[USCC] Officials want composting firms to reduce emissions

Mon Aug 18 11:30:08 CDT 2008

*
Officials want composting firms to reduce emissions
Local composting firms say proposed policy will make them lose money

BY GERALD CARROLL * gcarroll at visalia.gannett.com * August 13, 2008
Composting, a time-honored method for recycling solid waste, has come under fire from the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District.

District officials say composting - from gardeners' backyard mounds to large-scale green-waste processing - contributes to Valley air pollution. Up to 2 percent of all volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, emitted into the atmosphere come from the practice, said Rick McVaigh, deputy air pollution control officer for the district's Fresno headquarters.
"We want to reduce those emissions 15 percent," he told the Visalia City Council last week.
McVaigh was challenged, however, by commercial composting firms and College<http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080813/NEWS01/808130316> of the Sequoias President and Superintendent Bill Scroggins. Scroggins, who has a biochemistry background, said natural sources are responsible for 50 percent of all VOC emissions and that anti-composting efforts would be of little value.
They would have an effect, however, officials said.
"We would go out of business," said John Jones, operations manager for Tulare County Compost and Biomass.
A proposed district policy would require all companies processing at least 50,000 tons of compost annually to install expensive devices to "digest" compost and seal off any emissions. Jones, who likened a digester to "a giant crock pot," said a modest-sized device costs $2 million or more.
"We can't afford it," he said.
The district plans to put the policy into effect in 2009, after more public hearings and research.
Jones said the district should consider doubling the compost threshold, to 100,000 tons. That would spare his company the expense of such an elaborate procedure, he said.
Jones' main customers are farmers who use processed compost as an alternative to caustic chemical fertilizers, which dissolve during winter rains and spill into Tulare County waterways.
The cities of Visalia and Tulare also have contractual arrangements with Jones' company to collect and remove all green waste.
"This [arrangement] benefits everyone," Jones said.
City Councilman Greg Collins sees other conflicts between the district's plan and safe-environment procedures long practiced by Visalia.
"Environmental objectives are colliding," Collins said. "Composting reduces solid waste going into landfills and reduces water consumption. There has to be some give and take here."
In your voice
Read reactions to this story

[cid:image001.gif at 01C90107.63353500]<http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=pluckpersona&U=ed0823c91677450f867c89c4c9249b88>
SnitchMO<http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=pluckpersona&U=ed0823c91677450f867c89c4c9249b88> wrote:

Replying to scifigal:
Studies have shown that piling old compost on top of new compost reduces VOCs by 75%. That reduces the total VOCs to 0.5%. It's easy and cheap. Why didn't the air district suggest this? Too simple?

The problem with this? You have to use industrial equipment to pile the old compost onto the new compost. Having new compost cooking under the older compost increases the risk of it igniting (which occurred this last weekend in Goshen, I believe.) That means all the diesel-burning equipment that the compost companies are using currently must burn even MORE diesel, and cause even MORE carbon pollution that the SJVAPCD is monitoring of these companies.

Also, keep in mind, they are claiming this is 2% of VOC pollution, and they want to waste resources to lower that by 15%? That means a decrease of .03%? Exactly how does the board rationalize this stupidity? Can you say, "Much ado about nothing?"

Another point to consider: Composting facilities sprang up to fill a much-needed niche in this state: the State of California demanded diversion of all green waste from ladfills, giving them a timeframe and threatening counties wih stiff fines and penaltis if they did not meet those numbers. If such idiotic constraints are placed on the composting facilities and it forces their closure (afterall, they ARE a private business; if it doesn't make money, why run?) then all that green waste goes back to the landfills, which in TURN causes the State to fine the County for not meeting their diversion numbers.

Lastly, the reporter should have done a better job explaining exactly what VOC is. Methane, for example, is a VOC. Their proposal in this regards would be akin to the SJVAPCD attempting to control methane by demanding Taco Bell not sell Burritos on Fridays! In both regards, it's just plain STUPID!!!
8/13/2008 3:10:06 PM

Recommend <javascript:void('Recommend')>

New post<javascript:gsl.addquote(null);>

Reply to this Post<javascript:gsl.addquote(%22CommentKey:4fd5d410-c362-4671-bfc5-1a52e98a98a0%22)>

Report Abuse<http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080813/NEWS01/808130316#none>

uzitorlozeit<http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=pluckpersona&U=dc0f57debc4c405d84d92f5104fa94cb> wrote:

Replying to scifigal:
Studies have shown that piling old compost on top of new compost reduces VOCs by 75%. That reduces the total VOCs to 0.5%. It's easy and cheap. Why didn't the air district suggest this? Too simple?

