United States Environmental Protection Agency
Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5306W)
EPA530-N-99-07
September 1999
www.epa.gov/wastewise


   RECOVERING ORGANIC WASTES--GIVING BACK TO MOTHER NATURE

RECOVERING ORGANIC WASTES

     Every day, Americans fill their trash bins with grass
clippings, coffee grounds, and many other types of organic
wastes. Organic materials--e.g., paper, wood, yard
trimmings, food scraps--constitute 67 percent of the weight
of America's municipal solid waste (MSW) stream, or more
than 140 million tons in 1996. A significant portion of
these materials, including newspaper, office paper, and
corrugated cardboard, are recovered through reuse or
recycling. Yard trimmings and food scraps, however, which
account for 25 percent of MSW, or 50 million tons per year,
are often not recovered. As a WasteWise partner, you can
take the lead in giving your organic wastes back to the
Earth.


************************************************************
                    Composting Methods

     Composting takes many shapes and forms and varies as
much in its complexity as in the range of organic materials
recovered. The four most standard composting methods are: 

Static Pile Composting

     Organic waste is piled and mixed together. Composting
under these conditions is slow and suited for small
operations. This method requires 12 to 18 inches of loosely
piled bulking agents such that air blows from the bottom to
the top of the pile.

Aerated Windrow/Pile Composting

     Organic waste is formed into rows of long piles
(windrows) and aerated either by embedding pipes in the pile
or by turning the pile periodically. This method can
accommodate large volumes of waste, including animal
products or grease, but only with frequent turning and
careful monitoring during the thermophilic stage (when the
pile reaches 130 to 150 degrees Fahrenheit).

In-vessel Composting 

     Organic materials are stored in enclosed equipment with
controlled temperature, moisture, and aeration. This type of
system can process large quantities of waste with fewer odor
problems in a small area and can accommodate animal
products.

Vermicomposting

     Worms break down organic materials into high-value
compost called castings. Vermicomposting bins can function
indoors or outdoors, but cannot process  animal products or
grease.

     For more comprehensive details on composting methods,
processes, and technologies, see Composting Yard Trimmings
and Municipal Solid Waste and Compost: New Applications for
an Age-Old Technology in the Resources section. 
************************************************************


     In 1997, WasteWise partners reported recovering more
than 300,000 tons of food scraps and yard trimmings. Taking
advantage of the reduction potential of organic waste,
partners have achieved significant cost savings and
environmental benefits. Some partners have targeted yard
trimmings, others have focused on food scraps, while still
others have found unique ways to divert less common organic
wastes. Most organizations close the recycling loop by using
or selling the products resulting from their waste
reduction, including compost, mulch, and wood chips. This
issue of the Update highlights a number of organic waste
diversion and recovery options implemented by WasteWise
partners.


Yard Trimmings: Worth Weeding Out

     *    Grasscycling. By simply leaving grass clippings on
          the lawn after cutting, rather than bagging them,
          Kalamazoo County, Michigan, reduced staff hours
          for groundskeeping and saved a bundle.

     *    Mulching and chipping. For more than a decade,
          Eastern Illinois University has provided its own
          soil amendments for landscaping by chipping and
          mulching its yard waste on campus.

     *    Composting. For organizations that have waste
          streams with substantial quantities of both
          carbon- and  nitrogen-rich material, composting
          might be the best option. Anheuser-Busch
          Companies, Inc., composts thousands of tons of
          agricultural byproducts, beechwood chips, yard
          trimmings, and animal stable waste every year.
          Anheuser-Busch then reuses the finished compost
          for landscaping projects.


 Food Scraps: Feed the Earth  

     *    Donation. One of the easiest ways for an
          organization to divert its organic waste stream is
          to give away its food or food scraps to food
          banks, shelters, orphanages, or other charitable
          groups.

          DaimlerChrysler Corporation has found that its
          charitable donation of nearly 150 tons of food 
          each year pays off in annual cost savings of more
          than $5,000. Some organizations, like Stonyfield 
          Farm Yogurt, donate food waste for use as animal 
          feed. 

     *    Composting. Onsite food composting operations,
          such as the windrow systems at the Tennessee
          Department of Correction, the Eastern Band of
          Cherokee Indians Reservation, and UTC Carrier
          Corporation, have proven highly effective in
          diverting large volumes of food waste. 

     *    Vermicomposting. A less conventional tactic is to
          feed food scraps to worms. Sligo Adventist School
          recovered 500 pounds of cafeteria food waste in
          1998 with its vermicomposting program.


Innovative Approaches and Unusual Materials

     Recent studies have shown that compost can help prevent
environmental problems in ways beyond its well-known use as
a soil amendment. Putting these findings into action, King
County, Washington, recently investigated using compost to
help restore salmon populations. In addition, organizations
that find themselves with compostable waste streams less
typical than yard trimmings and food scraps would do well to
follow the example of Johnston Industries' successful and
highly profitable windrow composting operation for cotton
fiber. 


