greenwa=
ste composting factility.

Anaerobic digestion of human wastes works and is economically feasible. Th=
e problems most plants are running into is what to do with the sludge/bioso=
lids AFTER processing. Counties are passing ever more stringent rules gove=
rning the disposal of human wastes. In addition, some counties are adoptin=
g rules governing how much can be transported over a roadway and the manner=
 in which it is transported.

Now, I don't know about anyone else on this list but I have talked with a l=
ot of plant operators. In California alone I have connections with 63 that=
 use some type of anaerobic digestion and air drying through beds. I have =
talked with 47 others that use some type of aerobic digestion and have done=
 investigation based on other systems such as ponding, trickling filters, c=
entrafuges, steam filtering, etc. I could go on and on. Take a look at Ne=
lson Environmental's web site for a look into STEP/STEG technology.

I have three current contracts with WWTPs to control pathogen growth in bio=
solids and compost biosolids and have completed one that was extended based=
 on work I discovered and implemented. I have developed passive and active=
 technology to speed drying and composting and have written proposals to he=
lp delineate paramaters for land application of composted biosolids.

The use of biosolids/sludge is, in most cases, far safer than the accepted =
use of chemical inputs that are certified as "organically" safe. There are=
 a number of fearmongers who have made good livings out of scaring people w=
ith the threat of monsters growing out of their wastes. Human wastes are n=
o more dangerous than any other monogastric animal's.

Back to composting:

If you want to find out how to compost, get a book and read and get some kn=
owledge. One, among many, thing I have learned is that everyone knows how =
to compost and yet, very few know how to compost. Mostly it comes down to =
space and energy and time. The first few times I tried composting I was a =
total failure. I used a composting bin and nothing happened. So I walked =
away and left the stuff just sit. Three months later, I wanted to move the=
 bin so I disassembled it and inside was very good looking compost. My fir=
st thought was that my son or wife had dumped a bunch of left over soil ame=
ndment but that was not the case. I just didn't give it the time needed fo=
r the materials I used to compost.

Since that time, I have learned how to make compost and how to make really =
good compost with high diversity. But it took work and thought. Currently=
 I am making a compost designed for California native plants and using it a=
long with tea to restore damaged soil. Could I have done that when I first=
 started? No. I couldn't have even though about the process. So, take your =
time and make a lot of compost. Use different materials and track what hap=
pens.

The Rodale Book on composting is a good place to start and also NRAS "Field=
 Guide to On-Farm Composting" is the best I have ever seen. But if you are=
 really terrible at composting and just can't get it going, I would suggest=
 you buy commercial compost and use that as starter compost and add materia=
ls to that. Check out different brands of "compost" and you will find some=
 is more in the category of mulch. But whatever you do, learn to develop a=
 sense of proportional time when you are dealing with plant decomposition. =
 Making good compost takes time.

Ted Peterson
SOE






Received on Sun Dec 26 2004 - 17:41:14 EST

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