Document ID: EPA-HQ-RCRA-2003-0005-0002
Agency: epa
Document Type: Supporting & Related Material
Title: 
Posted Date: 2003-12-03T05:00Z

RECOVERED
MATERIALS
PRODUCT
RESEARCH
FOR
THE
COMPREHENSIVE
PROCUREMENT
GUIDELINE
V
Draft
Report
June
2003
Compiled
by
Eastern
Research
Group,
Inc.
2200
Wilson
Boulevard,
Suite
400
Arlington,
Virginia
22201
CPG
5:
Manure
Compost
2
MANURE
COMPOST
1.
Item
Description
As
directed
by
the
U.
S.
Environmental
Protection
Agency
(
EPA),
Eastern
Research
Group
(
ERG)

conducted
research
on
the
use
of
manure
compost
in
the
United
States.

EPA
has
previously
designated
yard
trimmings
compost
and
food
waste
compost
as
part
of
the
Comprehensive
Procurement
Guidelines
(
CPG).
Therefore,
this
research
focused
on
manure
compost.

Composting
is
the
controlled
biological
process
of
decomposition
of
organic
matter
in
the
presence
of
air
to
form
a
humus­
rich
material
which
provides
organic
matter
and
nutrients
to
the
soil.
Mature
compost
(
in
which
the
composting
process
is
completed)
is
composed
of
small
brown
particles,
resembles
soil,
and
is
free
of
pathogens
and
weed
seeds.
The
Composting
Council
defines
mature
compost
as
follows:

Compost
is
the
stabilized
and
sanitized
product
of
composting;
compost
is
largely
decomposed
material
and
is
in
the
process
of
humification
(
curing).
Compost
has
little
resemblance
in
physical
form
to
the
original
material
from
which
it
was
made.
Compost
is
a
soil
amendment,
to
improve
soils.
Compost
is
not
a
complete
fertilizer
unless
amended,
although
composts
contain
fertilizer
properties,
e.
g.,
nitrogen,
phosphorus,
and
potassium,
that
must
be
included
in
calculations
for
fertilizer
application
(
59
[
Federal
Register]
FR
18877).

Mixed
organic
materials,
such
as
manure,
yard
trimmings,
food
waste,
and
biosolids
(
waste­
water
treatment
plant
sludge),
must
go
through
a
controlled
heat
process
before
they
can
be
used
as
high
quality,

biologically
stable
and
mature
compost
(
otherwise
it
is
considered
mulch,
manure,
or
byproduct)
(
Rynk,

2002a).
Compost
has
a
variety
of
uses
and
improves
soil
quality
and
productivity
as
well
as
preventing
and
controlling
erosion
(
Grobe,
2002a).

Animal
manures,
applied
in
solid,
semisolid,
and
liquid
forms,
have
traditionally
been
used
as
a
direct
source
of
nutrients
for
crop
production,
although
it
is
typically
not
characterized
as
a
fertilizer
(
for
the
purposes
of
the
CPG,
organic
fertilizers
were
considered
as
a
separate
item).
In
addition,
organic
components
of
manure
can
increase
soil
organic
matter,
resulting
in
soils
having
increased
waterholding
capacity,
increased
water­
infiltration
rates,
and
improved
soil
stability.
These
changes
can
reduce
wind
and
3
water
erosion
of
soil.
Manures
stimulate
the
growth
of
beneficial
soil
microbes,
increase
microbial
activity
within
the
soil,
and
increase
the
population
of
beneficial
organisms
such
as
earthworms
(
Wright,
2002).

Animal
manures
vary
widely
in
chemical
composition,
physical
properties,
and
moisture
content.

The
nutrient
content
of
manure
varies
with
animal
species,
type
of
diet,
growth
stage
and
level
of
performance
of
the
animal,
production
system
used,
amount
of
supporting
material
with
the
manure,
and
method
of
manure
storage
and
handling
(
TMECC,
2002).

Compost
can
be
used
in
a
wide
range
of
applications.
It
can
be
used
as
a
substitute
for
peat
moss,

potting
soil,
topsoil,
or
other
organic
materials
in
agriculture,
horticulture,
silviculture
(
growing
of
trees),

and
in
landscaping.
In
landscaping,
compost
is
used
as
a
soil
conditioner,
soil
and
lawn
amendment,
potting
soil
mixture,
rooting
medium,
and
mulch
for
shrubs
and
trees,
and
for
restoration
and
maintenance
of
golf
course
and
other
sports
grounds.
Compost
also
can
be
used
for
treatment
of
contaminated
soils,

contaminated
stormwater
runoff,
volatile
organic
compound
emission
reduction,
and
reclamation
of
mining
sites
(
Wright,
2002).

2.
Recovered
Material
Content
Manure
compost
is
composed
of
10­
100
percent
manure
taken
from
farms,
racetracks,
feedlots,

dairy
barns,
poultry
houses,
and
swine
operations.
This
range
may
include
manure
and
other
excrement
contained
in
animal
bedding,
which
is
typically
added
as
a
bulking
agent
in
the
compost
process
(
Rynk
2002b).
Bulking
agents,
which
comprise
the
non­
manure
portion
of
the
compost,
provide
structure,
allow
air
to
circulate
more
freely,
and
increase
carbon
content
of
the
compost
(
Alberta
Agriculture,
Food
and
Rural
Development,
2002).

3.
Impact
on
Solid
Waste
Using
manure
compost
has
great
potential
to
make
beneficial
use
of
a
large
amount
of
the
manure
produced
in
the
United
States.
In
addition,
other
materials
that
are
used
as
bulking
agents
in
manure
compost,
such
as
sawdust,
extruded
rice
husks,
straw,
leaves,
wood
chips,
corn
stalks,
and
ground
tree
and
shrub
trimmings,
can
be
diverted
from
the
solid
waste
stream
as
well.
4
Generally,
manure
generated
on
farms
is
applied
directly
to
crop
fields
as
a
soil
supplement.
Larger
livestock
farms
give
the
manure
away
or
sell
it
directly
to
neighboring
farms
for
agricultural
application,

and
sometimes
store
excess
manure
on
location.
Some
larger
farms
pay
for
manure
removal,
which
is
then
sold
through
a
broker
to
a
third
party
(
Rynk,
2002c).

In
the
United
States,
beef
cattle
generate
27
million
tons
of
manure
solids
annually
and
dairy
cattle
in
confinement
produce
approximately
21
million
tons
of
solids
annually.
Swine
produce
about
16
million
tons
of
solid
waste
annually.
In
1990
there
were
approximately
330
million
acres
of
cropland
and
650
million
acres
of
pasture
and
rangeland
in
the
United
States,
providing
abundant
space
for
application
of
animal
manures
(
Wright,
2002).

Earthwise
Organics
in
California
composts
over
180,000
tons/
year
of
the
1
million
tons
of
manure
produced
by
dairy
farms
in
the
Chino
area.
The
composted
manure
is
supplied
to
over
1,500
users,
mainly
farms,
thus
helping
to
reduce
the
problems
of
excess
manure
in
intensively
farmed
valleys.
Since
1998,

Earthwise
has
processed
500,000
tons
of
manure
into
300,000
tons
of
compost
(
Rynk,
2002a).

4.
Technical
Feasibility
and
Performance
As
mentioned
previously
in
Section
1,
compost
can
be
used
in
a
variety
of
applications
including:

$
Soil
enrichment:
agriculture
(
soil
conditioning,
fertilizer
amendment,
erosion
control,
development
of
marginal
lands,
mulch,
rooting
medium,
sod
production);
silviculture;
horticulture.

$
Pollution
prevention
(
reduced
chemical
use
and
nonpoint
source
pollution,
reduced
VOC
emissions).

$
Pollution
remediation
(
treatment
of
contaminated
soils
and
reclamation
of
mining
waste).

Use
of
manure
compost
helps
reduce
reliance
on
synthetic
chemical
fertilizers,
and
thus
reduces
the
amount
of
chemicals
entering
the
environment.
Under
USDA's
National
Organic
Program
(
NOP),
organic
farms,
which
by
definition
do
not
use
synthetic
pesticides,
herbicides,
or
fertilizers,
may
not
use
biosolid­
based
compost,
such
as
waste­
water
treatment
sludge,
if
they
wish
to
keep
their
organic
certification.
This
means
a
greater
demand
for
manure­
based
compost.
One
requirement
of
certified
organic
farming
is
the
use
of
natural
fertilizers
and
compost
(
Cramer,
2002).
Although
a
commercial
compost
5
operation
may
become
USDA
certified,
it
is
not
required
to
do
so,
and
a
certified
organic
farm
is
not
required
to
use
certified
organic
compost.
However
any
compost
used
by
an
organic
farm
must
meet
the
requirements
of
USDA's
NOP
regulations,
section
205.203.
These
regulations
require
that
raw
manure
be
composted
unless
it
is
applied
to
land
used
for
a
non­
food
crop
or
unless
a
food
crop
is
harvested
after
a
reasonable
period
of
time
from
the
last
application
of
manure
(
USDA,
2002).