BREAKING DOWN THE COMPOSTING PROCESS

     Composting, in nature or in backyards, is defined as
the controlled decomposition of organic material. Municipal
and commercial composting is defined as the thermophilic
(heat-based) decomposition of organic material by
microorganisms. In either case, composting is both a science
and a balancing act. You have to find the right mix of
inputs to allow microorganisms within the pile to decompose
matter into compost containing the proper nutrient and
moisture content. The following diagram describes some of
the major inputs and outputs of the basic composting
process.


INPUTS

Organic Matter

     The first step is to find the proper balance of carbon
and nitrogen by mixing various amounts of 'green' and
'brown' organic feedstock into a pile. Greens, which include
food scraps and grass clippings, are high in nitrogen.
Browns, which include leaves, wood chips, and sawdust, are
high in carbon. For most methods, adding animal products or
grease into the pile is not recommended.

Micro- and Macroorganisms 

     Once you've created a composting pile by mixing layers
of greens and browns, naturally occurring microorganisms
(e.g., bacteria and fungi), and macroorganism (e.g., beetles
and earthworms) start consuming and breaking down the
organic matter.

Water

     Moisture, which is inherent in organic materials, makes
nutrients available to the microorganisms. If a pile is too
wet, however, nutrients leach out and become inaccessible to
the organisms. Adding sawdust or paper can help reduce the
moisture content of the pile. 

Oxygen

     Microorganisms require oxygen in order to consume and
break down the organic matter, which is why compost piles
are turned frequently. Another way to allow oxygen to flow
through the pile is by adding materials of larger particle
size, such as wood chips, which would result in a pile with
more pores through which oxygen can enter. Larger particle
sizes, however, reduce the surface area with which the
organisms can work.


OUTPUTS

Odor

     A smell emanating from the compost pile means the
microorganisms are not getting enough oxygen. To deal with
odor problems, adjust the inputs, especially oxygen.

Heat

     Microorganisms generate heat as they consume and break
down the organic matter. The ideal temperature for a pile
ranges from 90 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. The heat kills
many of the pathogens and weed seeds that might be in the
compost pile. As the composting process nears completion and
the microbial activity slows down, the temperature drops and
the compost begins to mature. To produce mature compost, a
curing of 1 to 4 months is required.

Compost

     The final product is compost, which is dark, crumbly,
and has an earthy odor.


YARD TRIMMINGS: WORTH WEEDING OUT

     Yard trimmings--including grass, leaves, and tree and
brush trimmings--accounted for nearly 28 million tons of
waste generation in 1996. Activities such as grasscycling
mulching, and composting can help divert these materials
from the waste stream. In fact,  14 million tons of the
national organic waste stream is grass, which could be
completely diverted through grasscycling.


Kalamazoo County Cuts Waste While Cutting Grass 

     Looking for an easy way to save time and money while
reducing waste? Then stop bagging those grass clippings! By
making the simple switch to grasscycling in 1993, WasteWise
partner Kalamazoo County, Michigan, realizes savings of
approximately $5,000 per year and recovers 140 hours of
staff time per week during the growing season. "Eliminating
bags of grass clippings helped the county save money by
downsizing trash dumpsters and ordering less frequent trash
pickup," according to Steve Leuty, Kalamazoo County's
recycling coordinator.

     To serve as a community role model, Kalamazoo County
adopted a waste reduction policy in 1991, committing the
county to minimizing landfill disposal of yard waste. Two
years later, the state of Michigan passed a law prohibiting
landfilling of yard waste generated on government property.
Motivated both by state law and its own goals, therefore,
Kalamazoo studied reports on turf management and determined
that grasscycling would require less effort than other
options such as composting. The potential benefits of
grasscycling, including reductions in lawn watering,
fertilizer application, and labor demand, convinced the
county to make the switch on its 51 mowed acres of county
parks and lawns.

     According to Leuty, "Making the switch to grasscycling
was easy. Since any mulching mower can grasscycle, we simply
converted older conventional mowers by removing the bags."
The county provided lawn mower operators with brief
instructions including when to mow and what height to leave
the grass. Instead of spending time removing and emptying
full bags of grass clippings, groundskeepers can now focus
on other tasks and let nature do its work. Grass clippings
left on the turf filter down between blades of grass and
decompose, returning vital nutrients to the soil while
maintaining soil moisture and moderating temperature
extremes.


     Overcoming Mulching Mower Misconceptions 

     Although Kalamazoo County required only minor
operational changes to accommodate its grasscycling program,
it did need to overcome the general misconception that
mulching mowers would litter clippings on downtown sidewalks
and dampen the appearance of the county's grounds. The
county found, however, that following a few basic rules of
thumb, such as mowing grass when it is dry to prevent
clippings from sticking to walkways, helped ensure success.
Once management and employees were informed of the benefits
of grasscycling, such as reduced costs, reduced mowing time,
and improved turf health, any initial resistance turned into
support. Next, Kalamazoo plans to reduce mowing needs and
enhance property aesthetics by increasing the use of
low-water, low-maintenance native plantings, a practice
known as "xeriscaping."

