Recycling and Composting ENVM 649: Principles of Waste Management and Pollution Control Dr. Robert Beauchamp

BENEFITS OF RECYCLING n CONSERVES RESOURCES n PREVENTS EMISSIONS OF MANY GREENHOUSE GASES & WATER POLLUTANTS. n SAVES ENERGY. n SUPPLIES RAW MATERIALS TO INDUSTRY. n CREATES JOBS. n STIMULATES DEVELOPMENT OF GREENER TECHNOLOGIES. n REDUCES NEED FOR NEW LANDFILLS & INCINERATORS..

COMPOSTING n BIODEGRADATION: –WASTE WATER SLUDGE (BIOSOLIDS) –YARD WASTE n BULKING MATERIALS: (RETAINS H 2 O AND ALLOWS AIR CIRCULATION) –PLANT RESIDUE –MSW REFUSE –PAPER –SAWDUST

COMPOSTING (cont) n REQUIREMENTS: –MICROORGANISMS-INOCULUM –O 2 SUPPLY –MOISTURE (40%) –Ph (NEUTRAL) –TEMPERATURE –NUTRIENTS –SPACE n NOTE: SELF GENERATION OF HEAT IF THE MASS OF COMPOST PILE IS HIGH.

USES OF COMPOST n EROSION CONTROL n EROSION EFFECTS ORGANISMS, WATER RESOURCES, CONSTRUCTION & RECREATION. n COMPOST CAN ESTABLISH TURF, REDUCE H 2 O VELOCITY, & REDUCE EROSION OF SLOPES. n PROVIDE PLAYING SURFACES. n REPLACE PEAT MOSS. n PROVIDES NUTRIENTS & MICROORGANISMS. n ENHANCES MOVEMENT OF H 2 O, AIR, & NUTRIENTS. ?

LANDSCAPING n COMPOST IS ALTERNATIVE TO TOPSOIL. n LANDSCAPE RENOVATION n CONTAINER GARDENS. n STIMULATES PLANT GROWTH n REDUCES PESTS & PLANT INFESTATION. n IMPROVES SOIL STRUCTURE.

AS COMPOST MULCH: n STABILIZES SOIL TEMPERATURE n CONSERVES WATER n CONTROLS WEEDS n SLOW RELEASE OF NUTRIENTS n PREVENTS SOIL EROSION n DARK COLOR ACCENTS COLORS OF FLOWERING PLANTS.

DISEASE CONTROL n FOR PLANTS AND ANIMALS n 10% OF VEGETABLES PLANTED IN U.S. ARE LOST TO ROOT ROT & SOILBORNE PATHOGENS. n PROTECTION MECHANISMS: –COMPETITION OF NUTRIENTS BY BENEFICIAL MICROORGANISMS. –ANTIBIOTIC PRODUCTION BY MICROORGANISMS. –SUCCESSFUL PREDATION OF PATHOGENS BY MICRO-ORG. –DISEASE-RESISTANT GENES.

TAILORING COMPOST n CAN ENRICH COMPOST WITH DISEASE FIGHTING MICRO- ORG. n REPLACES PESTICIDES AND FUNGICIDES. n SALT CONTENT OF COMPOSE CAN SUPPRESS DISEASE. TOO MUCH SALT CAN WEAKEN PLANTS. n NEED TO TAILOR COMPOST FOR SPECIFIC DISEASES.

MORTALITY COMPOSTING n 37 MILLION CHICKENS, DUCKS, & TURKEYS (18-25%) DIE FROM DISEASE. n COMPOSTING IS AN OPTION FOR DISPOSAL. PATHOGENS ARE DESTROYED BY HIGH TEMPERATURES IN THE PROCESS. n MARKETS EXIST FOR HIGH QUALITY COMPOST. A $250 MILLION PER YEAR PRODUCT.

PEST CONTROL n CAN ERADICATE PARASIDIC NEMATODE (WORM) INFECTIONS n NEED A TAILORED COMPOST n NUTRIENTS ENCOURAGE GROWTH OF FUNGI & OTHERS, WHICH COMPETE WITH OR DESTROY NEMATODES. n CONTRIBUTE TO HEALTH OF PLANTS.

REFORESTATION/WETLAND RESTORATION/HABITAT REVITALIZATION n BARREN SOILS RESTORED WITH COMPOST. n ADDS HUMUS, NUTRIENTS, & INFRASTRUCTURE FOR PLANTS TO RE-ESTABLISH. n CAN ABSORB 4 TIMES ITS WEIGHT IN H 2 O & CAN REPLACE ORGANIC MATERIALS IN WETLANDS. n ASSISTS IN REVEGETATE BARREN HABITATS BY PROVIDING CHEMICAL & MINERAL PROPERTIES OF SOIL. n FACILITATES PLANT GROWTH WHICH PROVIDES FOOD FOR ANIMALS. n PROJECTS HAVE SHOWN THAT COMPOSE TREATED WETLANDS HAD SUPERIOR GROWTH OVER NON-TREATED WETLANDS..

BENEFITS OF COMPOSTING n KEEPS ORGANICS OUT OF LANDFILLS. n PROVIDES NUTRIENTS TO SOIL. n INCREASES BENEFICIAL SOIL ORGANISMS. n SUPPRESSES PLANT DISEASES. n REDUCES NEED FOR PESTICIDES & FERTLIZERS. n PROTECTS SOIL FROM EROSION. n ASSISTS IN POLLUTION REMEDIATION.