According
to
a
contact
at
OMRI,
compost
made
from
manure
from
livestock
that
have
been
treated
with
hormones
or
antibiotics
is
still
considered
acceptable
for
use
on
an
organic
farm
(
Douglas,
2002).

Organic
food
sales
are
currently
$
11
billion
a
year
and
are
growing
by
approximately
20
percent
a
year
(
Batsell,
2002).
As
the
demand
for
organically
grown
goods
increases,
the
demand
for
compost
used
for
organic
farming
will
likely
increase
(
Cramer,
2002).

If
improperly
managed,
the
manure
generated
by
beef
feedlot
and
dairy
operations
can
create
significant
environmental
problems,
including
human
health
issues
caused
by
contamination
of
surface
water
and
groundwater
(
Wright,
2002).
Using
manure
as
a
raw
material
for
compost,
as
opposed
to
applying
it
directly
to
the
land
or
stockpiling
it,
can
alleviate
many
of
these
problems,
while
providing
an
important
agricultural
service.

On
December
16,
2002,
EPA
and
USDA
finalized
a
rule
that
will
require
all
large
Concentrated
Animal
Feeding
Operations
(
CAFOs)
to
obtain
permits,
submit
annual
reports,
and
develop
and
follow
plans
for
handling
manure
and
wastewater.
This
rule
should
encourage
feeding
operations
to
compost
their
manure
as
an
agricultural
or
landscaping
product.
This
will
not
only
benefit
the
environment,
but
more
of
this
compost
will
be
available
to
government
purchasers.

Regarding
a
connection
between
E.
coli
and
manure,
a
representative
of
the
California
Certified
Organic
Farmers
states
"
While
not
all
manures
carry
E.
coli,
manure
is
a
documented
source
of
E.
coli
contamination
and
should
thus
be
handled
cautiously
in
a
fresh
produce
production
system.

Wellcomposted
manures
are
recommended
over
the
use
of
raw
manures."
The
Organic
Trade
Association
adds
that
E.
coli
,
salmonella,
and
other
pathogens
found
in
manure
can
be
reduced
by
proper
composting.

(
OTA,
2002).
6
a.
Standards
There
are
a
variety
of
reference
materials
and
guidelines
available
on
manure
compost
but
no
existing
national
or
state
regulations
or
laws
regarding
manure
compost
in
particular.
Most
states
have
their
own
regulations
governing
composting
facilities
and
the
marketing
of
compost
products
(
Recycling
and
Composting
Online,
2002).
According
to
a
contact
with
Biocycle
magazine,
the
National
Resource
Conservation
Service
(
NRCS)
within
the
Department
of
Agriculture
is
currently
developing
draft
guidelines
for
manure
compost
(
Rynk,
2002c).

The
U.
S.
Composting
Council
(
USCC)
is
helping
to
define
and
develop
industrywide
standards
for
composts
made
from
various
combinations
of
materials.
The
USCC
has
developed
protocols,
called
Test
Methods
for
the
Examination
of
Composting
and
Compost
(
TMECC),
which
are
standardized
methods
for
the
composting
industry
to
test
and
evaluate
compost
and
verify
the
physical,
chemical,
and
biological
characteristics
of
composting
source
materials
and
compost
products.
The
TMECC
also
includes
material
testing
guidelines
to
ensure
product
safety
and
market
claims
(
USCC,
2002).
The
TMECC
guidelines
form
the
basis
for
a
grant
from
the
EPA
to
the
U.
S.
Composting
Council
to
develop
a
Seal
of
Testing
Assurance
(
STA)
for
the
commercial
composting
industry
(
TMECC,
2002).
The
STA
program
includes
standards
for
testing
procedures
of
composted
materials
for
nutrients,
moisture,
salt
content,
and
chemicals
(
Mallet,

2002).
The
USCC's
goal
is
to
get
all
composters
to
participate
in
the
program
and
to
have
compost
purchasers,
regulators,
and
users
accept
only
STA­
certified
compost
for
their
projects.
Finally,
the
USCC's
Uniform
Bills
committee
has
been
given
a
directive
to
develop
a
draft
"
Model
Compost
Law",
which
it
is
still
working
on
(
USCC,
2002).

The
U.
S.
Department
of
Transportation's
(
U.
S.
DOT)
Standard
Specifications
for
Construction
of
Roads
and
Bridges
on
Federal
Highway
Projects
1996
specifies
mature
compost
for
use
in
road
construction
(
U.
S.
DOT,
1996).
This
specification
would
be
applicable
to
use
of
manure
compost.

In
general,
on­
farm
manure
composting
comes
under
minimal
regulations,
which
may
include
requirements
to
notify
the
proper
authorities
of
compositing
activities
(
Grobe,
2002b).
EPA;
some
state
agencies,
such
as
the
Washington
State
Department
of
Ecology;
and
some
local
agencies
have
established
guidelines
concerning
compost
production.
For
example,
for
a
region
in
the
State
of
Washington,
the
final
7
authority
on
manure
compost
rests
with
the
Whatcom
County
Department
of
Health
and
Human
Services,

which
has
established
rules
based
on
a
tiered
system
of
feedstock
qualities
(
Cramer,
2002).
USDA,

pursuant
to
the
recently
passed
Farm
Bill,
will
be
issuing
guidelines
on
biobased
products,
which
would
include
composts
made
from
plant
or
animal
byproducts.

b.
Benefits
There
are
numerous
benefits
of
composting,
including
the
following:

$
Destroys
weed
seeds
and
pathogens.

$
Decreases
bulk
of
raw
inputs.

$
Finished
compost
has
a
consistent
soil­
like
quality
that
makes
it
easier
to
handle
and
apply.

$
Stabilizes
nutrients
as
organic
compounds.

$
Stable
organic
nutrients
release
more
slowly,
providing
plants
with
a
more
sustained
source
of
nutrients
for
growth.

$
Results
in
odorless,
marketable
product.

There
are
a
few
drawbacks
to
composting
as
well,
including
the
following:

$
Emissions
of
ammonia,
carbon
dioxide,
methane,
nitrous
oxide,
and
volatile
compounds,
especially
in
the
early
stages.

$
Runoff
from
compost
piles
must
be
controlled
to
prevent
contamination
of
ground
or
surface
waters.

$
Aeration
and
moisture
must
be
managed
throughout
the
process.

$
Time,
equipment,
and
land
are
required.

$
Some
additional
fertilizer
may
be
needed
to
meet
crop
requirements.

(
Government
of
Saskatchewan,
2002)
8
Nutritional
Benefits
Manure
found
in
compost
is
a
source
of
many
nutrients,
including
nitrogen,
phosphorus,

potassium,
and
others.
Nutrient
content
and
rate
of
availability
varies
widely,
depending
mostly
on
manure
source,
handling
methods,
and
water
content.
However,
nitrogen
is
often
the
main
nutrient
of
concern
for
most
crops.
Generally,
poultry
manure
is
highest
in
nitrogen
content,
followed
by
hog,
steer,
sheep,
dairy,

and
horse
manure.
Feedlot
steer
manure
must
be
applied
at
fairly
high
rates
to
provide
adequate
first­
year
nitrogen
amounts
because
of
its
lower
nitrogen
content
and
gradual
nitrogen
release
characteristics.

However,
this
leads
to
higher
nitrogen
availability
in
succeeding
years,
allowing
for
lower
annual
application
rates
to
support
plant
growth
(
Ecochem,
2002).

Table
1.
Manure
Nutrients.
(
Typical)

Nitrogen
(
N)
Phosphorus
(
P2O5)
Potassium
(
K2O)
Calcium
(
Ca)
Magnesium
(
Mg)
Organic
matter
Moisture
content
Fresh
Manure
%
%
%
%
%
%
%

Cattle
0.5
0.3
0.5
0.3
0.1
16.7
81.3
Sheep
0.9
0.5
0.8
0.2
0.3
30.7
64.8
Poultry
0.9
0.5
0.8
0.4
02
30.7
64.8
Horse
0.5
0.3
0.6
0.3
0.12
7.0
68.8
Swine
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.2
0.03
15.5
77.6
Treated
Dried
Manure
%
%
%
%
%
%
%

Cattle
2.0
1.5
2.2
2.9
0.7
69.9
7.9
Sheep
1.9
1.4
2.9
3.3
0.8
53.9
11.4
Poultry
4.5
2.7
1.4
2.9
0.6
58.6
9.2
Source:
Ecochem,
2002
Composting
converts
nutrients
into
forms
that
are
more
stable
and
less
reactive,
do
not
leach,
make
nutrients
more
available
to
plants,
and
kill
weed
seeds
and
pathogens.
EPA
has
concluded
that
composting
can
reduce
nutrient
loading
and
nonpoint
source
pollution
of
streams
and
rivers
(
U.
S.
EPA,
1992).
9
Microorganisms
use
many
of
the
nutrients
in
compost
and
release
them
slowly
as
they
die.