     For more information about Kalamazoo County's
grasscycling program, contact Steve Leuty at 616 384-8110 or
via e-mail at <scleut@kalcounty.com>.


************************************************************
                      Grasscycling Tips

     *    Mow when grass is dry and keep mower blades sharp.

     *    Mow more frequently--mowing time will be 40
          percent less, on average.

     *    Never remove more than one-third of the grass
          height.

     *    Keep most varieties of grass at least 3 inches
          high to help control weeds and reduce water demand
          and plant stress.

(Source: Maryland Department of Public Works and
Transportation.)
************************************************************


Mulch Doesn't Fall Far From the Tree At Eastern Illinois
University

     Eastern Illinois University's (EIU's) campus has a
familiar feeling from the ground up: the mulch that covers
the landscaped flowerbeds and trees is made from remnants of
the trees' own limbs and leaves. While keeping its trees
healthy, EIU's onsite mulching program also diverts 12.5
tons of yard trimmings and 82 tons of wood waste annually.
The program also saves the university the expense of
purchasing mulch from an outside source.


     A Process for All Seasons

     "The university decided to start onsite mulching and
composting because it was expedient," explains Jon Collins,
EIU's superintendent of grounds. When the program began, EIU
had excess land to store composted leaves, and it made sense
to start using the mulch and soil mixture in the
university's greenhouse. From there, the program expanded to
include landscaping for the entire campus. According to
Allan Rathe, EIU's recycling coordinator, the onsite
composting and mulching program is simple to operate. As the
trees shed their leaves, EIU's grounds crew rakes and grinds
them up with other yard trimmings using a mulching mower.
The crew tills some of the newly created mulch into the
flowerbeds to help prevent erosion over the winter. The rest
is taken to an out-of-sight spot on the campus grounds,
where it is stockpiled for composting. In the spring, once
the leaves have decomposed, the compost is spread in the
flowerbeds as a soil amendment. Tree branches stay even
closer to their origins: EIU chips them up and spreads the
chips around the trees' bases. EIU cuts the larger,
unchippable sections of dead trees into logs for sale as
firewood and uses the profits to purchase and plant new
trees.

     One factor other organizations planning this type of
program should keep in mind is that mulched yard waste is
somewhat unsightly while it composts throughout the winter
and early spring. Prior to initiating a program, Rathe
advises facilities to find an out-of-the-way place where
employees, students, faculty, and visitors will not see the
pile.

     While Rathe and Collins cannot estimate exactly how
much money EIU has saved with the program, they do believe
it is a clear winner. "It has been a successfully operating
program for more than 16 years," Rathe says proudly. He
credits simplicity and common sense as the main reasons it
has lasted so long. To learn more about EIU's onsite
mulching program, contact Allan Rathe at 217 581-6038 or via
e-mail at <csalr@eiu.edu>.


Composting Advice From Anheuser-Busch

     When senior management at WasteWise partner
Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc., challenged its breweries to
reduce their impact on the environment, the breweries began
by forming teams and examining waste streams. This led to
the composting of the beechwood chips used in the brewing
process--7,000 tons of which were composted in 1998.
Beechwood chip composting was a difficult process, but the
breweries eventually overcame logistical obstacles such as
handling, storage, and protecting the chips against
contaminants.


************************************************************
     In 1998, Anheuser-Busch composted:

     *    291,000 tons of agricultural products

     *    7,000 tons of animal stable waste

     *    2,300 tons of yard waste
************************************************************


     Reducing environmental impacts was not the only benefit
the company considered when it decided to start composting
beechwood chips. "We're a business that believes in
protecting the environment, but we're also a business that
must ensure that our activities--including environmental
initiatives--are cost effective," explains Bert Share,
pollution prevention manager at Anheuser-Busch's corporate
headquarters. The company's composting activities, for
instance, help reduce waste disposal costs and the need to
purchase fertilizers. In total, Anheuser-Busch's solid waste
management program, including composting activities, has
saved the company more than $13 million since 1991 and at
least $2.5 million in 1998 alone.

     Whether it's beechwood chips from its breweries, yard
and animal stable waste from its theme parks, or
agricultural byproducts from its rice and malting operation,
Anheuser-Busch has experience with the recovery of organic
materials. If your organization is considering composting,
Share offers these general guidelines:

     *    Start easy and be patient. Before you investigate
          composting options, master simple programs, such
          as recycling, that guarantee success and build
          credibility with management. Once you have
          companywide goals, it still takes time to figure
          out the program logistics, so work on manageable
          pieces and take one step at a time. Wait to
          implement the more challenging activities that
          involve complicated manufacturing processes. While
          your organization might experience higher returns,
          it also encounters a much greater challenge and
          risk of failure. 

