Regional Roundup

BioCycle April 2004, Vol. 45, No. 4, p. 18

Santa Cruz, California
CITY RECYCLES ORGANICS AT ANNUAL HOLIDAY LUNCHEON
Each year, the Santa Cruz City Council honors its 700 employees by hosting a Holiday Luncheon. To keep costs down and ensure a high quality event, employees volunteer to assist with preparation, service and cleanup. Last year, the all-important cleanup crew was especially pleased — there was less waste to pick up!
Chris Moran, Waste Reduction Coordinator for the city’s Public Works Department, provided compostable knives, forks and spoons as well as compostable cups and plates for the luncheon. To make the transition from throwing everything away to separating materials, Moran placed a recycling/composting/
garbage station at one end of the auditorium so diners could drop off materials.
The station was made up of three clearly labeled 68-gallon containers: the first was for bottles, cans and aluminum foil (from the kitchen); the second for compostables which included all cutlery, cups, napkins, and plates, as well as leftover beans, bread, salad, lasagna and food scraps from the kitchen; the last container was for garbage and left-over meat (of which there was very little). Reactions were positive when diners learned that leftovers would be composted.
At the end of the event, the numbers were especially telling: Six 68 gallon containers of compostables; three 68-gallon containers of bottles, soda cans and metal cans from the kitchen. Amazingly there was less than one-half of a 68-gallon container of garbage! "Imagine walking away with the equivalent of a grocery bag full of garbage after feeding around 700 people. Even the fresh garlands were added to the composting carts," says Moran.
Parks and Recreation employees collected the compostables and took them to one of city’s compost areas. Compostables were mixed with leaves and trimmings. The feedstocks take six or seven months to break down, giving new meaning to the phrase "Christmas In July." The compost is used by the Santa Cruz Parks Department to enrich soil and help retain moisture.
"The city of Santa Cruz is on the cutting edge when it comes to reducing, reusing and recycling, and what better way to stress this motto than by embracing a wonderful new tradition at a time usually known for its excess!," Moran proudly observes.

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Industry News

BioCycle April 2004, Vol. 45, No. 4, p. 79

CORROSION PROTECTION WITH RENEWABLE PRODUCTS
All purpose biodegradable lubricants made from renewable soybean derivatives are used for industrial, shop and institutional applications. Available from the Cortec Corporation, one
EcoLine rust preventative product is targeted for salt spray and high humidity environments to protect against all types of corrosion and oxidation. The company describes it as having "excellent penetrating properties which aid in loosening frozen or rusted parts." Visit www.Cortec VCI.com; E-mail: info@cortecvci.com.

TIME/TEMPERATURE WINDROW READINGS
A new device for monitoring windrows helps organize data to maintain temperature, oxygen and moisture; and calculate C:N ratios, track feedstocks, schedule turnings, etc. Features and pricing of the Windrow Manager, available from Green Mountain Technologies (GMT), are designed to meet needs of small or large composting facilities. Premium package includes a field sampling probe and pocket PC that automatically stores temperature samples so data can be downloaded directly to the Windrow Manager. Contact GMT at 1-800-610-7291; www.gmt-organic.com.

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Editorial

BioCycle April 2004, Vol. 45, No. 4, p. 4

YES, HAVE WE EVER COME A LONG WAY!

AS WE complete preparations for the 34th Annual BioCycle National Conference, it’s time to take a break and reflect on how far we’ve come since that first annual conference back in 1971. First thing that comes to mind is how few of us there were, how it was more of a concept than an actual industry, how a handful of researchers and compost facility managers spread what they knew as far as they could. Recently Jim Parr — now retired and living in northwestern Washington state — recalled his experiences in the early 1970s when he was chief of the USDA Biological Waste Management Laboratory in Beltsville, Maryland. A major challenge then was to devise sludge (biosolids) management methods for beneficial reuse so the practice of ocean dumping would end. Recalls Dr. Parr:

"There was growing interest in the feasibility of sewage sludge application to agricultural or forest lands as a ‘useful’ organic amendment. EPA decided to fund a major research program on composting. We attracted some really ‘top notch’ chemists, engineers, microbiologists, plant and soil scientists, and economists including Eliot Epstein, Patricia Millner, John Walker, George Willson and Rufus Chaney. Very few of us knew very much about either sewage sludge or composting, and thus we proceeded to take our places on the learning curve. And learn we did, especially from our mistakes and lack of foresight!"