Nutrients
are
also
converted
into
forms
that
bind
with
humic
acids
(
another
byproduct
of
composting).

These
acids
hold
3­
5
times
more
nutrients
than
inorganic
soil,
holding
the
nutrients
at
the
surface
near
the
roots.
This
helps
increase
availability
and
prevents
leaching.
Composting
reduces
the
carbon­
to­
nitrogen
ratio
in
manure,
which
can
prevent
the
immobilization
of
nitrogen
by
microorganisms,
a
problem
that
can
occur
when
using
raw
manure
(
Cramer,
2002).

EPA's
research
found
several
references
indicating
that
compost,
particularly
manure
compost,

may
contain
high
salt
levels.
The
California
Integrated
Waste
Management
Board's
(
CIWMB's)
compost
specification
elements
table
states
that
high
salt
concentrations
(
greater
than
4.0
Mmhos/
cm)
can
be
harmful
to
plants
and
seeds.
In
addition,
salinity
issues
are
mentioned
in
several
of
CIMWB's
organics
management
fact
sheets.
One
on
compost
use
in
orchards
states,
"
Feedstock
that
contains
large
amounts
of
salt,
such
as
animal
manure,
can
result
in
compost
that
can
be
problematic
for
orchards
in
which
the
soil
already
has
a
high
salt
content.
However,
if
the
soil
in
a
particular
orchard
does
not
have
a
history
of
high
salt
content,
salt
from
compost
or
mulch
should
not
generally
present
a
problem
for
Northern
California
orchards."
Another
fact
sheet
on
urban
compost
states
"
Too
much
salinity
will
be
detrimental
to
plant
growth.
Maximum
tolerable
salinity
level
will
depend
on
plant
species,
irrigation
water
and
soil
salinity,

amount
of
leaching
due
to
rain
and
irrigation,
and
compost
application
rate"
(
CIMWB,
2002).
A
Colorado
State
University
Web
site
states
that
salt
levels
will
be
higher
in
composted
manure
than
in
raw
manure
(
Colorado
State
University,
2002).

Beneficial
Organisms
Beneficial
organisms
stimulated
by
the
use
of
compost
fall
into
three
categories:
macroorganisms
(
bugs,
worms,
etc.),
bacteria,
and
fungi.

Macroorganisms
aid
composting
through
their
ability
to
breakdown
materials
into
small
pieces.

This
creates
a
larger
surface
area
on
which
bacteria
and
fungi
can
feed.
In
addition,
some
macroorganisms
are
predatory
and
may
feed
on
harmful
organisms.
10
Bacteria
microbes
degrade
organic
matter
into
forms
more
available
to
plants.
Many
can
also
fix
atmospheric
nitrogen
and
convert
it
into
forms
that
plants
can
use,
which
helps
decrease
the
amount
of
synthetic
fertilizers
that
must
be
applied.
Recent
research
has
also
shown
that
the
bacteria
in
compost
are
effective
in
suppressing
some
plant
diseases.
They
do
this
by
competing
for
resources,
by
secreting
antibiotics,
and
by
elevating
the
plant's
own
resistance
capabilities.

Fungi
are
essential
for
the
breakdown
of
organic
matter
and
in
compost,
fungi
are
responsible
for
creating
humic
acids.
Fungi
help
roots
uptake
water
and
nutrients
and
are
essential
to
plant
growth
and
health.
Fungi
also
free
up
nitrogen
and
carbon
for
use
by
plants.
Finally,
some
fungi
secrete
antibiotic
compounds
that
can
kill
disease­
causing
bacteria,
and
some
kill
and
consume
larger
pests
such
as
nematodes
(
Cramer,
2002).

Other
Benefits
Compost
can
be
used
in
landscaping
as
mulch,
which
creates
a
thicker
soil
boundary
layer,

protects
against
frost,
and
provides
a
cover
that
prevents
the
increase
of
nutrient­
robbing
grasses
and
weeds
(
Cramer,
2002).
Using
compost
in
highly
sensitive
areas
can
decrease
erosion
and
allow
faster
revegetation.
Once
applied
to
the
soil,
compost
can
increase
infiltration
by
up
to
125
percent.
Compost
controls
erosion
by
increasing
water
infiltration
into
the
soil
surface
and
reducing
runoff.
It
also
improves
soil
stability
by
improving
plant
growth
and
increasing
the
water
holding
capacity
of
soil.
It
reduces
soil
compaction
by
increasing
soil
structure
and
allows
new
vegetation
to
be
established
directly
into
the
soil
(
CES,
2002).

Composting
can
reduce
the
volume
of
raw
manure
by
as
much
two­
thirds,
and
it
can
be
applied
year­
round
(
Cramer,
2002).
It
also
reduces
the
moisture
content
and
alters
consistency
to
a
more
spreadable
form.
These
effects
can
improve
manure
handling
and
decrease
spreading
cost
(
Rynk,
2002c).
11
12
Table
2.
Composition
of
Compost
vs.
Raw
Manure
Fresh
Manure
Compost
Total
1000
kg
1000
kg
Water
700
kg
300
kg
Dry
Matter
300
kg
700
kg
Nitrogen
5
kg
(
based
on
1.7%
N)
11
kg
(
based
on
1.6%
N)

Phosphorus
1
kg
(
based
on
0.33%
P)
4
kg
(
based
on
0.58%
P)

(
Source:
Government
of
Saskatchewan,
2002)

Compost
has
nearly
the
same
characteristics
as
peat
and
can
be
used
as
a
substitute,
reducing
the
impact
to
wetlands
where
peat
is
extracted.
Compost
may
become
a
feasible
alternative
to
peat
as
federal
protection
of
wetlands
increases
(
Cramer,
2002).

Using
compost
may
have
some
climate­
related
benefits
as
well.
When
analyzing
the
composting
of
yard
trimmings,
EPA
found
that
compost
leads
to
long­
term
carbon
storage
in
degraded
soils.
The
agency
also
found
that
composting,
when
managed
properly,
does
not
generate
methane
emissions.
Properly
managed
compost
is
aerated
and
turned
to
ensure
aerobic
decomposition
(
i.
e.,
decomposition
in
the
presence
of
oxygen).
As
long
as
the
yard
trimmings
decompose
aerobically,
methane
is
not
generated.
EPA
also
noted
that
carbon
dioxide
emissions
during
decomposition
"
do
not
count"
towards
national
inventories
of
greenhouse
gas
emissions
submitted
annually
to
the
United
Nations
Framework
Convention
on
Climate
Change.
According
to
internationally
accepted
rules,
these
emissions
are
considered
part
of
the
natural
carbon
cycle
and
are
not
a
reflection
of
human
activities.
On
the
other
hand,
EPA
found
that
composting
does
result
in
minimal
carbon
dioxide
emissions
during
the
collection
and
transport
of
yard
trimmings
to
the
composting
facility
(
U.
S.
EPA,
2000).

By
reducing
the
amount
of
chemical
fertilizers
required,
net
greenhouse
gas
emissions
are
reduced
because
there
is
less
energy­
intensive
fertilizer
production
(
Alberta
Agriculture,
Food
and
Rural
Development,
2002).
13
5.
Economic
Feasibility
There
are
numerous
potential
markets
for
manure
compost,
including:

°
Agriculture:
Soil
conditioning,
fertilizer
amendments,
and
erosion
control
for
vegetable
and
field
crops
and
forage
grasses;
development
of
marginal
lands;
mulching
after
conservation
seeding.

°
Silviculture:
Landspreading
as
soil
conditioner
for
evergreen
establishment;
mulching
for
woodlot
soil
improvement
and
maintenance.

°
Sod
production:
Blending
with
topsoil
to
reduce
the
amount
of
fertilizer
needed
to
establish
sod.

°
Residential
retail:
Soil
amendment
to
enrich
planting
areas;
top
dressing
for
lawns.

°
Nurseries:
Potting
mixes;
topsoil
amendment
for
areas
in
which
field
grown
trees
are
harvested
on
a
periodic
basis.

°
Delivered
topsoil:
Blending
with
marginal
topsoils
to
produce
topsoils
used
for
establishing
new
lawns
and
planting
trees
and
shrubs.

°
Landscapers:
Soil
amendment
for
lawn
establishment;
top
dressing;
mulch.

°
Landfill
cover
and
surface
mine
reclamation:
Topsoil
amendments
for
lower
grade
and
nonuniform
compost
products.

