[USCC] calculating compost volume from weight of feedstock

[Cary Oshins]

A couple a points:

First, cubic yards of material with different bulk densities are not
actually additive.  For example, 3 yards of ground brush plus 1 yard of
grass clippings does not yield 4 yds of mix.  This is because the smaller
particles fill in the pores between the particles of brush. 80% is a good
estimate for the volume of many feedstock mixes, so in the above example, 3
+ 1 = 3.2! However, it will vary with your feedstocks.

Second, the amount of volume reduction also varies greatly with feedstock,
but is certainly more than the 10-30% mentioned.  I have heard composters
explain how they need 40 yards of food waste to get 1 yard of finished
compost.  At the other extreme, high lignin feedstocks will lose much less
bulk, more in that 30% range. So, depending on the mix, 50-70% loss because
of decomposition is typical.  

An internet search for "compost recipe calculator" will yield a half-dozen
examples.  They vary considerably in detail and ease-of-use. We are
exploring a "calculator page" for a new website. If anyone has
recommendations, suggestions or experience with any of these I'd be
interested in hearing from you.

Cary

 

____________________________________
Cary Oshins
Assistant Director of Programs
 <http://www.compostingcouncil.org/> US Composting Council

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Allentown, PA 18102

phone: 484-547-1521

fax: 484-274-6779

 <mailto:cary at compostingcouncil.org> cary.oshins at compostingcouncil.org
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-----Original Message-----
From: compost-bounces at mailman.cloudnet.com
[mailto:compost-bounces at mailman.cloudnet.com] On Behalf Of Glass, Steve J.
Sent: Monday, November 24, 2008 5:44 PM
To: Compost Discussion List
Subject: Re: [USCC] calculating compost volume from weight of feedstock

 

Susan -

 

The first tab in the attached spreadsheet includes bulk densities for a wide
range of common composting feedstocks, adapted by the NM Organics Recycling
Organization from some data published by Cornell University.

Dividing the weight (in pounds) of a feedstock by its bulk density (in
pounds per cubic yard) yields an estimate of the volume (in cubic yards.

 

The other tabs in the spreadsheet contain compost mixture calculators
developed by Cornell and by NMORO.  The NMORO mixture calculator predicts
the initial volume of the proposed compost mixture.  During the composting
process, one can expect to lose 10-30% of the initial volume, so the final
volume can be estimated.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Steve Glass

NMORO

 

 

-----Original Message-----

From: compost-bounces at mailman.cloudnet.com

[mailto:compost-bounces at mailman.cloudnet.com] On Behalf Of
McLaughlin.Susan at epamail.epa.gov

Sent: Monday, November 24, 2008 3:17 PM

To: compost at mailman.cloudnet.com

Subject: [USCC] calculating compost volume from weight of feedstock

 

Hi.  I received an inquiry asking how someone can, using as inputs the
WEIGHT of certain types of organic wastes, calculate in cubic YARDAGE the
amount of compost that would result for those different types of waste.

 

Can you help?  Are there generalizations, tools, or research out there that
I can lead him to?

 

Thank you!

 

Susan McLaughlin

Office of Solid Waste

US EPA

 

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