And learn we all did — in the fields as well as laboratories — on how to invest our time, our funds, our energies to start projects for public agencies, private companies, working with feedstocks of all kinds.

Back then (and continuing as well today), you needed to be an optimist to stick with composting and organics recycling methods. One person whom we think of often — who contributed so mightily in those years to advancing the understanding and practice — is Clarence Golueke of the University of California’s Sanitary Engineering Laboratory. Here are Clarence’s observations from an early issue of this journal:

"Composting is an excellent means of managing refuse, provided it be technically and economically feasible. Since its technical feasibility has been amply proven, a demonstration of its economic feasibility is all that remains to be done for composting to be widely accepted in this country for the large-scale treatment of refuse."

So, for upwards of three decades, we’ve been wrestling with the economics ... of generating a quality product without going broke ... creating food for high-volume farm crops and high-value nursery crops. Along the way, we’ve been expanding markets for compost use in erosion control, storm water management, and generating renewable energy sources.

Through it all, as the decades slipped by and the new millennium arrived, steady progress has been made in the equipment and systems designed for composting. Originally, critical functions of aeration, turning, screening and size reduction meant using a machine designed for other purposes. Then gradually and so impressively, the "BioCycling" industry blossomed in all its glory. The Directory which begins on page 56 of this issue lists hundreds of firms in categories such as aerated containers, agitated beds, bagging, biofuels, biosolids management, chippers, dewatering, erosion control, food residuals management, mixers, monitoring, odor control, screens, size reduction, spreaders, trailers and turners. As noted in the comments on what it takes to grow the sustainable composting and organics recycling industry, we truly in this year of 2004 are part of a dynamic industry whose time has come. We hope you’ll join us and your many colleagues at our 34th Annual BioCycle National Conference June 21-23, 2004 in Philadelphia as we move even further ahead. — Jerome Goldstein

BioCycle World

BioCycle April 2004, Vol. 45, No. 4, p. 6

CELEBRATING INTERNATIONAL COMPOST AWARENESS WEEK — MAY 2-8, 2004
Throughout the week of May 2 to 8, the designated time for celebrating International Compost Awareness by being resourceful, all forms of organics recycling will be recognized — from backyard composting to large scale projects. In the United Kingdom, the Composting Association is organizing events for the fourth annual campaign with the launch of local authority home composting initiatives, composting equipment sales and community composting workshops. According to chief executive Jane Gilbert, "awareness about the many beneficial properties of making and using composts is rising at all levels across the UK. Composts are becoming an integral part of our drive towards sustainability."
The Composting Council of Canada events include four "National Giveaways" of compost in central parks of London, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast to highlight the benefits of organic resources as soil conditioners and what individuals can do at home." Says executive director Susan Antler: "Our specific aims are to show the public how organic resources can be effectively recycled into compost."
A variety of events are scheduled in the U.S., including field days, compost giveaways and home composting promotions. Details are available at www.compostingcouncil.org.

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DEVELOPING THE BIOENERGY INDUSTRY

BioCycle April 2004, Vol. 45, No. 4, p. 75

Michael Doran

IN MAY, 1999, The Irish BioEnergy Association (IrBEA) was formed to promote the bioenergy industry and develop this important sector in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The overall aim of IrBEA is to promote biomass as an environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable indigenous energy resource and also to promote its nonenergy related benefits.

The objectives of IrBEA are to: Improve public awareness of biomass as a realistic option for energy supply; Influence policy makers to promote the development of bioenergy; Promote the implementation of bioenergy projects; Network and share information amongst those interested in bioenergy development; and Communicate with similar interest groups.