(
U.
S.
EPA,
1999)

Manure
compost
provides
a
number
of
economic
advantages.
If
raw
manure
has
to
be
transported
a
significant
distance,
however,
transportation
costs
can
easily
exceed
the
value
of
the
manure.
According
to
one
contact,
manure
compost
is
lighter
than
raw
manure
due
to
a
lower
moisture
content
and
is
easier
to
transport.
It
also
keeps
longer
than
raw
manure
due
to
its
makeup,
which
allows
for
longer
transportation
time
(
Rynk,
2002c).
14
Manure
compost
can
also
greatly
offset
the
use
and
costs
of
fertilizers.
For
example,
an
Oregon
farm
estimates
that
the
use
of
chemical
fertilizers
will
be
reduced
by
as
much
as
40
percent
by
using
composted
dairy
manure
on
crops
(
Grobe,
2002a).

Organic
farming
and
the
horticulture
industry
are
growing
markets
with
opportunities
for
manure
compost.
Furthermore,
EPA
wetland
regulations
may
reduce
the
availability
of
peat,
driving
up
its
price
(
USEPA,
1996).
Therefore,
it
is
likely
that
compost
will
become
a
more
economical
alternative
to
peat.

6.
Availability
and
Competition
EPA
was
not
able
to
find
an
estimate
of
the
total
number
of
composting
facilities
nationwide,
but
according
to
EPA's
"
Municipal
Solid
Waste
in
The
United
States:
2000
Fact
and
Figures"
(
EPA530­
R­
02­

001)
there
were
an
estimated
3,800
composting
facilities
for
yard
trimmings
in
2000.

EPA
did
learn,
however,
that
manure
and
manure
compost
are
widely
available
across
the
country
from
small
farms,
industrial
size­
feedlots,
commercial
compost
producers,
and
other
businesses.
The
market
for
compost
manure
is
locally
based.
For
example,
Texas
Best
Compost
near
Austin
provides
manure
compost
for
landscape
projects,
nurseries,
large
and
small
farms,
and
for
private
use.
The
company
sells
to
colleges,
schools,
the
Texas
Department
of
Transportation
and
other
public
agencies
(
Johnson,

2002).
Magic
Valley
Compost
in
Idaho
sells
75
percent
of
its
compost
manure
at
3
tons
per
acre
to
small
local
farms,
landscapers,
school
districts,
and
golf
courses.
The
company
sells
more
than
65,000
tons
a
year.
The
market
has
been
expanding
and
the
company
has
experienced
95­
97
percent
rate
for
repeat
customers
(
Mallet,
2002).

7.
Government
Purchasing
To
assist
in
the
development
of
federal
markets
for
compost,
a
Presidential
memorandum
entitled
"
Environmentally
and
Economically
Beneficial
Practices
on
Federal
Landscaped
Ground"
was
signed
on
15
April
26,
1994.
Agencies
are
encouraged
to
develop
practical
and
cost­
effective
landscaping
methods
that
preserve
and
enhance
the
local
environment.
This
memorandum
requires
the
use
of
mulch
and
compost
by
federal
agencies
and
in
federally
funded
projects.

The
Texas
Natural
Resource
Conservation
Commission
(
TNRCC)
is
working
with
the
Texas
Department
of
Transportation
(
TxDOT)
to
use
large
amounts
of
manure
compost
along
designated
TxDOT
highway
land.
During
the
past
18
months,
compost
operators
have
seen
their
sales
increase
significantly
statewide
to
more
than
250,000
cubic
yards
(
Grobe,
2002b).
TxDOT
is
expected
to
be
the
largest
governmental
purchaser
of
compost,
some
of
which
includes
manure,
over
the
next
few
years.

TxDOT
has
already
used
more
than
170,000
cubic
yards
of
manure
across
the
state
(
Markwardt,
2002).

This
use
is
expected
to
increase
dramatically
as
projects
progress.
TxDOT
has
also
identified
projects
among
its
participating
districts
that
will
use
in
excess
of
160,000
cubic
yardsCmore
than
half
of
its
commitment
for
the
3­
year
project.
TxDOT
has
been
using
compost
for
both
construction
and
maintenance
activities
(
TNRCC,
2002).
It
will
soon
be
expanding
use
of
compost
for
filter
berms,
which
are
placed
across
water
channels
to
filter
the
water
(
Markwardt,
2002).

TxDOT
has
developed
new
specifications
and
revised
others
to
increase
compost
use
among
its
districts.
These
cover
proper
application
and
use
of
compost
for
controlling
erosion
and
sedimentation,
and
for
establishing
vegetation
on
roadsides
after
construction
and
maintenance
activities
(
TNRCC,
2002).
The
State
of
Texas
also
offers
public
agencies
incentives
for
purchasing
compost
manure
(
Johnson,
2002).
For
example,
the
Texas
Commission
on
Environmental
Quality
approached
TxDOT
to
purchase
more
compost
in
order
to
help
alleviate
manure
problems
and
associated
water
quality
issues
in
certain
regions
of
Texas.

TxDOT
is
taking
part
in
an
EPA
buy­
back
program,
in
which
EPA
pays
TxDOT
$
5
per
cubic
yard
of
compost
that
TxDOT
purchases
from
this
region
(
Markwardt,
2002).

The
Idaho
Department
Of
Transportation
is
also
purchasing
manure
compost
for
use
in
new
road
construction
and
reclamation.
Magic
Valley
Compost
conducts
25
percent
of
their
business
with
the
Idaho
Department
Of
Transportation,
which
purchased
approximately
30,000
tons
in
the
last
4
years.
The
average
size
of
the
projects
is
4
to
5
thousand
tons
(
Mallet,
2002).
16
Government
agencies
typically
use
compost
and
fertilizers
for
numerous
applications,
such
as
landscaping,
agriculture,
bioremediation,
roadside
maintenance,
and
erosion
control.
Although
EPA
does
not
know
the
exact
amounts
of
these
materials
used
by
agencies,
we
believe
it
is
significant,
and
that
manure
compost
could
be
used
in
many
of
these
applications.

8.
Purchasing
Barriers
Several
efforts
and
initiatives
should
reduce
any
barriers
to
purchasing
manure
compost.
For
example,
the
U.
S.
Composting
Council's
TMECC,
which
include
material
testing
guidelines
to
ensure
product
safety
and
market
claims,
and
STA,
which
includes
standards
for
testing
procedures,
will
bring
consistency
to
the
industry
and
ensure
quality
assurance/
quality
control.
In
addition,
agencies
will
be
encouraged
and
find
it
easier
to
purchase
manure
compost
as
a
result
of
USDA's
impending
biobased
product
guidelines,
required
in
the
recently
passed
Farm
Bill.
Executive
Order
13101
also
encourages
the
purchase
of
biobased
products.

Although
using
manure
compost
for
certain
applications
may
involve
higher
initial
costs,
EPA
believes
over
the
long
term,
manure
compost
will
be
cost­
effective.

Potting
soil,
top
soil,
and
peat
moss
have
long
established
markets
that
could
make
it
difficult
for
manure
compost
to
increase
in
overall
market
share
(
Wright,
2002).
17
9.
Manufacturers,
Distributors,
and
Other
Contacts
a.
Product
Manufacturers
and
Distributors
Contacted
Cody
Johnson
Texas
Best
Compost
P.
O.
Box
1193
Stephenville,
TX
76401
Phone:
254
445­
3500
Web
site:
www.
texasbest.
net
Sean
Mallett
Magic
Valley
Compost
Street
76
North
400
West
Jerome,
ID
83338
Phone:
208
324­
4536
E­
Mail:
SeanMallett@
msn.
com
b.
Government
Contacts
Scott
McCoy
Texas
Natural
Resource
Conservation
Commission
P.
O.
Box
13087
Austin,
TX
78711­
3087
Phone:
512
239­
6774
E­
mail:
smccoy@
tnrcc.
state.
tx.
us
Web
site:
www.
tnrcc.
state.
tx.
us
Dennis
Markwardt
Texas
Department
of
Transportation
­
Vegetation
Management
125
E.
11th
Street
Austin,
TX
78701­
2483
Phone:
512
416­
3093
Web
site:
www.
dot.
state.
tx.
us/
18
Jean
M.
Schwab
U.
S.
Environmental
Protection
Agency
(
5305W)
Ariel
Rios
Building
1200
Pennsylvania
Avenue,
NW
Washington,
DC
20460
Phone:
703
308­
8669
E­
mail:
schwab.
jean@
epa.
gov
c.
Other
Contacts
Stuart
Buckner
U.
S.
Composting
Council
200
Parkway
Drive
South,
Suite
310
Hauppauge,
NY
11788
Phone:
631
864­
2567
E­
mail:
sbuckner_@
hotmail.
com
Web
site:
www.
compostingcouncil.
org
Cindy
Douglas
Organic
Materials
Review
Institute
Box
11558
Eugene,
OR
97440
Phone:
541
343­
7600
E­
mail:
cdouglas@
omri.
org
Dr.
Bob
Rynk
Biocycle
MagazineCThe
JG
Press,
Inc.
419
State
Avenue
Emmaus,
PA
18049
Phone:
610
967­
4135
ext.
27
E­
mail:
rrynk@
jgpress.
com
Web
site:
www.
jgpress.
com/
biocycle
19
10.
References
Alberta
Agriculture,
Food,
and
Rural
Development,
2002:
<
www.
agric.
gov.
ab.
ca/
sustain/
grnhouse_
gas/

greenhousegas0102.
html>,
"
Greenhouse
Gas
Emissions
from
Composting
of
Agricultural
Wastes,"
2002
Batsell,
2002:
Batsell,
Jake,
"
USDA
`
organic'
label
moves
industry
into
mainstream",
Seattle
Times,
October,
2002.

