[USCC] Calculating Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Composting

Tue Jul 1 16:15:46 CDT 2008

Cary,

Compost advocates may want to avoid "counting" carbon emissions from decomposition, but that omission does not seem fair. We should judge the climate change impact of composting in comparison to its alternatives. 

Composting has fewer emissions than mass-burn incineration and may have lower emissions than incineration with energy recovery, unless, perhaps, the energy generated displaces coal-fired power. However, composting may, in some cases, have more carbon emissions than landfilling. In some cases, landfilling can "safely" sequester carbon. Of course, in other cases (such as landfilling food waste, grass, and other organics with high nitrogen, rather than woody material high in carbon), landfilling may result in more climate change gasses. Landfilling, instead of composting, items high in nitrogen can generate more methane than would be captured by methane recovery systems in some landfills, and the climate change effect of methane is over 20 times worse than carbon emissions.

Regards,
D.G.

>>> "Cary Oshins" <cary at compostingcouncil.org> 06/30/2008 8:37 AM >>>
Eric, if the reason for your question stems from concerns over climate
change and your carbon footprint, you have to understand that the CO2
released during composting has two sources--the decomposition of the
compostable material and the equipment used to move and process the
material.  The CO2 from decomposition is part of the "short-term carbon
cycle", that is, it was captured from the air during photosynthesis and goes
back into the air during decomposition, so does not "count" from a carbon
footprint perspective.  However, the diesel fuel and other energy used and
exhausts emitted do count, and will completely depend on the equipment you
use and the scale of operation, so any ball park estimate would be
meaningless.
There will be several new factsheets on composting and global warming on our
new website, due to launch in the very near future.  Watch for it!
Take care,
Cary

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US Composting Council
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-----Original Message-----
From: compost-bounces at mailman.cloudnet.com 
[mailto:compost-bounces at mailman.cloudnet.com] On Behalf Of Eric Simenson
Sent: Friday, June 27, 2008 9:44 PM
To: compost at mailman.cloudnet.com 
Subject: [USCC] Calculating Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Composting

  Does anyone have an equation to calculate how much carbon dioxide is 
released during composting?  I realize it depends on many factors, so 
ballpark numbers are just fine.

Thanks everyone,
Eric Simenson

Boulder Compost Co.
720-837-3286
www.bouldercompost.com 
_______________________________________
Join us at the US Composting Council's 17th Annual Conference & Trade Show
January 26-29th, 2009 at the Westin Galleria in Houston, TX.
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 
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_______________________________________
Join us at the US Composting Council's 17th Annual Conference & Trade Show
January 26-29th, 2009 at the Westin Galleria in Houston, TX.
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 