[USCC] Food waste composting

[Tim Evans]

Hi Steve,

I think the symptoms show that you drum lacks oxygen and the material is
anaerobic.  Acidogenic bacteria have broken down some of the organic matter
to acetic acid.  It is the first stage of anaerobic digestion.  Next the
methanogens convert the acetic acid to methane.

Food waste has high moisture and high nutrients, it therefore needs bulking
agent to increase air porosity and carbon to balance the nitrogen. 

If you have sufficient quantity, anaerobic digestion with use of the biogas
as fuel has a better environmental footprint for foodwaste than composting.
 

regards

Tim

 

Dr Tim Evans
TIM EVANS ENVIRONMENT
Stonecroft, Park Lane, Ashtead, Surrey KT21 1EU England
tel/fax +44 (0) 1372 272 172 mobile +44 (0) 7816 833 991
tim at timevansenvironment.com


-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Kroening [mailto:s.kroening at nexgencomposting.com] 
Sent: 27 August 2006 22:00
To: US Composting Council Compost Discussion List
Subject: [USCC] Food waste composting

> Hi all
> 
> Does anyone have any experience with the development of what seems to be
an unusual microbial population producing acids during the continuous flow
in-vessel composting of greenwaste and food waste? We have noticed a vinegar
smell to the exhaust gas, a pH of the compost of 5 (after 7-10 days
composting) and temperatures not rising above 45-50*C.
> 
> Regards
> Steve