CES,
2002:
<
www.
ces.
uga.
edu/
pubcd/
b1200.
htm>,
Cooperative
Extension
Service,
The
University
of
Georgia
College
of
Agricultural
and
Environmental
Sciences,
2002.

CIMWB,
2002:
<
www.
cimwb.
ca.
gov/
organics/>,
California
Integrated
Waste
Management
Board,
2002.

Colorado
State
University,
2002:
<
www.
ext.
colostate.
edu/
PUBS/
GARDEN/
07235.
html>,
Colorado
State
University
Cooperative
Extension,
"
Choosing
a
Soil
Amendment,"
2002.

Cramer,
2002:
Cramer,
Allen
W.,
"
Manure
Compost
Marketing
Guide,"
Washington
State
University
Cooperative
Extension,
2002.

Douglas,
2002:
Douglas,
Cindy,
Organic
Materials
Review
Institute,
personal
communication,
December
2002.

Ecochem,
2002:
<
ecochem.
com/
t_
manure_
fert.
html>,
Echochem,
June
2002.

Government
of
Saskatchewan,
2002:
<
www.
agr.
gov.
sk.
ca/
docs/
crops/
integrated_
pest_
management/

Soil_
fertility_
fertilizers/
CompostManure02.
asp/>,
Government
of
Saskatchewan,
Agriculture,
Food
and
Rural
Revitalization,
"
Composting
Solid
Manure,"
2002.

Grobe,
2002a:
Grobe,
Karin,
Biocycle
Magazine,
"
Integrating
Compost
Making
on
an
Organic
Farm,"
April
2002.

Grobe,
2002b:
Grobe,
Karin,
Biocycle
Magazine,
"
Increasing
Compost
Use
Along
the
Mexican­
U.
S.
Border,"
March
2002.
20
Johnson,
2002:
Johnson,
Cody,
Texas
Best
Compost,
Stephenville,
Texas,
personal
communication,
July
8,
2002.

Mallet,
2002:
Mallett,
Sean,
Magic
Valley
Compost,
Jerome,
Idaho,
personal
communication,
July
9,
2002.

Markwardt,
2002:
Markwardt,
Dennis,
Texas
Department
of
Transportation,
Vegetation
Management,
personal
communication,
October
4,
2002.

OTA,
2002:
<
www.
ota.
com/
facts_
manure.
htm>,
Organic
Trade
Association,
"
Manure
Use
and
Agricultural
Practices,"
2002.

Recycling
and
Composting
Online,
2002:
<
www.
recycle.
cc/
compostregs.
htm>,
State
composting
regulations,
2002.

Rynk,
2002a:
Rynk,
Bob,
Biocycle
Magazine,
"
Composter
Moves
Nutrients,
Organic
Matter
from
Generators
to
Users",
February
2002.

Rynk,
2002b:
Rynk,
Bob,
Biocycle
Magazine,
personal
communication,
December
2002.

Rynk,
2002c:
Rynk,
Bob,
Biocycle
Magazine,
personal
communication,
May
and
July
2002.

TMECC,
2002:
<
www.
tmecc.
org/
tmecc/
index.
html>,
Test
Methods
for
the
Examination
of
Composting
and
Compost,
The
U.
S.
Composting
Council,
May
2002.

TNRCC,
2002:<
www.
tnrcc.
state.
tx.
us/
exec/
oppr/
compost/
largescale.
html>,
Texas
Natural
Resource
Conservation
Commission,
May
2002.

USCC,
2002:
<
www.
compostingcouncil.
org/
article.
cfm?
id=
20>,
"
AAPFCO
­
Compost
Bill",
U.
S.
Composting
Council,
July
2002.

USDA,
2002:
<
www.
ams.
usda.
gov/
nop/
standards/
ProdHandReg.
html>,
U.
S.
Department
of
Agriculture,
National
Organics
Program,
Regulatory
text:
Section
205.203,
2002.

U.
S.
DOT,
1996:
U.
S.
Department
of
Transportation,
Standard
Specifications
for
Construction
of
Roads
and
Bridges
on
Federal
Highway
Projects,
Section
713.05
(
f),
1996.
21
U.
S.
EPA,
1992:
U.
S.
Environmental
Protection
Agency,
Managing
Nonpoint
Source
Pollution,
Office
of
Water,
Washington
DC,
EPA­
841­
R­
92­
101,
1992.

U.
S.
EPA,
1996:
U.
S.
Environmental
Protection
Agency,
Extension
Circular
425,
1996.

U.
S.
EPA,
1999:
U.
S.
Environmental
Protection
Agency,
Organic
Materials
Management
Strategies,
Office
of
Solid
Waste
and
Emergency
Response,
Washington,
DC,
EPA530­
R­
99­
016,
July
1999.

U.
S.
EPA,
2000:
<
www.
epa.
gov/
globalwarming/
greenhouse/
greenhouse11/
sink.
html>,
Inside
the
Greenhouse,
EPA430­
N­
005,
Summer
2000.

Wright,
2002:
Wright,
R.
J,
"
Agricultural
Byproducts
­
Executive
Summary,"
U.
S.
Department
of
Agriculture,
May
2002.
CPG5:
OrganicFertilizers
22
ORGANIC
FERTILIZERS
1.
Item
Description
As
directed
by
the
U.
S.
Environmental
Protection
Agency,
Eastern
Research
Group
(
ERG)

conducted
research
on
organic
fertilizer
use
in
the
United
States.
Although
compost
has
some
fertilizer
qualities,
for
the
purposes
of
the
CPG,
compost
is
considered
a
separate
category
and
is
not
included
in
this
discussion
of
organic
fertilizers.

The
U.
S.
Department
of
Agriculture
(
USDA)
defines
a
fertilizer
as
"
A
single
or
blended
substance
containing
one
or
more
recognized
plant
nutrient(
s)
which
is
used
primarily
for
its
plant
nutrient
content
and
which
is
designed
for
use
or
claimed
to
have
value
in
promoting
plant
growth"(
USDA,
2002).

All
plants
and
crops
require
nutrients
(
both
macro
and
micro)
to
fully
develop.
While
some
of
the
required
macronutrients,
such
as
oxygen
and
hydrogen,
are
readily
available
from
the
atmosphere,
many
of
the
other
necessary
nutrients
that
are
found
in
the
soil
such
as
nitrogen,
phosphorus,
and
potassium
can
often
be
in
very
short
supply.
In
addition,
once
a
crop
is
harvested,
many
of
the
nutrients
that
it
relies
on
for
healthy
development
and
full
maturation
are
permanently
removed
with
it
from
the
soil.
In
order
to
compensate
for
this
limited
supply
of
vital
nutrients
and
to
provide
the
plant
with
the
necessary
environment
to
fully
mature,
fertilizers
are
often
added
to
the
soil.
The
most
essential
nutrients
 
nitrogen,

phosphorus,
and
potassium
 
are
often
expressed
as
the
N­
P­
K
ratio
following
the
name
of
a
fertilizer
(
e.
g.,

10­
10­
10).

Many
sources
of
organic
matter
are
available
for
the
production
of
organic
fertilizers,
including
plant
and
animal
by­
products,
manure­
based/
biosolid
products,
and
rock
and
mineral
powders.
CPG5:
OrganicFertilizers
23
Organic
fertilizers
can
be
used
to
replace
traditional
chemical
fertilizers
in
various
applications,

such
as
agriculture
and
crop
production,
landscaping,
horticulture,
parks
and
other
recreational
facilities,

on
school
campuses,
and
for
golf
course
and
turf
maintenance.

The
following
is
a
list
of
the
more
commonly
utilized
sources
of
organic
matter
that
is
used
to
produce
organic
fertilizers
(
all
Hall,
1998,
unless
otherwise
noted):

Plant
By­
Products
Alfalfa
meal:
Contains
around
three
percent
nitrogen
and
is
commonly
used
as
animal
feed.
It
is
an
excellent
fertilizer
material
for
horticultural
applications
due
to
the
fact
that
it
contains
the
hormone,
Triacontanol,
a
plant
growth
regulator
which
makes
its
mineral
content
more
effective
as
plant
nutrients
(
Extremely
Green
Gardening
Products
Co.,
2002).

Cottonseed
meal:
A
by­
product
of
cottonseed
oil
manufacturing,
it
is
a
rich
source
of
nitrogen
(
around
7
percent).
It
is
often
sold
in
the
form
of
meal,
cake,
flakes,
or
pellets.

