HIGH-RATE COMPOSTING TECHNOLOGY -- An Unique New High-Tech Approach for Solid Waste Treatment James C. Lu, Ph.D., PE

Current Main-Stream Solid Waste Treatment Methods & Their Problems Main-Stream Methods: 1.Sanitary Landfills (for Municipal Solid Wastes (MSW)); Sanitary Landfills & Land Applications (for Municipal Sludge) Sanitary Landfills & Land Applications (for Municipal Sludge) 2.Incineration Problems of the Current Main-Stream Methods: Problems of the Current Main-Stream Methods: 1.Not a complete waste reduction, detoxification and recycling method 2.Generate serious secondary pollution problems (such as air pollution, water pollution, toxic substances pollution, pathogen contamination, land pollution, odor problems, etc.) land pollution, odor problems, etc.) 3.Loss of valuable land 4.Large waste quantity generated, Difficulty of finding treatment sites

Trends in Solid Waste Management Methods (in Developed Countries) Gradually Phasing Out Landfill and Incineration Methods;Gradually Phasing Out Landfill and Incineration Methods; Increase in application of Traditional Composting Methods.Increase in application of Traditional Composting Methods.

Limitations of Traditional Composting Methods Very Lengthy Treatment Time Period NeededVery Lengthy Treatment Time Period Needed (Degradation Process: requires days to weeks; (Degradation Process: requires days to weeks; Curing Process: requires at least about one month.) Curing Process: requires at least about one month.) Generation of odor During Compost Production ProcessGeneration of odor During Compost Production Process Poor Capability for Impurities, Pathogens, & Toxins RemovalPoor Capability for Impurities, Pathogens, & Toxins Removal Product Quality Usually Very Poor and Hard to Control and ImproveProduct Quality Usually Very Poor and Hard to Control and Improve

Methods With Potential to Replace the Main Stream Methods

Comparisons Between Traditional & High-Rate Composting

BENEFITS OF ORGANIC COMPOSTS (Products Produced by High-Rate Composting Process) (1) Very High Moisture Absorption and Holding Capability, (1) Very High Moisture Absorption and Holding Capability, (2) High Nutrients Adsorption and Holding Capability, (2) High Nutrients Adsorption and Holding Capability, (3) Soil Particles Holding and Conservation Capability, (3) Soil Particles Holding and Conservation Capability, (4) Soil Air Ventilation Capability, (4) Soil Air Ventilation Capability, (5) Soil Water Transmission Capability, and (5) Soil Water Transmission Capability, and (6) Soil Thermal Insulation Capability. (6) Soil Thermal Insulation Capability. Other Benefits: Other Benefits: complete sterilization of pathogens and parasites,complete sterilization of pathogens and parasites, detoxification of many hazardous chemical species, anddetoxification of many hazardous chemical species, and removal of excess heavy metal contents, if any.removal of excess heavy metal contents, if any.

Solid Wastes Can be Treated by High-Rate Composting Method Municipal Solid Wastes (MSW) Municipal Solid Wastes (MSW) Food Wastes Food Wastes Agricultural Wastes Agricultural Wastes Green Wastes Green Wastes Municipal Treatment Plant Sludges (Biosolids) Municipal Treatment Plant Sludges (Biosolids) Septic Tank Residuals Septic Tank Residuals Animal Wastes Animal Wastes Off-Specification or Off-Shelf Organic Materials Off-Specification or Off-Shelf Organic Materials Organic Wastes/Sludge Generated from Industries (such as Food, Organic Wastes/Sludge Generated from Industries (such as Food, paper & Pulp, Refinery, and medicine manufacturing industries) paper & Pulp, Refinery, and medicine manufacturing industries) Solid Wastes Generated from Offices, Commercial and most Solid Wastes Generated from Offices, Commercial and most institutional Operations) institutional Operations) Organic Dredged Materials from Canals, Lakes, Streams, etc. Organic Dredged Materials from Canals, Lakes, Streams, etc.

50 TPD Demonstration Plant Built & Tested in Beijing

Why High-Rate Composting Process has Outstanding Competitive Advantages Among All Solid Waste Treatment Methods  Scale of Treatment Plant ：  Scale of Treatment Plant ： Can handle solid wastes from a small township to the largest cities in the world.  Treatment Speed ： Usually can convert organic wastes into composts within one hour. within one hour.  Zero Discharge ： No Treatment residues/pollutants generated.  Detoxification ： Can detoxify all pathogens, parasites, heavy metals, and most toxic organics. toxic organics.  Resource Recovery ：  Resource Recovery ： Can recover all waste compositions from MSW and other types of wastes.  Land Requirements ：  Land Requirements ： Smallest among known solid Waste treatment methods.  Development Costs ：  Development Costs ： Among the lowest.  Operation Costs ：  Operation Costs ： Among the lowest.  Economic Benefits ： Highest among known methods.  Ecological Protection Benefits ：  Ecological Protection Benefits ： Besides agricultural land improvements, the subject method also can be used for desertification control, large area agricultural pollution prevention, landfill mining, dredge materials utilization, mining wastes remediation, etc.

Inventor’s Resume Ph.D. ： Environmental Science & Engineering, University of Southern California, USA MS ： Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Cincinnati; Sanitary Engineering, National Taiwan University BS ： Civil Engineering, National Taiwan University Part-Time Faculty Member at: University of Southern California; UC Irvine; Cal State U, Long Beach Assignments:  Senior Engineer and Project Manager, SCS Engineers Co., USA ；  President, Calscience Research, Inc. USA ；  Engineer, Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts, USA ；  Chief Engineer, Jacob Engineering Group, USA ；  President, Amwest Environmental Group, Inc., USA ； and  Morgan & Associates, Inc., EVP and Board Member, USA. Dr.James C. Lu