     *    Measure outcomes. The success of your program
          depends on being able to measure the amount of
          waste reduced and the dollars saved due to
          environmental activities.

     For more information on Anheuser Busch's composting
activities, contact Bert Share at 314 984-4564 or via e-mail
at <hugh.share@anheuser-busch.com>.


FOOD SCRAPS: FEED THE EARTH

     Food scraps accounted for nearly 22 million tons of
waste generation in 1996. Activities such as donation,
composting, and rendering can help divert these materials
from the waste stream. In addition to the WasteWise partners
featured in this Update, EPA has developed case studies on
food scrap recovery programs (see Don't Throw Away That
Food: Strategies for Record Setting Waste Reduction in the
Resources section). 


DaimlerChrysler Helps Drive Out Hunger 

     Food waste recovery can be both easy and rewarding.
Just ask WasteWise partner DaimlerChrysler Corporation who
donated nearly 150 tons of surplus food in 1998 through
Forgotten Harvest, a nonprofit organization that collects
and distributes donated food to shelters and soup kitchens
in the metropolitan Detroit, Michigan, area. According to
DaimlerChrylser pollution prevention specialist Doug Orf,
"All it took was a desire to reduce waste, some extra space
in the refrigerator, and one phone call to locate the
nearest donation program." Through this donation program,
DaimlerChrysler saved more than $5,000 in avoided disposal
costs in 1998.


     Partnering Makes it Easy

     At DaimlerChrysler's headquarters, sources of leftover
food include five cafeterias. It's difficult to anticipate
how many of DaimlerChrysler's 11,000 employees will use the
cafeterias each day, so DaimlerChrysler's food suppliers
prepare food for 8,000 employees each day. This process
often results in leftover food; therefore, DaimlerChrysler
sought an outlet for the unsold prepared food. It found a
helping hand by calling Foodchain, a national food-rescue
network comprised of 140 food donation programs throughout
the country. Foodchain connected DaimlerChrysler with the
local organization Forgotten Harvest, and this partnership
made donating surplus food simple and affordable. According
to Orf, "Not only does Forgotten Harvest pick up our surplus
food when there are at least 40 servings, which is usually
once a week--there are no pickup fees involved! All we have
to do is keep the prepared food refrigerated, which is not a
problem since we have adequate refrigerator space."  

     Forgotten Harvest even provided training for
DaimlerChrysler's food suppliers on the purpose and benefits
of the donation program. The suppliers were initially
concerned with liability issues; however, Forgotten Harvest
assured them that donors who prepare and store food in good
faith are protected from civil and criminal liability by the
Federal Good Samaritan Food Donation Act. With that
knowledge, the food suppliers quickly supported the program.
Now DaimlerChrysler's food suppliers even box the surplus
food for donation.

     Orf strongly encourages other organizations to pursue
food donation programs, and adds, "Partnering with a food
donation program is a great opportunity that benefits the
environment and saves a valued resource needed by others."
The ongoing success of the program inspired the CEO, of then
Chrysler Corporation, to produce a video on it. For more
information on DaimlerChrysler's food donation program,
contact Doug Orf at 248 576-7361 or via e-mail at
<djo6@chrysler.com>.


************************************************************
To find a food donation program near you, or for liability
                  information, contact:  
                             
                 Foodchain at 800 845-3008
       or visit its Web site at <www.foodchain.org>.
                             
             Second Harvest at 312 263-2303  
    or visit its Web site at  <www.secondharvest.org>.
                             
               To find out about events and
           programs that fight hunger, contact:
            Share Our Strength at 800 969-4767
                 or visit its Web site at
                    <www.strength.org>.
************************************************************


Pigs Diet on Stonyfield Farm's Excess Yogurt

     Ever wonder what flavor of yogurt pigs prefer? Turns
out they're not particular at all. In 1998, Stonyfield Farm
Yogurt donated more than 200 tons of excess yogurt--in a
variety of flavors--to hog farmers in New Hampshire. Excess
or inedible yogurt is left over from the company's stringent
quality control testing process and from products with
expired code dates. According to Nancy Hirshberg, director
of natural resources at Stonyfield Farm, "Stonyfield Farm's
motivation for initiating the program was twofold--it
supports local farmers and reduces costs associated with the
disposal of waste products." Stonyfield Farm also donated
more than 100 tons of edible but unsaleable product to food
banks and nonprofit organizations in the community.

     Hirshberg credits Stonyfield Farm's successful donation
program to its dedicated investment of time and labor.
According to Hirshberg, "Directing staff time to waste
prevention really pays off even for small companies." In
fact, the combined programs saved Stonyfield Farm and its
150 employees more than $20,000 in avoided disposal costs in
1998.

