[USCC] Addition of Water Treatment Plant (Lime)Sludge to Biosolidsfor Composting

Thu Aug 24 07:38:41 CDT 2006

Dear Mary et al.:

Issues about Fe and Al in soils, byproducts, soil amendments, composts, and foods have been considered for a long time. Fe and Al are persistent elements in soils although Al is a little more soluble than Fe in the long term (millennia). Al is used in poultry houses to limit ammonia volatilization and to then limit phosphate solubility when the litter is used on land. Al starts to dissolve when soil pH drops below about 5.2; plant uptake is quite limited because the elements is +3 valent, and precipitates with phosphate inside plant cells. Al is present in all natural soils and becomes the practical limit on how low one may manage soil pH without suffering yield reduction. Legumes and vegetables are comparatively more sensitive to natural soil Al and Mn and one needs to lime soils to a higher pH for regular production of these crops.

A positive aspect of soil Al and Fe is that they provide adsorption capacity for phosphate and trace elements in soils. Sandy soils allow phosphate leaching much more readily than clay soils because the clay is coated with Fe and Mn oxides. Because phosphate leaching and runoff from high cumulative applications of manure (and composts), additions of Fe and Al are used to reduce potential P leaching and runoff. Ferric iron binding phosphate can be reduced to ferrous and part of the P released in sediments, while Al-P is a stable precipitate.

Food chain transfer of both elements is limited by natural processes in soils and plants. I know of no reason that adding Fe or Al to manures, biosolids and P-rich composts is not an appropriate technology for normal use.

Regards,

Rufus Chaney
Beltsville, MD
>>> heidehermary at pacificcoast.net 08/23/06 01:17PM >>>
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Are there any studies about what happens to the added aluminum and iron 
once it's in the field? These compounds aren't water-insoluble forever, 
they break down with microbial action and with pH changes. At that point 
aluminum and iron could become toxic. The effect of calcium would depend 
on the situation.

I'm always leery about single cause - single effect solutions. Yes, 
there are methods to deal with composting issues, but the end product 
then becomes part of another system.  There is little point in solving 
one problem just to create another.
thanks, Heide

Rufus Chaney wrote:

>U.S. COMPOSTING COUNCIL 15th ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND TRADESHOW
>Wyndham Orlando Resort | Orlando, FL | January 21-24, 2007
>The National forum for those involved in the development and expansion of the composting and organics recycling industry
>CONFERENCE PROGRAM, REGISTRATION FORMS, WORKSHOP AGENDAS,
>EXHIBITOR INFORMATION AND SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES ARE AVAILABLE AT THE USCC WEBSITE: www.compostingcouncil.org OR CALL THE USCC AT 631-737-4931 
>
>
>Ken:
>
>Adding Fe and Al rich water treatment residues (WTR) to biosolids and manure is increasingly practiced because the Al and Fe help lower the solubility of phosphate from the organic fertilizer. 
>
>But you asked about lime WTR. High Ca can also help limit P solubility. If the WTR is really high pH (>10.5), it will delay the start of composting.. CO2 generated is used initially to react with remaining CaO to make CaCO3 and the pH falls to 7.5-8 and composting proceeds normally. In the DC biosolids composting programs over the years, most incoming biosolids were about pH 10.5 from use of lime to reduce malodor. But if they tried to compost biosolids taken to full "Class A lime treatment" over pH 11 for 30 minutes or something close to that, it substantially delayed composting. But please recall that large amounts of the "Compro" product were marketed in bags and bulk for many years before the composting ceased because of political issues.
>
>Mixing of high pH WTR with digested biosolids will cause a large release of NH3 which many would consider adverse; you raise odor from NH3 and loose N from the product. Undigested biosolids don't loose as much N as digested.
>
>Product composts have pH about 7.5 from CaCO3 remaining in the final compost. Such composts supply limestone equivalent in addition to N, P, etc., and in many situations this adds to the value of the compost. Applications to acidic soils are more beneficial because limestone accompanies the other benefits of composted biosolids. Distrubed land in eastern Kansas and much of MO would be benefitted by the limestone. For really high limestone biosolids, use at soil conditioner rates can interfere with growing acid loving plants; Fe in the compost counteracts the higher pH, but azalea and rhododendron can be chlorotic. When used at "fertilizer" rates, or used for revegetation of roadside soils, other disturbed land, etc., the product is simply better than a lime free compost. If bagged, alkaline (pH 7.5 compost containing free CaCO3 equivalent) products need a label statement about not to be used for acid requiring plants.
>
>Regards,
>
>Rufus Chaney
>Beltsville, MD
>
>  
>
>>>>KPowell at kdhe.state.ks.us 08/22/06 08:57AM >>>
>>>>        
>>>>
>
>Good Early Morning Compost World,
>
>We have a medium size biosolids composting facility that would like to add
>lime sludge to biosolids and wood chips for composting for odor control and
>to make the compost have some characteristics as ag lime.  They are
>proposing adding between 20% and 30% lime sludge to a mix of biosolids and
>wood chips at the start of the composting process.  Two concerns I have are
>disrupting the composting process because of it being too alkaline and the
>end product having a high pH.  Has anyone done any experimentation with
>this type of mix?   Does the amount of lime sludge being added seem to be
>too high or about right?  They are currently producing a Class A compost
>and would like to continue to produce this product.  Is the production of a
>Class A compost possible with this mix.
>
>Thanks for any help.
>
>
>Ken Powell
>Environmental Scientist
>SW Processing Facilities Unit
>Kansas Department of Health & Environment
>Bureau of Waste Management
>1000 SW Jackson, Suite 320
>Topeka, KS  66612-1366
>Phone: (785) 296-1121
>Fax: (785) 296-1592
>E-mail  kpowell at kdhe.state.ks.us 
>www.kdheks.gov/waste 
>
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>Ongoing Sponsors of the USCC Discussion list are:
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>Food Industry Environmental Network (FIEN), a regulatory and policy e-mail alert service for environmental, food and agricultural industry professionals.
>Contact Jack Cooper 301/384-8287 JLC at fien.com --- www.fien.com 
>
>Renewable Carbon Management, LLC with the containerized, in-vessel NaturTech Composting System www.composter.com rcm at composter.com 
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>(c) Copyright 2006 United States  - All rights reserved
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>Members posting CC copies to the list and other addresses will have their posting privelages suspended.  No exceptions!
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>Opinions expressed represent only the poster and are not necessarily the opinion or policy of any organization.
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_______________________________________________

Ongoing Sponsors of the USCC Discussion list are:

Food Industry Environmental Network (FIEN), a regulatory and policy e-mail alert service for environmental, food and agricultural industry professionals.
Contact Jack Cooper 301/384-8287 JLC at fien.com --- www.fien.com 

Renewable Carbon Management, LLC with the containerized, in-vessel NaturTech Composting System www.composter.com rcm at composter.com 

(c) Copyright 2006 United States  - All rights reserved

Members posting CC copies to the list and other addresses will have their posting privelages suspended.  No exceptions!

Opinions expressed represent only the poster and are not necessarily the opinion or policy of any organization.

Non-members of USCC are encouraged to join the Council through our website at: http://www.compostingcouncil.org/membership.cfm     For discussion list policies and information regarding subscribing, unsubscribing, digest or other options, go to:http://mailman.cloudnet.com/mailman/listinfo/compost

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