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The (Climate Change) Importance of
Compost (with a capital “C,” as in “Carbon”)
Ned Beecher
Executive Director, North East Biosolids & Residuals Association
July 8, 2009
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c mp st…
Why bother?
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Many benefits of composting:
It’s recycling: putting nutrients &
organic matter back into use
Reduces disposal; saves landfill space
Creates local jobs
Floor
aerated
windrow
CA grape
pomace
composting
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And more benefits…
Cost-effectively remediate soils contaminated by
hazardous waste.
Remove solids, oil, grease, and heavy metals from
stormwater runoff.
Capture and destroy 99.6 percent of industrial volatile
organic chemicals (VOCs) in contaminated air.
Provide cost savings of at least 50 percent over
conventional soil, water, and air pollution remediation
technologies, where applicable.
Text on this and prior slide from:
http://www.epa.gov/waste/conserve/rrr/composting/basic.ht
m
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Merrimack, NH biosolids compost helps keep
Billerica, MA biosolids compost applied on this central MA golf course green.
a golf green.
Boston Harbor Islands,
Massachusetts 2004
Biosolids compost
for wildflowers
along a NH
interstate highway.
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Maine’s
Colby College
uses biosolids
compost on
sports turf.
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More & more & more benefits…
“The severity of leaf rust caused by Puccinia sp. was significantly less on
perennial ryegrass seeded on compost-amended soils” (Loschinkol &
Boehm, Ohio State, 2001).
“In general, N-rich, well-matured composts were good media for sod
growth” (Barker, Univ. of MA, 2001).
Re greenhouse gas emissions: “intensive management systems that
result in increased soil organic matter are a significant part of the
solution (Wright et al., OK State, 2001).
With so many documented benefits,
there is only one rational conclusion…
Washington, before
Washington, after
photos courtesy of Eliot Epstein, Ph.D.
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We need more compost!
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More C in soil = less CO2 in atmosphere
“Soils can contain as much as or more carbon than living vegetation. For
example, 97 percent of the 335 billion tons (304 billion metric tonnes) of
carbon stored in grassland ecosystems is held in the soil” (Amthor et al,
Oak Ridge National Lab, 1998, as quoted at http://www.sustainablesites.org).
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Compost has that “C” for soils…
Food waste
Yard trimmings
Manures / biosolids
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Univ. of WA Study
Compost amended vs. control
2-3 complete sets of samples
chemical analysis
Water infiltration 2 runs per
sample site
Bulk density, intact core
Slide courtesy of
Sally Brown, PhD
Univ. of WA 16
WA compost - cherries, hops, grapes
3.5
Compost
Control
3
2.5
Total C (%)
1.5
0.5
Slide courtesy of
Sally Brown, PhD 0
Cherry Grapes Hops 17
Univ. of WA
Maryland- Hayden farm plots - 30+ years
% organic
Mg ha C
Control 0 1.26
Heat
treated 224 2.14
Lime
compost 672 3.2
Slide courtesy of
Sally Brown, PhD
Univ. of WA 18
Urban agriculture
Community
garden plots
Tacoma WA
Biosolids/wood
y debris soil
product
Slide courtesy of
Sally Brown, PhD
Univ. of WA
After 2 years of gardening
Slide courtesy of
Sally Brown, PhD
Univ. of WA 20
After 10 years of gardening
Slide courtesy of
Sally Brown, PhD
Univ. of WA 21
Soil carbon: restoration
Highland Valley Copper, BC
Slide courtesy of
Sally Brown, PhD
Univ. of WA
Highland Valley Cu, BC - 6-8 yrs. old
Slide courtesy of
Sally Brown, PhD
Univ. of WA 23
greenhouse gas
Other ^ benefits of compost use…
Replacing chemical fertilizers
~ 4 kg CO2 / kg N (Recycled Organics Unit, 2006)
~ 2 kg CO2 / kg P (Recycled Organics Unit, 2006)
Improved soil tilth / workability = less
fuel for working soil
Improved water holding capacity &
infiltration (less runoff)
(Not to mention replacing peat….and….)
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Univ. of WA study: sites studied for quantitative difference
Organic orchards
Riverside, CA – 10 y
of applications
Tilled- Monterey, CA
5 y of applications organic,
Slide courtesy of control conventional
Sally Brown, PhD
Univ. of WA
Organic orchard- fine sand soil 448 Mg ha over 10
year period Riverside, CA
Compost 0.1+- 0.002 1.1+- 0.05 1.3+- 0.08 29+- 0.6 0.67+- 0.1
Slide courtesy of
Sally Brown, PhD
Univ. of WA 27
Univ. of WA study: across all sites
350
300
% change over control soil
250
200
150
100
50
Microbial activity
Water holding
Bulk density
Carbon
Slide courtesy of 0
a
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Infiltration time (minutes)
10
5 b
0
Control Compost
Slide courtesy of
Sally Brown, PhD
Univ. of WA 29
NEBRA Study (2008):
Biosolids Management Options at Merrimack, NH
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Results
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Results: CO2 eq. emissions
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CCX protocol: CH4 avoidance for
diversion to compost facilities
Default Projected Yields of Waste
Streams Diverted from Landfilling
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Contact information
Ned Beecher, NEBRA
603-323-7654
ned.beecher@nebiosolids.org
www.nebiosolids.org
Sally Brown, Univ. WA
206-616-1299
slb@u.washington.edu
http://faculty.washington.edu/slb/
BioCycle
http://www.jgpress.com
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