Oh my, you're suggesting an easy, practical, sound, and efficient solution to this problem? Gee, how dare you give them a logical solution!! Logic doesn't show up anywhere in their publication 2003-99-1234-13541-9(b)-35DFB6575-3-(a)B-4 (2008 Edition) that they must use as a guideline. There MUST be more money spent than that: it don't work unless it HURTS the pocketbook!

Seriously, the SJVAPCD probably has a guideline of what it is that can and what cannot be used to mitigate the VOC's. That is probably more of the problem here that the issue. If the large scale composting businesses were allowed to experiment with different optons for a few years and through monitoring they find one that economically did a relatively good job of controlling the VOC's, THAT should be the practice here. Mandating multi-million-dollar appurtenances for this kind of operation is fiscally rediculous.

Personally, I think the truth here is that we live in a valley with rich biological diversity: both what is grown for food and what has lived here untouched for millenea. When something is alive dies it will decomose and give off gases. A compost heap is concentrated dead plant material. I think another commentor touched on this idea as well: wouldn't this stuff rot no matter where it is? If in a "concentrate", it would definitely emit more gas in one spot than spread over acreage, but the sum would be similar, if not the same, right?

SJVAPCD, get back to the business you where originally designed for, and keep delapidated smoggers off our roads, get scrubbers on the diesel engines, keep the roads and lots from getting too dusty, and keep the smokestacks out of the valley. This cotrol over a natually occurring substance is REDICULOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
8/13/2008 1:19:09 PM

Recommend <javascript:void('Recommend')>

New post<javascript:gsl.addquote(null);>

Reply to this Post<javascript:gsl.addquote(%22CommentKey:11b5cb9d-e486-4ed7-acf3-d33264e7918e%22)>

Report Abuse<http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080813/NEWS01/808130316#none>

scifigal<http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=pluckpersona&U=d8a3327d775140fd9bee16814c9eac5f> wrote:
Studies have shown that piling old compost on top of new compost reduces VOCs by 75%. That reduces the total VOCs to 0.5%. It's easy and cheap. Why didn't the air district suggest this? Too simple?
8/13/2008 12:08:59 PM

Recommend <javascript:void('Recommend')>

New post<javascript:gsl.addquote(null);>

Reply to this Post<javascript:gsl.addquote(%22CommentKey:1d00b32d-3a86-47df-873b-630799c651e0%22)>

Report Abuse<http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080813/NEWS01/808130316#none>

skepticity<http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=pluckpersona&U=fcd91a580f214147a855775bac2bee9e> wrote:
Rick McVaigh.

Has he ever held a real job, or has he been a lifelong bureacrat feeding at the public trough ?

Does he want unemployment at 100% in the Valley ?

8/13/2008 10:36:10 AM

Recommend <javascript:void('Recommend')>

New post<javascript:gsl.addquote(null);>

Reply to this Post<javascript:gsl.addquote(%22CommentKey:01e3099b-ac89-49db-b65d-af9de0058aef%22)>

Report Abuse<http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080813/NEWS01/808130316#none>

jimbo76<http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=pluckpersona&U=d8e74c4c46bd4f03b3da6ace947625a4> wrote:

Replying to Sandqueen66:
I guess this could be one positive side to our state being in such a financial mess, less money going to these idiotic agencies to police their retarded policies!!! I am starting to think the main goal of both is to put the screws to the farming and dairy industry enough that they will finally leave the state of California altogether.

exactly..then what will be left in Tulare co etc for an economy...not much?

[cid:image002.jpg at 01C90107.63353500]<http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?template=zoom&Site=J4&Date=20080813&Category=NEWS01&ArtNo=808130316&Ref=AR>
A Scarab composting machine works at Tulare County Compost and Biomass. They have 35 acres which will process about 70,000 tons of compost material by the end of 2008, 24478 Road 140 (Lovers Lane) in Tulare. (JOHANNA COYNE)

[cid:image003.jpg at 01C90107.63353500]<http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?template=zoom&Site=J4&Date=20080813&Category=NEWS01&ArtNo=808130316&Ref=V2>
Operations manager John Jones holds compost at Tulare County Compost and Biomass. (JOHANNA COYNE)

No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com
Version: 8.0.138 / Virus Database: 270.6.3/1614 - Release Date: 8/15/2008 5:29 PM
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.gif
Type: image/gif
Size: 744 bytes
Desc: image001.gif
Url : http://mailman.cloudnet.com/pipermail/compost/attachments/20080818/eb71beba/image001-0001.gif
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image002.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 19331 bytes
Desc: image002.jpg
Url : http://mailman.cloudnet.com/pipermail/compost/attachments/20080818/eb71beba/image002-0001.jpg
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image003.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 10629 bytes
Desc: image003.jpg
Url : http://mailman.cloudnet.com/pipermail/compost/attachments/20080818/eb71beba/image003-0001.jpg