[USCC] Ash from Tree & Brush Burning in Compost

[Jeff Ziegenbein]

I believe, from Rosenfeld's study, that <10% of non-industrial wood ash (no elevated arsenic) is good for helping to control odors especially in biosolids compost. I have not had experience as there is no clean wood ash available on an ongoing basis in my area as far as I know. See the link below for an abstract on the study I am referring to. 

http://jeq.scijournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/29/5/1662


Jeff Ziegenbein
Inland Empire Regional Composting Authority
jziegenbein at ieua.org

-----Original Message-----
From: compost-bounces at mailman.cloudnet.com [mailto:compost-bounces at mailman.cloudnet.com] On Behalf Of Ken Powell
Sent: Thursday, September 03, 2009 2:27 PM
To: 'Compost Discussion List'
Subject: [USCC] Ash from Tree & Brush Burning in Compost


Good late afternoon before a holiday,

I just received a question about putting the ash from a tree and brush burning site into a municipal composting operation.  They are having trouble moving chips so they are going to burn some and are trying to figure out what to do with the ash.  Are there any problems with wood ash in a composting operation?  What if they stay below 10% by volume of the ash to the compost?

Thanks for any help,

Ken Powell
Environmental Scientist
Kansas Department of Health & Environment 1000 SW Jackson, Suite 320 Topeka, KS  66618 Phone  785-296-1121  Fax  785-296-1592 email  kpowell at kdheks.gov<mailto:kpowell at kdheks.gov>
web  www.kdheks.gov/waste<http://www.kdheks.gov/waste>

Please note my new e-mail address is kpowell at kdheks.gov<mailto:kpowell at kdheks.gov>