     To get the program up and running, employees networked
extensively with farmers in the community, designated
storage space, set up a waste tracking system, developed a
method for contacting the farmers, and learned how to
prepare donated materials. Stonyfield Farm is building a
farmer database to track the 10 or so farmers who pick up
yogurt on a routine basis as well as the farmers who pick up
less regularly. To make the donation program less labor
intensive, Stonyfield Farm also is planning a new process to
transfer yogurt from the production area to a storage
trailer where farmers can pick up and load the yogurt
themselves.

     Stonyfield Farm's employees get an additional perk from
the donation program. In exchange for the company's yogurt,
farmers sometimes bring farm fresh ham and bacon for the
employees to show their appreciation. For more information
about Stonyfield Farm's donation program, contact the
WasteWise Helpline at 800 EPA-WISE (372-9473).


Cherokees Hit the Jackpot with Casino Food Waste Composting

     Looking for advice on how to start a food composting
program? "Quit talking about it and do it," recommends
Calvin Murphy, executive director of tribal utilities for
WasteWise partner the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. What
began as a pilot composting program for the Tribe has grown
into a successful full-scale composting operation. So
successful, in fact, that nurseries, landscapers, and
individual homeowners that want to purchase the Tribe's
compost are placed on a waiting list. The Tribe also has
enjoyed significant cost savings from avoided tipping fees
and landfill disposal charges.

     Despite the economic benefits, cost savings weren't the
Tribe's main motivations for implementing the pilot
composting program. Located near the Great Smoky Mountains
National Park in Cherokee, North Carolina, the Eastern Band
of Cherokee Indian reservation attracts 5 million tourists
each year. Its casino alone draws 1 million visitors. The
casino's opening in 1997, along with the closure of the
reservation's MSW landfill, prompted the Tribe to explore
composting as a method of diverting its food waste. The
Tribe collects an average of 20 tons of food waste each
month from the casino's steakhouse, fast food restaurant,
and open food market.

     According to Murphy, one key factor contributing to the
success of the pilot program has been the integration of the
composting process into employee training and routine
procedures at the casino. The Tribe hired an additional
employee to handle some of the composting responsibilities.
Each morning, the collection containers are loaded onto a
truck at the casino and transported to the reservation's
composting site, located at the reservation's closed
landfill. The containers are emptied, washed, and returned
to the casino. The food waste is added to a composting
windrow, which ranges in length from 50 to 125 feet and is
approximately 8-feet wide and 5-feet high. After the compost
meets temperature, turning, and processing time guidelines,
it is transferred to a covered storage curing area for
drying and screening.

     While the Tribe experienced no problems with procedural
changes, it did have initial problems with odor. The Tribe
found, however, that turning the composting pile every day
allows the pile to aerate properly and alleviates any foul
odors. The Tribe's composting program has been so successful
that, if odors continue to be effectively controlled, it
plans to expand its composting activities and collect food
waste from the other restaurants on the reservation. Three
restaurants have already expressed strong interest in
participating in the program.

     For more information, contact Calvin Murphy at  828
497-6977 or John D. Long, sanitation recycling  manager, at
828 497-3908.


Tennessee Correctional Facility Arrests Organic Waste

     Facing state waste reduction mandates, skyrocketing
disposal costs, and a challenge from the governor to reduce
its solid waste by 75 percent, the Brushy Mountain
Correctional Complex/Morgan County Regional Site in
Wartburg, Tennessee, responded by reassessing its waste
management practices. By aiming common sense and trial and
error at their ample food wastes, the facility exceeded the
state's waste reduction targets and thwarted a potential
$17,000 hike in annual disposal costs through onsite
composting. The facility now serves as a model for
institutions throughout the state. Along with various
recycling activities, composting has helped push the
facility's waste diversion rate as high as 77 percent--with
more than 500 tons of food waste composted each year! 

     For years, the correctional facility disposed of its
waste at an onsite county landfill for a mere $0.85 per ton.
As the landfill began to reach its capacity in the early
1990s, the correctional facility faced $40 per ton disposal
fees at an alternate landfill--a cost too steep for
WasteWise partner Tennessee Department of Correction (TNDOC)
to accept. Facility officials examined their waste stream
and determined that the best option for waste recovery--and
for reducing the burden on the county landfill--lay in
composting the facility's organic waste. They found that
with more than 1,500 inmates eating three meals a day, 60
percent of the facility's waste stream consisted entirely of
food residuals. Since then, the facility's composting
operation has become so successful that it attracts facility
managers from across Tennessee--and other states--to learn
how to compost at their own facilities.


************************************************************
          How the Prison Composts Organic Waste   

     1.   Inmates and kitchen staff separate nonmeat and
          nongrease food waste and scraps into  33-gallon
          containers.

     2.   Each day, the containers are collected and trucked
          to the composting site.

     3.   Material is added to windrows, by dragging the
          bottom of the container along the top of the
          windrow to create a depression, into which the
          staff directly deposits the food residuals and a
          small portion of its farm's cattle manure.

