Rule 1133.3

Chris Ravenstein

Air Quality Inspector II
Rule 1133.3- Emission Reductions from 

Greenwaste Composting

Adopted July 8, 2011 

• Purpose

– To reduce fugitive emissions of VOCs and ammonia 

occurring during greenwaste composting operations

• Applicability

– Operators of all new and existing greenwaste

composting operations that produce active or finished 

compost from greenwaste by itself or greenwaste in 

combination with manure or foodwaste, unless 

exempted

Exemptions

The following activities are exempt from the 

requirements of Rule 1133.3:

• Co-composting operations

• Community composting

• Nursery composting

• Backyard composting

• Recreational facility composting

• Greenwaste composting operations with an installed 

emission control device are exempt from a portion of 

Rule 1133.3 
Requirements

• Chip or grind and use greenwaste for on-site composting

• Use foodwaste for on-site composting within 48 hours of 

receipt or cover foodwaste with screened or unscreened 

finished compost until used
Requirements (continued)

Facilities composting greenwaste only, up to 20 percent 

manure, by volume, or up to 5,000 tons per year of 

foodwaste throughput: 

• Cover each active phase pile with screened or 

unscreened finished compost within twenty-four 

hours of initial pile formation 

• New piles shall not be turned for the first seven 

days of the active phase of composting
Requirements (continued)

• For the active phase, turn only wet piles

• If the pile needs to be turned within the first seven days 

for managing temperature or pathogen reduction, the 

operator does not need to re-apply the screened or 

unscreened finished compost cover and shall apply water 

for the first fifteen days of the active phase

• Conduct squeeze ball test before turning
Dry Material
Squeeze – Hand Pressure Grip
Fail – Not Wet Enough
Pass
Requirements (continued)

• Existing facilities composting greater than 5,000 tons per 

year of foodwaste

– Active phase composting with >10% foodwaste shall be 

conducted using an emission control device

• New greenwaste composting operations that intend to 

compost greater than 5,000 tons per year of foodwaste

throughput

– Obtain a permit for an emission control device prior to 

construction
Requirements (continued)

Existing greenwaste composting operations > 5,000 

tons per year of foodwaste:

• Emission control device

• Source test after implementation and every three years 

thereafter 
Recordkeeping

• Records shall be kept in a format approved by the 

Executive Officer

• Records shall be maintained for the prior five years, with 

the most recent two years retained at the facility
Suggested Record Keeping Form

Date Activity Initials

9/1/2011 Received greenwaste: 2t (8cy), 3t (12cy), 4t (16cy)

9/1/2011 Received foodwaste: 4t

9/1/2011 Rcvd manure: 5cy

9/1/2011 Created new pile (#11-18), covered with unscreened finished

9/1/2011 Watered pile #11-18

9/2/2011 Rained hard 3 hours, all piles passed squeeze test, no watering

9/2/2011 Turned active piles: 11-14, 11-15, 11-16, 11-17

9/2/2011 Removed from feedstock: 1.5t wood, 0.75t trash

9/30/2011 Total Greenwaste Rcvd: 120t (480cy)

9/30/2011 Foodwaste Tonnage (non-foodwaste material/tons)

9/30/2011 Total Foodwaste Rcvd: 43t

9/30/2011 Total Manure Rcvd: 88cy

9/30/2011 Total material shipped offsite for disposal: 2.5t