Fruit
pomaces:
These
are
what
remain
after
the
juice
is
squeezed
from
the
fruit.
They
are
normally
heavy,
wet
products
and
are
more
effective
when
composted
before
use.

Soybean
meal:
Contains
about
7
percent
nitrogen
and
is
similar
to
alfalfa
in
that
it
is
most
commonly
used
as
a
protein
supplement
for
animal
feed.
Soybean
meal
can
be
a
very
effective
organic
fertilizer,
however
is
usually
quite
expensive.

Wood
ash:
Wood
ash
is
the
residue
that
remains
after
the
combustion
of
wood
or
unbleached
wood
fiber.
It
has
the
potential
to
be
used
as
a
lime
substitute.

Seaweed:
Usually
is
made
of
kelp
that
has
been
harvested,
dried,
and
ground.
However
it
may
also
be
available
in
soluble
solutions
for
foliar
spray
applications.
Seaweed
has
been
found
to
contain
beneficial
biostimulants
that
stimulate
growth
and
increase
yields
of
a
wide
variety
of
crops
(
Agro­
Organics,
Inc.,
2002)
For
the
most
part,
none
of
the
micronutrients
found
in
seaweed
extracts
is
present
in
a
sufficient
quantity
to
solely
correct
deficiencies
found
in
most
soils,
however
CPG5:
OrganicFertilizers
24
seaweed
extracts
applied
as
"
tonics"
have
been
accepted
by
many
in
the
organic
agricultural
community
due
to
their
broad
array
of
micronutrients.

Animal
By­
Products
Blood
meal:
Blood
collected
from
slaughterhouse
operations,
which
has
been
dried
and
made
into
a
powder.
It
contains
about
12
percent
nitrogen.
Once
collected,
blood
is
placed
in
on­
site
cooling
tanks
that
utilize
agitation
to
prevent
coagulation
of
the
fresh
blood.
The
blood
is
then
delivered
to
drying
plants
where
it
is
centrifuged
to
remove
foreign
material.
It
is
then
spray
dried
at
low
temperatures
and
pulverized
into
a
powder
(
Ingredients101.
com,
2002).

Bone
meal:
Produced
from
animal
bones
that
have
been
discarded
during
the
processing
of
meat.
It
is
a
very
rich
source
of
phosphorus,
typically
containing
around
12
percent.
Bone
meal
is
available
in
several
different
forms:
fresh
bone
meal
(
green
bone
meal),
bone
meal
(
raw
bone
meal),
steamed
bone
meal,
and
bone
meal
ash.

Feather
meal:
A
common
by­
product
of
the
poultry
slaughter
industry.
Feather
meal
usually
contains
between
7
and
10
percent
nitrogen.
The
nature
of
feathers
is
such
that
they
tend
to
break
down
and
release
their
nitrogen
much
more
slowly
than
other
fertilizers
of
the
same
price.
Feather
meal
is
produced
by
cooking
feathers
in
a
pressurized
chamber.
The
resulting
meal
is
then
dried
and
ground
into
a
powdered
end
product.

Fish
meal:
The
clean,
dried
ground
tissue
of
undercooked
whole
fish
or
fish
cuttings,
it
contains
roughly
10
percent
nitrogen
and
about
6
percent
phosphorus.
It
is
most
commonly
used
as
an
additive
for
animal
feed,
but
can
also
be
used
as
a
fertilizer
(
Divakaran,
1987).
Fish
meal
is
produced
by
cooking
raw
fish
material
to
break
down
some
of
the
protein.
The
resulting
slurry
is
then
dehydrated
through
a
steam
heating
process
(
Brookefield
Engineering,
1999).

Fish
emulsion:
Nutrient
contents
usually
vary,
depending
on
the
preparation
method,
but
the
nitrogen
content
is
typically
4
percent
regardless.
Fish
emulsion
is
sometimes
fortified
with
chemical
fertilizers.
This
is
usually
the
case
when
nitrogen
content
is
above
5
percent.
CPG5:
OrganicFertilizers
25
Leather
meal:
Ground
tannery
waste,
it
usually
contains
10
percent
nitrogen.
Leather
meal
is
prohibited
in
organic
agriculture
because
it
often
contains
about
3
percent
added
chromium.

Manure­
Based/
Biosolid
products
Poultry
manure/
litter:
Usually
contains
between
2
and
5
percent
of
each
of
the
vital
nutrients.
Most
manure/
litter
fertilizers
are
available
in
a
pelletized
form
(
see
below)
(
Hall,
1998).

Sewage
sludge:
Typically
available
in
two
forms:
activated
(
6­
3­
0)
and
composted
(
1­
2­
0)
(
Master
Garden
Products,
2002).
Sewage
sludge
provides
soil
with
organic
matter
and
a
number
of
nutrients.
It
is
often
marketed
in
a
solid
form
with
little
odor.
CPG5:
OrganicFertilizers
26
Rock
and
Mineral
Powders
When
considering
the
use
of
natural
materials
like
rock,
it
is
important
to
realize
that
there
is
very
little
consistency
from
one
batch
to
another.
What
applies
in
one
region
might
not
be
pertinent
in
another
region.

Granite
dust:
Granite
is
mostly
feldspar,
a
mineral
that
is
high
in
potassium
but
has
a
very
low
solubility.
This
is
due
to
the
fact
that
feldspar
is
very
tightly
bound
in
its
mineral
structure.

Glauconite:
Commonly
sold
as
green
sand,
it
is
another
source
of
"
slowly
available"
potassium.
Green
sand
is
said
to
have
desirable
effects
on
soil
structure,
however
its
high
price
usually
limits
its
use
to
high­
value
horticultural
applications.

Biotite
(
black
mica)
Contains
several
percent
potassium,
which,
due
to
its
structure
(
unlike
that
of
feldspar
and
greensand),
is
relatively
available
in
microbially
active
environments.
When
pure
biotite
can
be
procured
at
a
reasonable
price,
it
can
be
cost­
effective
and
useful.

Organic
fertilizers
are
available
in
many
forms,
including:
liquid
solutions,
granular
powders,
and
solid
pellets.
However,
most
organic
fertilizers
that
are
manure­
based,
namely
poultry
fertilizer,
are
available
in
pellet
form.
The
process
by
which
manure­
based
organic
fertilizing
pellets
are
produced
(
known
as
pelletization)
is
as
follows:
1)
excess
litter
is
collected
from
farms;
2)
litter
is
transported
to
fertilizer
pellet
production
facilities;
3)
litter
is
heat­
pasteurized
to
destroy
harmful
bacteria;
4)
dried
litter
is
passed
through
a
hammer
mill
where
it
is
reduced
to
the
consistency
of
sand;
5)
granulated
litter
is
transported
to
a
pellet
mill
where
the
litter
is
formed
into
small
pellets;
6)
Pellets
are
cooled
to
ambient
air
temperature
to
ensure
product
quality
(
Perdue,
2002).

Sewage
sludge
is
mostly
marketed
in
a
pelletized
form.
There
are
plants
in
several
cities
across
the
country
that
produce
sludge
pellets,
including
Baltimore,
Boston.
Houston,
New
York
City,
and
Tampa.

Milwaukee
has
produced
sludge
pellets
for
60­
some
years
now.
Sludge
pellets
can
be
made
in
a
variety
of
ways.
The
following
is
one
of
the
more
typical
methods
that
is
employed:
CPG5:
OrganicFertilizers
27
Raw
sewage
is
separated
into
wastewater
and
solids.
The
wastewater
is
chemically
disinfected
with
chlorine
and
then
discharged.
The
solid
material
(
raw
sludge)
is
placed
into
digesters
where
microbes
decompose
the
organic
solids
and
destroy
most
of
the
disease­
causing
pathogens.
This
sludge,
which
can
contain
up
to
97
percent
water,
is
then
mixed
with
a
coagulating
agent
and
pressed
with
wide
fabric
belts.

This
acts
to
remove
water
and
compress
the
sludge
into
sheets.
The
resulting
solid
(
referred
to
as
sludge
cake)
is
then
baked
in
a
"
tumble­
drying"
oven
that
destroys
all
pathogens
and
bacteria,
removes
up
to
90
percent
of
the
remaining
water,
and
rotates
the
sludge
into
the
final
product
(
DeCocq,
Gray,
and
Churchill
1998).

2.
Recovered
Materials
Content
Organic
fertilizers
contain
up
to
100
percent
recovered
materials
and
can
have
a
mixture
of
various
plant,
animal,
and
mineral
content
depending
on
the
desired
use
and
the
manufacturer.

Most
manure­
based
organic
fertilizer
pellets
contain
100
percent
litter,
and
have
no
additional
products
added.
There
are
other
animal­
based
fertilizer
pellets,
such
as
those
containing
fish
and
bone
meal
that
use
a
similar
pelletization
process.
Many
of
these,
however,
have
additional
organic
material
added,

such
as
feather
meal,
alfalfa
meal,
and
sunflower
seed
hull
ash
(
Hall,
1998).