     4.   A layer of straw or mature compost is placed on
          top to contain odors and to keep out pests.

     5.   The windrow is pushed into a static pile for 30
          days then turned twice every 3 months.

     6.   Temperature,  moisture, and odor are monitored
          carefully, and the pile is adjusted accordingly.  

     7.   After 4 to 5 months, the result is a fresh compost
          that is ready to be applied. Once a year, the
          compost is tested for heavy metal and bacterial
          content.
************************************************************


     Selecting the Right Method

     Facility unit manager Bob Walls shares some simple
advice with those who want to start a composting operation,
"It requires nothing more than a basic understanding of the
composting process and some experience through trial and
error."  Walls learned the basics of composting from a bin
he set up in his own backyard. He got additional help in the
planning stages of the facility's operation from local
university professors. The professors visited the facility
and recommended constructing 10- by 10-foot aerated bins and
alternating layers of sawdust, food waste, and cattle
manure.

     After a few trials with the bins, however, facility
officials realized air was not circulating properly, causing
the pile to rot, or decay without the presence of oxygen. To
address this problem, the facility redesigned the piles into
4- by 100-foot windrows. The windrow method worked; however,
it required mechanical turners and chippers. Facility
officials drafted a proposal to the state, which lends out
equipment such as chippers and turners to government
institutions. The state accepted the proposal. Armed with a
tractor, a turner, an industrial chipper, and plenty of
inmate labor, the facility launched its composting operation
(see page 8). The finished process yields a dark compost
that is applied as a soil amendment on the facility grounds,
which include a fully operational farm.


     The Benefits

     Besides reduced disposal costs, Walls noted several
other benefits of the facility's composting operation:

     *    Improves soil. The compost helps soil retain
          moisture and nutrients.

     *    Prevents fertilizer runoff. Using compost releases
          nutrients slowly into the soil and helps soil hold
          water better so that close to 100 percent of the
          fertilizer is used instead of a portion of it
          being washed away. This reduces the amount of
          fertilizer TNDOC must purchase.

     *    Reduces costs for the community. The facility
          helps reduce disposal costs for the county and
          other institutions. It accepts food residuals from
          a nursing home and occasionally the county will
          haul in yard waste, which is sent through the
          industrial chipper and placed on the windrows to
          help aerate the pile and provide a source of
          carbon.

     Walls maintains that a good way for partners to learn
about composting is simply to talk with someone who has done
it before. Correctional facilities across Tennessee have
done just that, and eight other facilities now run
composting operations of their own thanks to TNDOC's help.
If you'd like to learn more about Morgan County Regional
Correctional Facility's composting operation, contact Bob
Walls at 423 346-6641.


Worming Through Waste at Sligo Adventist

     For some worms, an apple a day just isn't enough. In
fact, students at WasteWise partner Sligo Adventist School
in Takoma Park, Maryland, find that the redworms they use in
their compost bin will eat just about any food material from
the cafeteria except meat. What started as two students'
vermicomposting science fair project 4 years ago has turned
into an entire school affair. At peak production, Sligo's
worms turn more than 1,000 pounds of food waste a year into
vermicompost. More importantly, though, the project offers a
great educational experience for the students.

     Vermicomposting is a fairly easy project to implement
explains Ken Gair, Sligo's plant manager and supervisor of
the project, "All you need is a bin, bedding, worms, and
food waste." Sligo constructed its own bin in the school
greenhouse using plywood and ordered 1 pound of redworms
from a grower in Wisconsin for $18. Using a paper shredder
donated by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA), another WasteWise partner, the school shreds used
office paper for bedding. Sligo prepares the bedding for the
worms by wetting 1 pound of shredded paper with 3 pounds
(equal to 3 pints) of water. The worms thrive in this moist
environment and will eat through the food waste and bedding,
producing a rich organic vermicompost. Sligo changes the
bedding every 3 to 6 months and uses the vermicompost on the
flowerbeds around the school grounds. In addition, Sligo
found that the excess water, which builds up in the bin, is
another great source of nutrients for plants.


     Overcoming Challenges 

     To make the project a success, the school had to
address three specific challenges. First, to help younger
students who needed more supervision and assistance changing
the bedding, a teacher oversees the project. Sligo also
encountered space limitations. The greenhouse only holds a
moderate-sized bin, so only 15 to 20 percent of the school's
food waste can be vermicomposted at this point. Finally,
when school is out during the summer months and no food
waste is available, the worms tend to crawl out of the bin
and dry up. As a result, Sligo must purchase new worms each
academic year. Nonetheless, vermicomposting has been a great
success for Gair notes, "I highly recommend vermicomposting
to any organization looking for an efficient and cost-
effective way to reduce food waste." For more information on
vermicomposting, see the Resources section of this Update or
contact Ken Gair at 301 434-1417 or via e-mail at
<klgair@aol.com>.