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HEALING THE EARTH WITH COMPOST

BioCycle April 2004, Vol. 45, No. 4, p. 73

Million Belay and Sue Edwards

LAND DEGRADATION is one of the most serious problems facing Ethiopia today. Population pressure and low yields are forcing farmers to abandon fallowing and crop rotations — the system they have used for millennia to maintain their livelihoods. In Tigray, the most northern region of Ethiopia, over 85 percent of the population are farmers who struggle to feed their families from soils in poor condition that only produce low yields of staple crops.

To improve crop yields in the region, the Bureau of Agriculture and Natural Resources in Tigray (BoANR) adopted the Sasakawa Global (SG) 2000 package, which is based on high input demanding varieties and chemical fertilizers. However, the cost of these inputs is beyond the purchasing power of most

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HIGH SCHOOL BENEFITS FROM LANDFILL GAS RECOVERY

BioCycle April 2004, Vol. 45, No. 4, p. 72

BECAUSE the Antioch, Illinois Community High School was the first one in the United States to have its heat and electrical production powered by landfill gas, the EPA Region 5 office in Chicago recently awarded the school and its consultants — RMT, Inc. — an Engineering Excellence recognition. The Antioch school is located one-half mile from a closed landfill where methane gas is recovered. The RMT project team — which is based in Madison, Wisconsin — designed a system that ties into the gas collection units.

A gas cleaning and compression system was then installed along with a way to transfer the gas to the school for combustion in twelve 30-kilowatt Capstone microturbines. The equipment generates 360 kilowatts of energy to heat and

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LATEST TRENDS IN ANAEROBIC DIGESTION ON THE WEST COAST

BioCycle April 2004, Vol. 45, No. 4, p. 69

Richard Mattocks

AS WITH ANY cutting edge idea, cooling milk with manure was considered unthinkable in the initial stages of development. But that is what we are doing with anaerobic digestion on dairy farms: Biologically treating manure to produce methane rich biogas which in turn is used to fuel engines coupled to generators producing electricity for farm use….including milk chilling.

Trends have developed regarding manure digestion systems on the West Coast. Exploring these several different types of trends suggests a bright future for the technology.

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GROWING THE COMPOSTING AND ORGANICS RECYCLING INDUSTRY

BioCycle April 2004, Vol. 45, No. 4, p. 54

ORGANICS RECYCLING is a resource management system with a goal to utilize residuals to their greatest extent. For farmers, gardeners and landscapers, it means creating a compost product that economically and efficiently builds organic matter into soils and grows flourishing crops. For economic developers and company executives, it means new well-paying jobs and innovative market niches. For renewable energy, via such methods as anaerobic digestion and methane recovery, it means cutting power costs and hooking up to utility grids. To fully achieve objectives, researchers and manufacturers provide the expertise and talent to provide the right equipment for collection, processing and preparing residuals for high-value markets.

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COMBINING ANAEROBIC DIGESTION WITH ENCLOSED TUNNEL COMPOSTING

BioCycle April 2004, Vol. 45, No. 4, p. 49

Joerg Blischke

ONE HUNDRED MILES west of Brussels — Belgium’s thriving capitol and headquarters of the European Union (EU) — is located "Westhoek," the western
part of the Province of Flanders. The early morning fog hangs over the meadows and farmland then slowly lifts, bringing into view wood piles and scaffolding used to provide support to one of the province’s most important crops and key ingredient of Belgium’s world famous beers: hops. Not far from here lies Ieper (Ypres in French), at one time the wealthiest and most powerful city and trading center of Flanders. Today, cemeteries enclosed by stone walls or hedges dot the landscape, a remembrance of the region’s more recent history. It was here, 90 years ago, that the most devastating battles of World War I took place, and the first time in history a chemical weapon — mustard gas — was used extensively. In just four years, the Great War in Flanders Fields left hundreds of thousands of soldiers from more than 20 nations dead, and the city of Ieper almost totally destroyed. Rising from the ashes, Ieper stands again as a viable city with its magnificent drapery/textile hall, the historic landmark at the central market square.

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SOIL CHEMISTRY AND THE QUALITY OF HUMUS

BioCycle April 2004, Vol. 45, No. 4, p. 41

Richard Stehouwer

Final uses for most of the organic materials processed by BioCycle readers are directed to soil-based application intended to improve the capacity of those soils to support plant growth. Composted organic products, for example, may be used to cover the soil surface, to augment natural soil organic matter, to supply plant nutrients or to blend with other materials to create manufactured soil products.

