[USCC] What is Anaerobic Composting

[Chris Humphry]

Hi Rufus,

I agree the terms "bokashi composting" and "anaerobic composting" are incorrect.  Bokashi loosely translates to "fermented organic matter", and 'organic matter' is referring to the substance used when infusing the microbes (bran, rice hulls, etc).  I prefer the terms "starter bokashi" and "finished bokashi", the former is bokashi and the latter is so-called (finished) bokashi compost.  Just using 'bokashi' and 'finished bokashi' will no doubt lead to confusion, some people would take it to mean the bokashi is 'finished' fermenting.


You wrote:
"Consider the STA seal of approval. It requires a showing that the material actually composted at 55C or above to obtain the benefits of composting, not some arbitrary claim of the submitter."

Are you saying that anaerobic fermentation and decomposition (using bokashi) can not produce as high quality end-product as 'finished' compost?  If so please read the attached Soil Foodweb International (SFI) evaluation of their own assays using finished bokashi. 

When making the finished bokashi used in the SFI assays 'Osprey Landing' used traditional bokashi methods:  Anaerobically fermenting food scraps for some weeks (usually 3-6), then burying the fermented food scraps in soil so it may finish decomposing.  After some weeks (usually 3-8) the buried fermented organic matter has decomposed and is ready to use.  At that state the decomposed fermented organic matter could be called 'finished bokashi' and should be rife with microbes, etc, the full "Soil Foodweb" (SFW) and it should stable, contain humus, etc.

The finished bokashi is dug up and use just like compost, or left in place to enrich the soil.  High quality finished bokashi can rival quality compost in terms of biology.  Finished bokashi can have bacteria, fungi, nematodes, protozoa, earthworms, etc.  In other words finished bokashi may (or may not) have the full SFW, just like compost may (or may not) have the full SFW.  Though I assume if the fermented organic matter was buried in infertile soil it would have few organisms besides those used to ferment the orgaic matter.  But I guess the same could be said about compost (as lacking the full SFW) when making compost on infertile soil...


Excerpt from the SFI evaluation of their assays on finished bokashi: 
< http://www.ospreylanding.ca/explanation%20letter%20from%20swf.pdf > [PDF]

"All of the test results of your EM sample are excellent or very good.  A higher level of fungi may be beneficial for garden soils but there is a good amount present to work with that could be raised with the addition of some fungal foods. This sample has a very good bacterial and fungal foundation but the levels of nutrient cyclers – the protozoa and nematode – are exceptionally good.  The result of  the very healthy food web found in your EM sample is the potential for very high rates of nitrogen cycling that will support high yields in heavy feeding plants such as corn and potatoes.  Our test results of your sample point to a very healthy and biologically rich soil."



And here is a link to the SFW report:
< http://www.ospreylanding.ca/Soil%20Foodweb%20Lab.pdf > [PDF]


Chris



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Dear USCC folks:

I can see some of the old experts on composting spinning in their graves
on these "anaerobic composting" claims. It is not correct to say
"anaerobic composting". As Eliot Epstein noted, composting is by
definition an aerobic thermophilic process. Not mesophilic like
anaerobic digestion at 35C. But 55C or above to kill pathogens and
obtain aerobic stabilization. Anaerobic digestion is a useful process to
generate methane and reduce mass of an unstable biomass. But it does not
attain the stability of aerobic processing. Recent trials of
thermophilic anaerobic digestion (to obtain pathogen kill and
stabilization) produced putrid end products which were not ready to go
to land. But thermophilic aerobic digestion gave a low odor product from
input sewage solids. Just no energy recovery historically used to power
pumps at POTWs. And their product is not ready for commercial
application; rather normal controlled land application of the wet or
dewatered product. Composting yields a semi-dry friable product ready to
mix in soils for many uses.

If you still think it appropriate to use "anaerobic composting", please
read some of the classic texts and official documents on composting and
present some rationale to justify the use. Don't just say that some
particular group use it for the commercial benefit of using the
"composting" name. That is simply cheating as sometimes occurs with
commercial interests.

Consider the STA seal of approval. It requires a showing that the
material actually composted at 55C or above to obtain the benefits of
composting, not some arbitrary claim of the submitter.

Regards,

Rufus Chaney
Beltsville, MD.

-----Original Message-----
From: compost-bounces at mailman.cloudnet.com
[mailto:compost-bounces at mailman.cloudnet.com] On Behalf Of Steve Diver
Sent: Monday, March 09, 2009 1:46 PM
To: Compost Discussion List
Subject: Re: [USCC] What is Anaerobic Composting

Some of the EM Bokashi Composting and Bocashi Composting 
(sans EM) piles are covered and allowed to ferment under
anaerobic conditions, but these are geared to fermentative
anaerobic not putrefactive anaerobic.  They might 
fit the description of anaerobic compost. 

It results in a good quality organic soil amendment.

This is totally unrelated to anaerobic digestion 
or digestate.  The is also unrelated to EM Bokashi
food scrap buckets. 

In most situations, these methods will be used
by farmers rather than compost facilities.  

Steve Diver
Texas