research compost

Eco Landuse Systems

Research and expertise in compost and waste management

- Waste management

- Composting

- Treatment option

- Organic compost

- Marketing of compost

- Public education

Click on these areas to see more details. Each area contains links to a list of relevant publications. In most cases abstracts, summaries or full papers may be found.

Waste management

Are you as a local authority or commercial company looking for ways of reducing waste going to landfill and for compliance with environmental and waste reduction targets? Then the diversion of biodegradable materials, the single largest fraction in municipal waste, from the waste stream and its beneficial use is paramount.

An audit of the generated municipal waste (D-P2) and that of major commercial / industrial waste generators (D-P1) will provide essential base-line data for the development of appropriate waste management and composting strategies. An analysis of the current waste management system (D12, D-P4) and an evaluation of various future treatment options (D15, D-P5 and D-P6) will complement this. Based on these data a waste management strategy (D-P3)and waste minimisation policies (D-P4) will be developed, both of them founded on soundly researched information.

The support and co-operation of the public is crucially important for the success of any recycling scheme that relies on source separation. Therefore, adequate public education campaigns, which inform and motivate (D-P9) are essential for the successful implementation of source separation and waste minimisation schemes (D8).

Composting

However, prior to the implementation of these policies (D6, D-P9), the required infrastructure will be established. This involves the selection of suitable means of collecting, processing and utilising organic waste materials (D15, D16, D-P3, D-P6), and consequently the realisation of these choices. The composting of municipal and commercial organic materials can be achieved through simple and inexpensive means such as open/covered windrow composting (D-P7) and on-farm composting (D21, D-P13) as well as through fully enclosed and fully automated operations. In any case, the establishment of composting operations requires expertise, adequate time for planning and construction and various licenses and permits from Government agencies (D-P10). The professional operation of composting plants is critical for a trouble free operation (odours) (D-P12) and the consistent production of high quality compost (D-P11).

Treatment option

A marketing strategy (D12, D-P9) will show the market potential and ensure that all generated compost will be used beneficially. Compost has a wide range of beneficial properties (D1 - D3, D11, D17, D18, D24 ), and many potential applications (D5, D7, D10, D11, D14, D17, D-P14, D-P20 ). To ensure this, a high quality product that meets market requirements (D10, D13, D14, D-P11, D-P12) will be generated at all times. However, the use of compost has to beneficial and economically feasible for the potential users (D11, D-P20).

Organic compost

Once the organic recovery and processing system is in place, effectiveness of public education (level of impurities) and efficiency of the system (diversion rate) will be assessed and improved if necessary (D9, D-P3, D-P9). Investment and operating costs will be determined and compared with cost projections (D9, D9, D-P3, D-P10). Alternatives of how to recover the costs and in which way to integrate them into the waste management fees will be explored.

Marketing of compost

Biodegradable material that ends up in a landfill is the main cause of environmentally detrimental methane and leachate emissions. In order to minimise these negative effects, the residual waste can be treated bio-mechanically prior to it being landfilled, hence reducing the amount of waste going to landfill substantially and enabling a low-emission and low-maintenance landfill (D20, D22, D26, D-P21). Bio-mechanical waste treatment facilities are very versatile in that they can be designed to merely degrade and stabilise the biodegradable components which remain in the waste stream or include the recovery of recyclables, high-energy waste components and low-grade compost as landfill cover.

Public education

Whatever your aspiration or problem may be, The Organic Force can be your professional and experienced partner in any of the steps it takes to successfully develop and establish an organic waste minimisation scheme, operate a processing plant, develop compost-based products, find markets for your compost or deal with the residual waste in an environmentally friendly way by generating low emission landfills.