[USCC] Rules for maturity

[John A. Crockett]

Cochran asked about compost maturity.

The re-heating is an obvious.... and maybe not so obvious.  Material can be
too dry to support re-heating, and thus pass that test, not because the
compost is mature, but because it is too dry to continue support significant
microbial activity.

On reduction of organic matter, the microbes feed on the organic matter, and
in the process consume oxygen, and give off CO2.  The Carbon in that CO2
comes from the organic matter, and so that carbon is lost to the atmosphere.
For those who immediately thing Global Warming... when compost is viewed in
the larger picture, the compost enriched soil supports much healthier plant
growth, and the photo-synthesis of that plant foliage more than makes up for
the CO2 from the composting process.  Organic matter has been decomposing
for millions, if not billions of years, giving off CO2.  IF the organic
matter went to an incinerator, ALL of the organic matter would go to CO2,
and there would be no carbon returned to the soil, to rebuild the soil.  If
the organic matter were to go to a landfill, it the carbon would go to
methane under the anaerobic conditions, and that is a much worse greenhouse
gas.

Though we cannot see oxygen, CO2 or the microbes, our on-going hands on, in
house research is showing us that the microbes can consume a lot of oxygen,
and that the oxygen demands vary greatly, from 5 times the volume of
compost, in fresh air, every hour, to over 25 times the volume of the
compost, every hour, in fresh air every hour.  Our compost research silo
setup enables us to measure the rate of air flow that we are delivering.
Over ten years ago our hands on research documented that passive aeration
deprives the microbes of the oxygen they need to work efficiently.

Working Together to Create a Sustainable Environment,
John A. Crockett, a.k.a. Dr. Mike Robe
Mother Nature's Farms, Inc.
(845) 225-7763
http://www.magicsoil.com/
jac at magicsoil.com




Would someone help me interpt the Compost Maturity Rule for Tennessee. In
the sentence "It will not reheat upon standing to greater than 20 deg C
above ambient temperature.."  What is ment by "standing"?
Also, help in interpting the reduction of organic matter.

Thanks, 
Cochran