Combination plant food supplement and compost material and process

A carbonaceous material and a nitrogenous material are mixed in combination with activated carbon ash and perlite fines. The activated carbon and perlite fines serve to limit the loss of ammonia nitrates as well as to lock nitrogen in the biomass and to limit fly larva and odors. The nitrogenous material comprises fish scrap and the carbonaceous material may include wood sawdust, wood pulp or agricultural by-products. All of the ingredients of the product may comprise industrial waste products. The process is conducive to forming large batches of the process comprising depositing an elongated windrow on the ground and making a full length groove in the top surface. The activated carbon and perlite dust are then layered in the groove and the nitrogenous material deposited on the activated carbon and perlite dust. The ingredients are mixed under selected moisture and temperature conditions to form the end product.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a combination plant food supplement and compost 
material and to a process of making the same. 
Tons of fish and shell fish scrap are discarded every year. This creates an 
immense problem of sight, odor and disposal. It has been established that 
fishwaste composting can be a possible practice in economically disposing 
of fishwaste from seafood processors. However, problems exist when using 
fishwaste for composting because mechanisms controlling decomposition 
thereof and the dynamics of fishwaste compost N in the soil are not fully 
understood or have not heretofore been determined. Coupled with the lack 
of knowledge of the benefits of fishwaste as noted, a first disadvantage 
is present in that the odor of decomposition does not make such use always 
practical. Also, this type of scrap induces the breeding of fly larva, 
resulting in a generally unsatisfactory fly problem. Further, a problem 
exists for making fertilizer from fish scrap in that there is substantial 
ammonia loss when the fish and shell fish scrap are mixed with other 
byproducts such as sawdust. This ammonia loss results in the reduction of 
nitrogen and renders the final product of minimum value as a fertilizer. 
As noted in a publication of American Society of Agricultural engineers, 
1994, Volume 37 (3) pages 853-856, a process of composting fish scrap and 
in particular crab scrap has been developed. Such process was developed 
for small individual crab processors wherein ingredients of the compost 
are loaded in a wooden bin in alternate layers of crab scraps and pine 
sawdust. One disadvantage of such process is its unavailability to mass 
production of compost since layering of the scrap with sawdust in a 
confined space is impractical. To be practical in areas that dispose of 
tons of fish and crab scrap every week, mass composting must be available. 
Another disadvantage of the prior process is that preparation of a compost 
takes several months which of course limits a fast turnover of the 
product. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved combination 
compost material and high quality plant food supplement and that in its 
formulation includes fish or shell fish scrap and that in a final product 
is substantially odor free. 
A further object of the invention is to provide a product and process of 
the type described that uses ingredients of industrial waste materials. 
A further object is to provide a new and novel process in the formation of 
the plant food supplement and compost material. 
In carrying out the invention, ingredients of the product comprise the 
following: 
A carbonaceous material such as sawdust, paper pulp, or agriculture 
by-product, 
Activated carbon, Perlite dust, 
A nitrogenous material, preferably ground fish, fish parts and shell fish. 
Water 
A feature of the invention is that all of its ingredients are capable of 
sources from industrial waste products. For example, while sawdust has 
various other uses, it is classified as a waste product of sawmills. 
Frequently it can be obtained without cost or at least at low cost merely 
by hauling it away. Sawdust is in good supply. Activated carbon in powder 
form is also readily available. It can be obtained freely as waste 
material from heating plants, burners, etc. Perlite dust is fines from the 
perlite industry, namely, it is in powder form and is generally discarded 
in the processing of commercial perlite. The fish ingredient is readily 
available particularly in view of recent stringent rules regarding 
disposal of garbage. Waste water can also be used since it is available 
from industrial factories, for example, from commercial food processing 
plants. 