Composting Heats up at UTC Carrier Corporation

     Temperature matters to WasteWise partner UTC Carrier
Corporation, a manufacturer of heating and air-conditioning
systems. The same is true for composting, where the quality
of the finished product depends on maintaining heat within
the compost pile. Perhaps the company's long experience in
temperature control is one reason Carrier was able to
implement a highly effective windrow composting operation at
its Syracuse, New York, facility, diverting 100 tons of
diverse organic wastes from the landfill and saving the
company $40,000 in disposal costs in 1998.

     Carrier operates a closed-loop system. Four thousand
employees in 18 buildings, three large cafeterias, and two
carpentry shops provide the food scraps, sawdust, and wood
chips that supply the composting operation year-round.
Grounds maintenance generates grass clippings, leaves, and
yard trimmings for composting during the fall and summer
months. The finished compost goes to meet Carrier's
extensive landscaping requirements at its
3.4-million-square-foot facility.

     Carrier's recycling coordinator, Angie Scafidi,
attributes the company's composting success to management
support and employee education, both of which were
cultivated as carefully as their compost.


     Starting With a Plan 

     Carrier did its homework before jumping into
composting. The company formed a research team, which
visited several local correctional facilities to learn about
their institutional composting programs. The team then
applied what they had learned to Carrier's facilities. They
studied where the company generated food scraps, where
source separation should occur, and who would be responsible
for collecting and emptying the containers. They also
collected cafeteria food waste for several weeks to
determine the amount of compostable material generated each
week.

     To keep the procedures simple, the team limited roles
in the project to cafeteria workers and grounds crew. The
group also chose the composting method that required the
least labor of all the options they considered--turned
windrow composting.

     Armed with solid research and well-thought-out
procedures, the team sold Carrier management on the program
by demonstrating how composting would save the company
money, enhance Carrier's corporate image, and begin a new
phase of waste reduction at the facility.


     Implementing Through Employee Education

     To smoothly roll out the new program, Carrier conducted
training classes for the grounds crew and food service
workers involved. The company also distributed an
informational pamphlet explaining the program to all other
employees.

     Carrier employees were very receptive to the program.
In fact, the grounds crew was so excited about it, they
posted little signs indicating where they had used the first
batch of compost for tree and shrub planting. The signs
read, "Compost Home Grown By Carrier." 


     Evaluating the Program 

     Adding composting to the company's reuse and recycling
programs demonstrated to employees that waste reduction was
a high priority for the organization. "Aside from economic
savings and environmental concerns," Scafidi noted, "we
wanted to show our employees that we were serious about the
whole concept of waste prevention." Carrier also showed
employees that composting is a waste reduction method they
can take home. In celebration of Earth Day 1998, Carrier
offered employees home composting equipment and classes on
composting techniques. For Earth Day 1999, Carrier offered
its employees free compost, and employees took home 10 tons
of it to use in their home gardens.

     Carrier's program emphasizes low-cost simplicity and a
sense of pride in contributing to the company's waste
reduction program and wider environmental goals. With these
elements in place, composting at the company shows no signs
of cooling off. For more information about Carrier's
composting program, contact Angie Scafidi at 315 432-6791.


************************************************************
           Carrier's Simple but Effective Process

     Carrier's composting process has four stages:

     *    Separation. Carrier collects preconsumer food
          scraps in 90 gallon wheeled bins located near the
          food preparation areas of the cafeteria. Employees
          know that blue collection containers are for
          vegetable scraps only; no grease or meat products
          are allowed. 

     *    Collection and Mixing. The buildings and grounds
          crew transport the bins to the compost site each
          day, using a front-end loader. At the site, on a
          concrete pad, the food scraps are mixed with
          sawdust, wood chips ground from clean delivery
          pallets, and yard waste (when available). 

     *    Pile maintenance. The grounds crew uses shovels
          and thermometers to combine, turn, and monitor the
          windrows. The temperature of the piles is taken
          several times a week and generally runs between
          105 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. When the piles
          start to cool, the grounds crew turns them to
          ensure the middle of the pile has adequate air,
          moisture, and nutrients to rekindle bacterial
          activity. 

     *    Curing. When the temperature of the windrows no
          longer increases after turning, the curing stage
          begins. Curing takes about 30 days, after which
          the compost is ready for spreading on Carrier
          grounds.
************************************************************


COMPOST INNOVATIONS

     Compost can provide a healthy boost for farmers seeking
hearty corn crops or for homeowners tending prize-winning
roses. Beyond its well-known uses as a soil amendment,
however, compost can play a much larger role--as a
cost-effective solution to and safeguard against
environmental problems.

     The microbial activity within mature compost, as well
as its physical and chemical properties, can be used for a
number of beneficial activities such as pollution prevention
and pollution remediation. 


