[USCC] Compost vs. Landfilling

Fri Aug 31 16:52:47 CDT 2007

David -

Although I could go on and on about the limitations of the EPA's WARM  
model (the 75 percent average methane recovery rate being perhaps  
paramount); WARM only looks at climate change impacts, not overall  
resource management impacts, other environmental impacts, economic  
impacts, etc.

Matthew Cotton
Integrated Waste Management Consulting, LLC
19375 Lake City Road
Nevada City, CA  95959
(530) 265-4560
Fax (530) 265-4547
matt at mattcotton.com
www.mattcotton.com

Join us at the US Composting Council's 16th Annual Conference & Trade  
Show, February 9 - 12th, 2008 at the Oakland Marriott City Center,  
Oakland, California.  Check it out at www.compostingcouncil.org

On Aug 31, 2007, at 9:29 AM, David Goldstein wrote:

> "Landfilling organics is better than composting, according to EPA  
> data."
> That's the shocking headline; now for the caveats...
>
> It looks like the EPA's WARM on-line calculator (
> http://epa.gov/climatechange/wycd/waste/tools.html#warm  ) has data
> inputs indicating that in some circumstances, for at least one
> measurement of environmental consequences, landfilling organics is
> better than collecting them at the curbside and composting them. If a
> landfill recovers methane for energy, and if the organics for  
> composting
> are collected on a typical curbside collection route, the calculation
> shows the curbside collection and composting resulting in more carbon
> emissions than the mixed waste/organics collection with landfilling.
>
>
> This, of course, doesn’t account for other environmental benefits of
> composting and mulching unrelated to climate change, such as retention
> of topsoil, suppression of weeds without use of chemicals, and
> conservation of water. In fact, since the pumping of water to southern
> California is one of our biggest users of energy, it may be that  
> factors
> related to the use of compost, rather than just related to the  
> handling
> of green waste, actually could make yard waste recycling programs net
> greenhouse gas reducers compared to landfilling.
>
> D.G.
>
>
> On Aug 30, 2007, at 10:42 AM, Osborne, Ted wrote:
>
>> Are there any recent study's on composting versus landfilling for:
>> A: Leachate production and collection
>> B: Gas production, collection, use.	
>>
>> Theodore W. Osborne
>> Project Coordinator - Rural Solid Waste
>> County of Erie
>> Environment & Planning
>> Edward A. Rath County Office BLDG.
>> 95 Franklin Street, Room 1077
>> Buffalo, NY 14202
>> Ph. 716-858-8077
>> Fax 716-858-7713
>>
>> osbornet at erie.gov
>>
>> www.erie.gov/environment/compliance/index.asp
>>
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>> Join us at the US Composting Council's 16th Annual Conference &
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>> Oakland Marriott City Center, Oakland, CA | February 9-12, 2008.
>> The National forum for those involved in the development and
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>> Conference Highlights, Registration forms, Exhibitor information
>> and Sponsorship Opportunities available at the USCC website:
>> www.compostingcouncil.org or call the USCC at 631.737.4931
>>
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> Join us at the US Composting Council's 16th Annual Conference & Trade
> Show
> Oakland Marriott City Center, Oakland, CA | February 9-12, 2008.
> The National forum for those involved in the development and expansion
> of the composting and organics recycling industry.
> Conference Highlights, Registration forms, Exhibitor information and
> Sponsorship Opportunities available at the USCC website:
> www.compostingcouncil.org or call the USCC at 631.737.4931
> ______________________________________________________________________ 
> ________
> Compost maillist - compost at mailman.cloudnet.com
> http://mailman.cloudnet.com/mailman/listinfo/compost
> _______________________________________
> This list is a service provided by the US Composting Council (USCC).
> (c) Copyright 2004 United States Composting Council - All rights
> reserved
>
> Opinions expressed do not necessarily represent the USCC, the
> Foundation, or the Board of Directors.
>
> Non-members of USCC are encouraged to join the Council through its
> website at: http://www.compostingcouncil.org/membership.cfm
>
> Members posting CC copies to the list and other addresses may have
> their posting privileges suspended. For discussion list policies and
> information regarding subscribing, unsubscribing, digest or other
> options, go to: http://mailman.cloudnet.com/mailman/listinfo/compost
>
> For additional help in unsubcribing or to report bugs and problems,
> send a message to the List Manager at
> compostlistmanager at compostingcouncil.org
>
>
> Join us at the US Composting Council's 16th Annual Conference &  
> Trade Show
> Oakland Marriott City Center, Oakland, CA | February 9-12, 2008.
> The National forum for those involved in the development and  
> expansion of the composting and organics recycling industry.
> Conference Highlights, Registration forms, Exhibitor information  
> and Sponsorship Opportunities available at the USCC website:  
> www.compostingcouncil.org or call the USCC at 631.737.4931
> ______________________________________________________________________ 
> ________
> Compost maillist - compost at mailman.cloudnet.com
> http://mailman.cloudnet.com/mailman/listinfo/compost
> _______________________________________
> This list is a service provided by the US Composting Council (USCC).
> (c) Copyright 2004 United States Composting Council - All rights  
> reserved
>
> Opinions expressed do not necessarily represent the USCC, the  
> Foundation, or the Board of Directors.
>
> Non-members of USCC are encouraged to join the Council through its  
> website at: http://www.compostingcouncil.org/membership.cfm
>
> Members posting CC copies to the list and other addresses may have  
> their posting privileges suspended. For discussion list policies  
> and information regarding subscribing, unsubscribing, digest or  
> other options, go to: http://mailman.cloudnet.com/mailman/listinfo/ 
> compost
>
> For additional help in unsubcribing or to report bugs and problems,  
> send a message to the List Manager at  
> compostlistmanager at compostingcouncil.org