Poultry
fertilizer
typically
is
produced
from
poultry
house
litter,
which
includes
the
bedding
material,
manure,
feathers,
and
spilled
food.
Bedding
is
used
with
broiler
chickens
and
turkeys
and
may
be
made
from
sawdust,
wood
shavings,
peanut
or
rice
hulls,
or
paper
(
Arkansas
Tech
University,
2002).
It
is
organic,
but
contains
minimal
nutritional
value.
A
litter
base
consists
of
litter
with
added
chemical
components,
such
as
urea,
sulphate
of
potash,
di­
ammonia
phosphate,
iron,
or
other
chemicals.
Third­
party
companies
are
often
hired
to
clean
farms
and
then
store
and
dry
the
poultry
litter.
This
litter
can
then
be
purchased
by
companies
for
processing
into
fertilizer
(
Holmeister,
2002).
CPG5:
OrganicFertilizers
28
3.
Impact
on
Solid
Waste
The
use
of
organic
fertilizers
can
help
reduce
the
amount
of
agricultural
by­
products,

manufacturing
and
processing
waste,
and
other
materials
that
would
otherwise
have
to
be
disposed,

stockpiled,
or
treated.
Organic
materials
may
be
combined
with
other
waste
materials,
such
as
saw
dust
or
wood
shavings,
as
is
the
case
with
poultry
fertilizer.
The
amount
of
these
wastes
diverted
from
the
waste
stream
varies
depending
on
the
materials
used
and
the
size
of
the
farm
or
agricultural
activity
that
supplies
the
materials.

Poultry
litter,
in
particular,
presents
a
great
opportunity
for
diversion
of
waste
material.
Poultry
litter
is
collected
on
farms
and
is
sometimes
applied
directly
onto
crop
lands
(
Holmeister,
2002).
Perdue­

AgriRecycle's
pelleted
poultry
fertilizer
diverts
approximately
149,000
tons,
or
19
percent,
of
excess
poultry
litter
from
the
solid
waste
stream
in
Delaware
annually
(
Ferguson,
2002).
It
was
estimated
that
in
1997,
the
annual
production
of
poultry
litter
totaled
19.8
million
tons,
with
chickens
producing
14.4
million
tons
and
turkeys
producing
5.4
million
tons
(
Farm
Sanctuary
Newsletter,
1998).

Conventional
alternatives
to
pelletizing
sewage
sludge/
biosolids
as
a
means
of
disposal
include
landfilling,
deep
sea
dumping,
and
incineration.
One
biosolid
pellet
production
facility
in
Quincy,

Massachusetts,
has
the
capacity
to
produce
62,000
dry
tons
of
pellets
annually
(
DeCocq,
Gray,
and
Churchill,
1998).

4.
Technical
Feasibility
and
Performance
a.
Regulations
and
Guidelines
U.
S.
Code
Title
7,
Chapter
94,
which
governs
organic
certification,
only
applies
to
agricultural
food
products.
However,
it
does
state
that
to
be
certified
organic,
a
farm
must
not
use
fertilizers
containing
synthetic
ingredients
or
any
fertilizer
that
uses
phosphorus,
lime,
or
potash
as
its
source
of
nitrogen
CPG5:
OrganicFertilizers
29
(
Cornell,
2002).
In
general,
states
regulate
fertilizers
through
labeling
and
permit
requirements
(
Scott,

2002).

The
National
Organic
Program
of
the
U.
S.
Department
of
Agriculture
(
USDA)
has
developed
rules
governing
organic
products,
which
may
be
grown
with
organic
fertilizers.
However,
the
program
does
not
apply
to
the
fertilizers
themselves
(
USDA,
2002).
In
addition,
USDA,
pursuant
to
the
recently
passed
Farm
Bill,
will
be
issuing
guidelines
on
biobased
products,
which
would
support
the
use
of
fertilizers
made
from
plant
or
animal
matter.

The
Organic
Materials
Review
Institute
(
OMRI)
has
developed
guidelines
and
lists
of
materials
allowed
and
prohibited
for
use
in
the
production,
processing,
and
handling
of
organically
grown
products.

OMRI
is
a
501(
c)(
3)
nonprofit
organization
with
the
mission
of
publishing
and
disseminating
generic
and
specific
(
brand
name)
lists
of
materials
allowed
and
prohibited
for
use
in
the
production,
processing,
and
handling
of
organic
food
and
fiber
(
OMRI,
2002).

A
contact
with
the
National
Park
Service
(
NPS)
emphasized
the
importance
of
knowing
the
chemistry
of
the
soil
before
applying
fertilizer.
Many
times,
this
will
influence
the
type
of
fertilizer
needed.

For
example,
for
much
of
NPS's
land
in
Washington,
DC,
the
soil
is
already
quite
high
in
phosphorus.

Therefore,
one
of
the
chemical
fertilizers
NPS
uses
has
a
18­
2­
18
analysis,
which
provides
only
2
percent
by
weight
of
phosphorus
and
higher
levels
of
nitrogen
and
potassium.
The
contact
also
added
that
NPS
follows
certain
general
guidelines,
such
as
aerating
the
soil
before
applying
fertilizer,
which
reduces
nonpoint
source
runoff
if
it
rains
soon
after
application
(
Defeo,
2002).

b.
Benefits
Organic
fertilizers
have
the
potential
to
provide
various
benefits:

$
Improve
physical
soil
properties,
either
directly
or
by
activating
living
organisms
in
the
soil.

$
Provide
better
soil
structure
as
a
result
of
soil
loosening
and
crumb
stabilization.

$
Increase
water­
holding
capacity
and
soil
aeration.
CPG5:
OrganicFertilizers
30
$
Enhance
uptake
and
utilization
of
plant
nutrients,
which
leads
to
increased
pathogen
resistance
and
hardiness.

$
Slow
the
leaching
of
nutrients
from
soil,
resulting
in
extended
availability
through
the
growing
season.

(
Quantumwide,
2002)

Chemical
fertilizers
can
be
a
major
source
of
groundwater
pollution
because
the
nitrogen
is
in
such
a
soluble
form
that
it
tends
to
leach
from
the
point
of
application.
Chemical
fertilizers
can
injure
plants
if
they
aren't
washed
or
brushed
off
foliage
(
Clemson,
2002).

According
to
one
manufacturer
of
a
liquid
organic
fertilizer
made
from
fish
and
fish
frames
obtained
from
a
filleting
operation,
one­
fourth
to
one­
half
the
total
nitrogen
per
acre
should
be
used
when
using
the
fish­
based
fertilizer
compared
to
the
recommended
equivalent
of
chemical
fertilizers
(
Sandent
Co.,
2002).
However,
this
high
nitrogen
property
is
unique
to
fish
fertilizers.
Typically,
the
nitrogen
level
of
organic
fertilizers
is
lower,
so
more
product
must
be
applied
per
acre
(
Defeo,
2002).
The
same
manufacturer
states
that
the
gradual
release
by
microorganisms
in
the
soil
for
plant
use
provides
a
much
more
efficient
transfer
of
nutrients
from
the
fertilizer
to
the
plant,
and
leaching
is
virtually
eliminated.

Furthermore,
the
company
says
that
the
alkaline
fraction
of
the
soil
will
continue
to
be
reduced
because
organic
fertilizers
do
not
utilize
salt
as
a
carrier
(
Sandent
Co.,
2002).

As
previously
mentioned,
nitrogen
in
an
organic
fertilizer
is
slow
in
becoming
available
for
plant
use
because
the
nutrient
must
be
reduced
by
microorganisms
before
it
can
be
utilized.
As
such,
one
potential
drawback
to
organic
fertilizers
is
that
they
may
not
release
enough
of
their
principal
nutrient
at
a
time
to
give
the
plant
what
it
needs
for
best
growth.
However,
because
organic
fertilizers
release
their
nutrients
slowly,
it
is
almost
impossible
to
kill
lawns
or
plants
by
applying
too
much,
which
is
not
the
case
with
chemical
fertilizers
(
Homestore,
2002).

