[USCC] Leachate management - Anaerobic Digestion - Analyses

[Jérémie VERDIER]

Thank you very much for all these useful tips, Fengyu and Craig.

I am particularly interested when you say that leachate from food waste is
“an excellent feedstock for *anaerobic digester*”! We are actually about to
build an in vessel composting facility, which is expected to treat kitchen
waste.

Does anyone has any publication/figures which deal about that? Or any case
study?

Many thanks

*Jérémie Verdier*

Technical Operations
Veolia Environmental Services (UK) plc
154a Pentonville Road
London
N1 9PE

( Tel +44 (0)207 833 6484

*7 *Fax +44 (0)20783 77489

( Mobile +44 (0)78666 78549

, E-mail *Jeremie.Verdier at veolia.co.uk*




2009/4/9 Fengyu Wang <fwang at norcalwaste.com>

> Hi Jérémie Verdier,
>
> To answer your question, here are some simple leachate management ideas for
> compost world to discuss:
>
> What's the best management with *leachate from green waste composting*?
> First of all, try to minimize the generation of the leachate by,
> 1. Not over water the compost piles, and turn the compost piles within one
> hour after applied water.
> 2. Use ComposTex (breathable cover, rain will not go in the piles) during
> the heavy raining season.
>
> A. Could it generally have a good *fertilizer value?*
> Yes. But it may smell bad if you do not get rid of it fast.
>
> And could it have any *negative effects* when spreading to land?
> It may have *negative effects* if the leachate have heavy salt content or
> other contaminations, such as lead.
> It also may *negative effects* to surface and possible ground water if it
> runs off.
> You may need to consult local regulators before spreading.
>
> B. What treatment would you propose before spreading to land? / send it to
> sewer?
> If the leachate is only from compost piles, recommend use it back to the
> compost piles when water is needed. The fertilizer value will be back to
> your compost.
> However, you may only use the leachate at the beginning of the compost
> process, not after the pathogen reduction process, absolutely not during the
> curing process.
>
> C. Would leachate from any mixed green/Kitchen waste be suitable for
> Anaerobic Digestion? To produce the electricity for the plant to be self
> sufficient?
> Yes, it is an excellent feedstock for anaerobic digester, especially
> leachate from food waste.
>
> D. In order to decide, what are the key elements to analyze?
> Simple tests would be:
> For land application: nutrients, salts, pH and metals.
> For Anaerobic digestion: BOD (or Volatile solids), total solids, salts, pH
> and metals.
>
> Best Regards,
>
> Fengyu Wang
> Norcal Waste Systems Inc.
> 6426 Hay Road
> Vacaville, CA 95687
> Phone: (707)678-4718 ext.26
> Fax: (707)768-5695
> Email: fwang at norcalwaste.com
>
>
>
>
> A big sustainability leader with a small footprint.
>
>
>
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