[USCC] Carbon credits food waste

[A.Niv]

Dear Dr. Brinton,

I must strongly disagree. Food waste, if not composted or processed anaerobically in a controlled manner, will emit methane to the atmosphere. By composting we keep the zero  carbon balance and prevent methane emission (major contributor to ozone hole formation). The lagoons are already emitting methane because of uncontrolled anaerobic fermentation. In many places the methane from lagoons is captured and used. Fresh manure hardly emits any methane, likewise the fresh food waste. If the fresh food waste is dumped on garbage dumps, it is the main contributor to the methane emission there.
So in my mind composting food waste is eligible for Carbon Credits because it prevents methane emission to the atmosphere..

Andrew Niv
Masstech

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Will Brinton 
  To: compost at composter.com 
  Sent: Thursday, December 14, 2006 10:08 PM
  Subject: [USCC] Carbon credits food waste


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  David

  The difference in what you are proposing and what is done is that manure lagoons are already emitting fugitive
  methane. Capturing and destroying it adds to the planet's positive balance.

  Composting organics simply releases all or most the CO2 that was initially present, and is therefore carbon neutral. 

  Some of us are working on examining ways in which the offsets would appear larger  - right now, it doesn't
  look too promising.

  William Brinton, Ph.D.
  Woods End Laboratories

Today's Topics:

      3. In-vessel composting and Carbon Credits (David Frischmon)
  

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          Subject: [USCC] In-vessel composting and Carbon Credits 
          From: "David Frischmon" <dfrischmon at comcast.net> 
          Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2006 15:38:56 -0600 
          To: <compost at composter.com> 
          To: <compost at composter.com> 


Composters,

I am interested in expanding the collection of food scraps and
non-recyclable paper for composting and I wonder if it is possible to earn
"Carbon Credits from in-vessel composting of food waste ?

I have read where farmers in MN and WA are receiving checks (Carbon Credits)
by capturing methane gas from manure using anaerobic digesters which
composts the manure into organic soil amendments.  Is this a similar process
to what in-vessel composting does with food waste and if so could "Carbon
Credits" be earned by composting food scraps ?
 
Please advise.


David Frischmon


  

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