     Pollution Prevention 

     As topsoil erodes, it allows rainwater to flow directly
into streams and lakes rather than being absorbed and
filtered by the soil. This runoff brings with it harmful
fertilizers and pesticides. Compost can reduce the need for
fertilizers and pesticides by at least 50 percent by adding
organic bulk and humus to poor soils and by suppressing
certain plant diseases and parasites. Compost also helps
soil better retain water. This property makes compost useful
in projects involving wetlands restoration, soil erosion
prevention, and storm-water runoff prevention. 


     Pollution Remediation 

     Compost can provide cost-effective remediation of
contaminated soils and water from areas such as Brownfields
or Superfund sites. The microorganisms in mature, cured
compost can sequester or break down contaminants in water or
soil, transforming them into humus and harmless byproducts
such as water, carbon dioxide, and salts.

     For more information on beneficial uses of compost,
order Compost--New Applications For an Age-Old Technology
(EPA530-F-97-047) by calling EPA's publications center at
800 490-9198.


King County Explores Using Compost To Aid Salmon Recovery

     WasteWise partner King County, Washington, is playing a
key role in a regional effort to protect and restore salmon
populations, now listed as a threatened species under the
Endangered Species Act. Local water quality and wetland
habitats are threatened by urban development and landscaping
practices that remove or compact native soils and vegetation
cover, thereby damaging their capacity to retain water and
filter out pollutants. Rainwater that runs off of impervious
surfaces can carry sediment, pesticides, and fertilizers
into water bodies, posing a threat to aquatic life such as
salmon.

     According to King County organics program manager Josh
Marx, the county is looking closely at using compost as
another tool in its wide array of salmon recovery efforts.
"The combination of a rainy climate and the quick pace of
development has led to excessive runoff. When compost is
added to the soil," Marx explains, "it improves the soil's
water absorption and retention capabilities as well as
pollutant binding properties. What's good for the soil, is
good for water resources, which in turn supports fish." He
added that the county plans to replenish soils with
compost--especially on urban land--through best management
practices and site development standards.

     In the meantime, the King County Department of Natural
Resources has formed an organics team, incorporating
representatives from different divisions to examine
opportunities to integrate various organic programs. A study
is now under way to determine how best to increase the
capacity of organic materials being composted. The study
also will analyze different facility options for handling
organic feedstocks such as yard debris, soiled paper, food
and wood waste, biosolids, and agricultural waste. 


************************************************************
     The mention of any company, product, or process in this
publication does not constitute or imply endorsement by the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
************************************************************


************************************************************
          Composting Cotton at Johnston Industries

     As companies experiment with composting, some are
finding ways to recover organic wastes other than food
scraps and yard trimmings. In fact, some manufacturers have
discovered vast quantities of compostable materials in their
own manufacturing byproducts. This discovery paid off for
WasteWise partner Johnston Industries, a diversified fabrics
manufacturer based in Columbus, Georgia, that composts more
than 5,000 tons of cotton fiber and saves more than $200,000
in waste hauling and disposal costs each year. 

     How It All Got Started 

     When waste fiber output increased dramatically in 1994,
Johnston began to consider composting as an alternative to
spending hundreds of thousands of dollars in hauling and
disposal fees. Johnston hired a consultant to research
composting options and then forwarded the consultant's
report and a request for a feasibility study to the Alabama
Department of Environmental Management. The request was
approved expeditiously and Johnston has been composting ever
since.

     Fiber as Food for Compost 

     Johnston composts fiber from a Valley, Alabama,
division that buys fiber byproduct from other textile
manufacturing plants and cleans it for reuse in absorbent
products such as cotton swabs and personal hygiene products.
Only the high-quality portion of the fiber is reclaimed;
therefore, this process generates 10 to 15 tons per day of
waste fiber, which Johnston diverts from the waste stream
into its composting program. According to Johnston's
environmental manager Hal Wood, "Measuring the amount of
fiber composted is straightforward." The difference between
the amount of fiber byproduct that enters the plant for
processing and the amount of cleaned fiber that exits the
plant to be sold is the amount of waste fiber sent for
composting.

     Johnston uses windrow composting to break down the
fiber. Employees form piles using front-end loaders and
aerate the mixture with a Wildcat compost turner. With
adequate rainfall and aeration, the composting process takes
90 to 120 days. 

     According to Wood, "Composting at Johnston
Industries is a simple process--Mother Nature takes over,
but she is not very forgiving without the right moisture and
oxygen content." Johnston can add moisture to the operation
during dry periods in the summer, but the composting process
operates more naturally and efficiently in spring, fall, and
winter, when the area receives adequate rainfall.

     Marketing Composted Fiber 

     Five years after its inception, the program is still
going strong. The company sells or gives away finished
compost to local gardeners and hobby farmers. Not
surprisingly, the company experiences a surge in demand in
the springtime, although the compost is available
year-round.

     As gardeners around Valley, Alabama, can attest,
Johnston has turned a mountain of waste disposal costs into
piles of a useful commodity. For more information about
Johnston Industries' fiber composting program, contact Hal
Wood at 706 641-3190.
************************************************************


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