The
contact
from
NPS
indicated
that
it
is
possible
to
find
chemical
fertilizers
that
have
a
high
percentage
of
water­
insoluble
nitrogen,
which
is
more
slowly
released
than
water­
soluble
nitrogen,

mitigating
some
of
the
risk
of
leaching
associated
with
water­
soluble
nitrogen
(
Defeo,
2002).
CPG5:
OrganicFertilizers
31
There
are
some
drawbacks
associated
with
certain
organic
fertilizers.
One
drawback
to
cottonseed
meal
is
that
there
are
often
harmful
residues
in
the
seeds
as
a
result
of
insecticide
applications
to
cotton.
As
a
result,
most
organic
certification
programs
prohibit
the
use
of
cottonseed
meal.
Although
wood
ash
can
be
an
effective
fertilizer,
it
may
be
contaminated
with
heavy
metals
or
plastic,
it
often
has
a
high
salt
content,
it
is
rather
alkaline,
and
excessive
use
can
be
damaging
to
soils.
If
not
used
properly,
blood
meal
can
burn
plants
with
ammonia,
lose
much
of
its
nitrogen
through
volatilization,
or
encourage
fungal
growth.
The
most
significant
problem
with
sludge
fertilizer
is
the
heavy
metals
from
industrial
waste
and
the
assorted
chemical
contaminants
from
various
things
poured
down
drains.
Contamination
by
these
heavy
metals
and
chemicals
makes
sludge
fertilizers
unsuitable
for
application
on
food
crops.
At
least
38
states
regulate
the
production
of
sludge
fertilizer
and
its
use
is
prohibited
in
all
certified
organic
production
(
Hall,

1998).

5.
Economic
Feasibility
Organic
fertilizers
may
be
more
expensive
than
chemical
fertilizers
(
Clemson,
2002).
The
contact
at
Perdue­
AgriRecycle
indicated
that
the
company's
poultry
fertilizer
is
marketed
commercially
and
is
priced
similar
to
the
general
fertilizer
market
(
Ferguson,
2002).
In
particular,
blood
meal
and
bone
meal
are
typically
very
expensive
(
Hall,
2002).
A
contact
with
the
National
Park
Service
(
NPS)
indicated
that
the
organic
fertilizers
they
use
cost
$.
40
to
$.
50
per
pound,
and
the
chemical
fertilizer
they
use
costs
only
$.
20
per
pound.
Moreover,
if
a
property
required
a
typical
application
of
45
pounds
of
nitrogen
per
acre,
it
would
require
800
pounds
of
the
organic
fertilizer
vs.
200
pounds
of
the
chemical
fertilizer,
further
increasing
the
cost.
NPS
uses
both
types
of
fertilizer,
but
the
contact
indicated
that
they
are
probably
more
likely
than
other
agencies
to
use
a
higher
level
of
organics
based
simply
on
the
nature
of
their
work
(
Defeo,

2002).

6.
Availability
and
Competition
There
are
only
a
few
organic
fertilizer
companies
that
operate
nationally,
most
have
local
or
regional
sales.
According
to
a
contact
at
the
Organic
Trade
Institute,
there
are
approximately
150
to
200
CPG5:
OrganicFertilizers
32
organic
fertilizer
manufacturers
and
another
200
or
more
companies
that
manufacture
conventional
and
some
organic
products.
These
manufacturers
vary
in
size,
products,
as
well
as
the
markets
that
they
serve
(
Wolf,
2002).

An
organic
farmers
survey
conducted
by
the
Organic
Farming
Research
Foundation
in
Santa
Cruz,

California,
indicates
that
more
farmers
use
available
on­
farm
materials,
rather
than
off­
farm
materials
(
fertilizers,
organic
minerals,
etc.)
as
soil
amendments.
Those
who
do
purchase
off­
farm
materials
prefer
organic
fertilizers
and
soil
amendments
to
inorganic
materials
(
Walz,
1999).

The
increasing
size
of
poultry
facilities
and
the
frequent
cleaning
out
of
many
poultry
operations
make
poultry
manure
available
in
sufficient
quantities
and
on
a
timely
basis
to
supply
most
fertilizer
production
needs
(
Sloan,
Kidder,
and
Jacobs,
1996).
Markets
for
poultry
fertilizer
markets
are
generally
local,
but
there
are
various
manufacturers
of
poultry
fertilizer
products
operating
in
different
states,

including
Delaware,
Maryland,
Arkansas,
Indiana,
Mississippi,
Missouri
and
Pennsylvania
(
Ferguson,

2002).

7.
Government
Purchasing
Most
government
agencies
would
likely
purchase
fertilizers
indirectly
via
a
contracted
landscaping
service.
However,
a
contact
with
the
National
Park
Service
indicated
that
an
agency
is
at
liberty
to
specify
a
particular
type
or
nutrient
analysis
for
any
type
of
fertilizer
(
organic
or
synthetic)
they
would
like
to
use
for
a
particular
application.
NPS
uses
mainly
two
types
of
organic
fertilizerCa
product
called
Milorganite,

which
is
a
pelleted
form
made
from
biosolids,
and
Fertile
Grow,
which
is
made
from
poultry
litter.
The
contact
said
that
NPS
will
almost
automatically
use
organic
fertilizers
for
a
special
event
for
which
the
funding
is
being
provided
from
outside
the
agency.
For
example,
for
an
event
on
the
National
Mall,
such
as
the
Million
Man
March,
NPS
would
use
organic
fertilizer
when
re­
sodding
following
the
event.
Still,
due
to
economics,
using
organic
fertilizer
for
all
applications
would
be
cost­
prohibited,
according
to
the
contact.

Their
general
use
fertilizer
is
a
an
18­
2­
2
chemical
fertilizer
(
Defeo,
2002)
CPG5:
OrganicFertilizers
33
Natural
Organic
Products
International
sells
some
poultry
fertilizer
to
local
cities
and
townships.

The
State
of
Florida
also
plans
to
purchase
some
poultry
fertilizer
for
use
in
median
landscaping
(
Holmeister,
2002).
One
manufacturer
of
organic
fertilizer
that
ERG
contacted
sells
their
product
to
wholesale
distributors,
which
is
then
sold
to
nurseries,
golf
courses,
and
gardening
stores.
Many
city
Parks
and
Recreation
Departments,
such
as
the
Town
of
Shawnee
near
Kansas
City,
are
moving
towards
purchasing
more
organic
fertilizer
because
they
find
them
safer
than
chemical
fertilizer
for
children
using
those
parks
(
Scott,
2002).

The
Texas
Department
of
Transportation
(
TxDOT)
is
currently
purchasing
organic
fertilizer
for
use
by
its
Houston
District.
The
organic
fertilizer
are
purchased
through
local
suppliers.
A
contact
at
TxDOT
indicated
that
the
purchase
of
organic
fertilizer
will
be
increasing
in
the
future
(
Markwardt,
2002).

8.
Purchasing
Barriers
According
contacts
at
NPS
and
the
General
Services
Administration,
there
are
no
known
requirements
or
regulations
that
would
prohibit
government
agencies
from
procuring
organic
fertilizers
(
McMahon,
2002
and
Hicks,
2002).
However,
the
higher
cost
of
organic
fertilizer
could
likely
make
them
prohibitively
expensive
for
overall
use
by
most
agencies.

9.
Manufacturers,
Distributors,
and
Other
Contacts
a.
Manufacturers
and
Distributors
Tom
Ferguson,
Director
or
Litter
Services
Perdue­
AgriRecycle,
LLC
28338
Enviro
Way
Seaford,
DE
19973
Phone:
302
628­
2360
Web
site:
www.
perdue.
com/
corporate/
perdue_
agrirecycle_
com.
asp?
link=
2&
item=
23
CPG5:
OrganicFertilizers
34
Dan
Holmeister
Natural
Organic
Products
International,
Inc
710
S.
Rossiter
Street
Mount
Dora,
FL.
Phone:
352
383­
8252
E­
mail:
naturalway2002@
yahoo.
com
Web
site:
www.
naturalorganicproductsinternational.
com/
frames.
html
Bob
Scott
Bradfield
Industries
610A
E.
Battlefield
#
203
Springfield,
Missouri,
65807
Phone:
417
882­
1442
Web
site:
www.
bradfieldind.
com
b.
Government
Contacts
Robert
Defeo
U.
S.
Department
of
Interior
National
Park
Service
Washington,
DC
Phone:
202
619­
7148
E­
mail:
robert_
defeo@
nps.
gov
Bill
Hicks
General
Services
Administration
(
GSA)
Phone:
817
978­
4428
Dennis
Markwardt
Texas
Department
of
Transportation
­
Vegetation
Management
125
E.
11th
Street
Austin,
TX
78701­
2483
Phone:
512
416­
3093
Web
site:
www.
dot.
state.
tx.
us/

c.
Other
Contacts
Diana
Friedman
Phone:
301
585­
1375
E­
mail:
dianafriedman@
starpower.
net
CPG5:
OrganicFertilizers
35
Jane
Sooby
Organic
Farming
Research
Foundation
P.
O.
Box
440
Santa
Cruz,
CA
95061
Phone:
831
426­
6606
E­
mail:
research@
ofrf.
org
Web
site:
www.
ofrf.
org/
index.
html
Bill
Wolf
Organic
Trade
Association
P.
O.
Box
547
Greenfield,
MA
01302
Phone:
540
864­
5107
Web
site:
www.
ota.
com
CPG5:
OrganicFertilizers
36
10.
References
Agro­
Organics,
Inc.
<
www.
my­
business.
com/
agro­
organics/>,
2002.

Arkansas
Technical
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