The invention will be better understood and additional objects and 
advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in 
connection with the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
In carrying out the invention, activated carbon is spread evenly on top of 
carbonaceous material, such as on the sawdust. Perlite is then spread 
evenly on top of the activated carbon and the nitrogenous material spread 
on top of the perlite dust. All ingredients are mixed together and the 
pile cured for three days. Water is added as needed to maintain a moisture 
content of 60% to 70%. The pile is cured for 3 days at which time it is 
turned and cured until its temperature of decomposition reaches at least 
131.degree. F. for two days. The moisture is then checked and adjusted to 
maintain the 60% to 70% moisture content. The pile is then turned and 
cured for 5 days. The process is repeated as to turning and maintaining 
the said moisture content until the temperature averages 100.degree. F. 
The compost material is at this time ready for use. Overall processing 
time averages approximately three months. 
The drawings illustrate a fast, efficient and large process to form a batch 
of the material. In this process, a large amount of sawdust 10 is laid out 
in a windrow 12 and a trough 14 is formed centrally through the length of 
the windrow. The trough extends down to a point short of the bottom. 
Thereupon as seen in FIG. 2 the activated carbon 16 and the perlite dust 
18 are spread on top of the sawdust interiorly of the trough. The fish 
scrap 20 is then dumped in the trough. All stacking of the windrow and 
other ingredients as well as turning thereof can be accomplished by 
machinery. In a representative process, 400 cubic yards of sawdust are 
used in the windrow that measures approximately 50 yards long, 2 yards 
high, and 8 yards wide. The trough is approximately 3 yards wide and 
extends to within one yard from the bottom. 10 cubic yards of activated 
carbon and 10 cubic yards of perlite dust are laid in the trough and 
50,000 pounds of fish scrap dumped on top of the perlite dust. 
The windrow is mixed together for aeration in suitable manner such as by 
power machinery and is then cured for approximately 3 days. The moisture 
content of the mixture is steadily monitored and water is added as needed 
to provide the said moisture content of 60% to 70%. Checking and adjusting 
moisture content is repeated until the pile maintains the said average 
temperature of approximately 100.degree. F. and completion. The total time 
as stated consumes approximately three months. 
The particular process of conditions and ingredients used has important 
advantages. That is, as the heat develops after mixture of the 
carbonaceous material, i.e., the sawdust and the nitrogenous material, 
i.e., the fish scrap, aerobic thermophilic bacteria multiply in the heat 
of decomposition and convert the nitrogenous material to a bacterial 
biomass. The furnace ash and perlite fines in the initial process limit 
loss of ammonia nitrates, they lock nitrogen into the biomass, and further 
they limit fly larva, namely, fly larva that are not killed by the high 
temperature of composting, and odors by the cutting action of the perlite 
dust and the sulfur that exists in furnace ash. This action further helps 
to retain water, to break down the very hard, verk slick surfaced sulfur 
flakes that create the sulphate form of sulfur, and to bind all the 
materials into a homologous biomass that retains higher amounts of 
nitrogen and minerals for an improved source of plant food. The 3 foot bed 
of sawdust and the drying action of the perlite dust prevent moisture of 
the fish scrap from leeching down through the sawdust to the support 
surface. 
The present process and product is primarily related to fish scrap as the 
nitrogenous ingredient. The carbonaceous material may vary in its type of 
ingredient, for example, paper pulp and agriculture by-products can be 
used. Although the size of the batch may vary, the large windrow type as 
shown is preferred to provide mass production as well as careful 
monitoring and controlling of the progress of the mix. Also, the large 
type of batch allows for easy buildup and mixing by power machinery. It is 
to be understood that a batch of the product can be prepared without using 
the full windrow as shown. In such case, the proportions of the partial 
batch are the same as was illustrated in connection with the full batch. 
The product and its particular ingredients as well as the particular 
process provide a product that is efficient in use as a plant food 
supplement and compost material. The process is adapted to a large batch 
process and has a fast curing rate as compared to prior composting 
procedures. The end product is clean and substantially odorless. Its 
quality aeration makes it light and fluffy to handle. It is an organic 
material and provides a slow release plant food. An important function of 
the product and process also is that every one of its ingredients is 
available as waste material. 
It is to be understood that the form of our invention herein shown and 
described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that 
various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be 
resorted to without departing from the spirit of our invention, or the 
scope of the subjoined claims.