The first article of this four part series ("Soil Quality Fundamentals," October 2003) introduced the concept of soils as natural bodies that are undergoing constant change. Part II (see "Soil Quality Fundamentals — Water and Air Essentials," November 2003) described soil physical properties and processes that control water, air, and heat movement and exchange in soil. This article will focus on chemical properties and processes in soil, and the last will cover soil biology. Separating soil physics, chemistry, and biology is one way to simplify and help us understand complex soil systems. But such separation is artificial. In reality, it is the intricate interplay of these properties and processes that accounts for the dynamic nature of soils.

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FINANCING FIRMS IN THE RECYCLING AND COMPOSTING INDUSTRY

BioCycle April 2004, Vol. 45, No. 4, p. 38

Janet Cowell

Recycling, remanufacturing, composting, and other green ventures have an even harder time than more "traditional" small companies in obtaining patient capital for start-up and expansion. So it’s critical for those firms to think creatively about their financing options. Friends, family, customers, suppliers and individual angel investors can all be important resources to tap for companies that may not qualify for conventional bank lending. Asset-based lending is another option, particularly for companies that are more capital intensive.

One alternative form of financing comes from community development financial institutions (CDFIs). Nationwide, over 600 CDFIs serve economically distressed communities by providing credit, capital and financial services that are often

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COMPOSTER RESPONDS TO FIRE PREVENTION INITIATIVES

BioCycle April 2004, Vol. 45, No. 4, p. 34

Dan Emerson

Nestled in the Sacramento Mountains, surrounded by the Lincoln National Forest and the Mescalero Apache Reservation, Ruidoso, New Mexico is a popular summer resort destination. But the dense Ponderosa Pine forests in the area are a mixed blessing. The vacation village of 8,500 (summer population around 25,000) is also ranked number two in the country for wildfire risk by the U.S. Forest Service. In recent years, a drought in the region has led to two major wildfires. In March 2002, a 972 acre wildfire in the Sacramento Mountains near Ruidoso forced the evacuation of 1,300 people and destroyed 29 homes in the upscale community of Kokopelli. A fire two years earlier on the edge of the forest consumed 7,500 acres. The fires focused attention on the need to thin the area’s trees and underbrush to reduce the danger of future events.

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ALASKAN TRIBAL COMMUNITY CREATES QUALITY COMPOST

BioCycle April 2004, Vol. 45, No. 4, p. 27

Mark Musick

Composting fish and forest wastes has become a major enterprise for the small Tlingit tribal village of Kake, Alaska on Kupreanof Island. The village — with only about 800 year-round residents — is the "urban center" of the island located in the heart of the Alaskan panhandle about halfway between Juneau and Ketchikan. Kupreanof lies in the Tongass, the world’s largest temperate rain forest. In addition to its once-abundant timber and seafood harvests, Kake is famous for having the world’s largest totem pole, standing 132 feet.

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STATE OF GARBAGE IN AMERICA -- DATA AND METHODOLOGY ASSESSMENT

BioCycle April 2004, Vol. 45, No. 4, p. 22

Nickolas J. Themelis and Scott M. Kaufman

In January 2003, BioCycle published a comparison of waste generation in California and New York by the Earth Engineering Center (EEC) of Columbia University. Surprisingly, the rate of generation of municipal solid waste (MSW) in these states was double the national rate of MSW generation reported in the 2001 study by Franklin Associates for U.S.EPA (0.81 tons /capita). The rate was much closer to BioCycle’s 13th State of Garbage in America (SOG) survey (December 2001) for the year 2000 that had estimated a national rate of 1.47 tons per capita. An explanation for the discrepancy that was advanced by some at that time was that the Franklin survey did not include construction and demolition (C&D) and some industrial wastes, while EEC and BioCycle may have done so.

As a result of the publication of the EEC article in BioCycle, the journal invited Columbia University to collaborate in the 2003 BioCycle survey. As described in the 14th SOG report (see "State of Garbage In America," January 2004), the survey questionnaire asked participants in the solid waste management

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