[USCC] Methane emissions from composting

[Craig Coker]

Chuck:
The regulatory air quality agency in Southern California is the "South Coast
Air Quality Management District".

In a study dated October, 1995, entitled "Final Report: Emission Rate
Characterization of Open Windrow Sludge Composting Operations", they
estimated the following emissions factor (via flux chamber testing onsite):

5.3 pounds methane per ton of dewatered sludge/bulking agent mix

In a November 1995 source testing report, conducted at EKO Systems in
Corona, CA (composting biosolids & green waste in windrows), they estimated:

2.23 pounds methane per ton of dewatered sludge/bulking agent mix

In a September 2001 source testing report, conducted at Inland Empire
Composting in Colton CA (composting green waste only), they estimated:

0.83 pounds methane per ton of greenwaste (facility-wide)

In a February 1996 source testing report, conducted at San Joaquin
Composting in Lost Hills, CA (composting biosolids & green waste), they
estimated:

33.49 pounds methane per ton of dewatered sludge/bulking agent mix.

As you can see, the measurements have significant variation, which is not
surprising, given the inherent difficulty of field measurements (especially
flux chamber testing) and the various management factors that influence air
emissions (mixing quality, pile geometry, age, etc.).  For more information
about these tests, I'd suggest you contact Ms. Brenda Smyth of the CA
Integrated Waste Management Board at bsmyth at ciwmb.ca.gov.

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Craig

Craig Coker
Coker Composting & Consulting
3331 Glade Creek Blvd.
Ste. 7
Roanoke, VA  24012
(540) 904-2698
Fax: (540) 904-6732
Cell: (540) 874-5168
craigcoker at cox.net
www.cokercompost.com


-----Original Message-----
From: compost-bounces at composter.com [mailto:compost-bounces at composter.com]
On Behalf Of CPeterson at worldbank.org
Sent: Monday, July 10, 2006 2:16 PM
To: US Composting Council Compost Discussion List
Subject: Re: [USCC] Energy from wet sludge - look to St Paul Minn


Please provide the specific citation for the '...studies done by a
California
South Coast Air Quality Monitoring District...' referenced below. The
emissions
of '...34.5 pounds of methane per ton during the composting process...' is
information I have yet to find in the literature, and am most eager to
document
these data.

Also a web search for the California South Coast Air Quality Monitoring
District
failed to locate the organization. There is a South Coast Air Quality
Management
District in California, might this be the organization that reported the
methane
emissions during composting.

Chuck Peterson
Sr. Solid Waste / Carbon Finance Specialist
The World Bank