NYSAR3 Compost Session
17th Annual NYS Recycling Conference
November 16, 2006 - Syracuse, NY
10 AM - 12
Convened by the Cornell Waste Management Institute
Agenda
Compost: What Is It Worth?
Introduction – what this session is about Ellen Harrison and Jean Bonhotal
Panel Presentations (10 min each):
David Lupinski, Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Authority
Bill Guptill, Toad Hollow Farm
Jeff Edwards, Schenectady County Planning
Brian Fleury, WeCare Organics
The panelists will address the “what, why and who” of their composting operations including:
Feedstocks
Products
Testing
End use/markets
Finances ($ in and $ out)
What is working well?
What are the challenges?
CWMI compost user survey, compost labeling, compost testing
Facilitated Discussion
Potential discussion topics
Public/private sector involvement
What to charge - tip fees and product sales
Meeting Notes - prepared by Ellen Harrison
A copy of the power point presentations of these presenters are linked below.
1. Schenectady County
Jeff Edwards, Planner
Schenectady County Department of Economic Development and Planning
Email: jeff.edwards@schenectadycounty.com
Phone: 518-386-2225
Facility is for yard waste and is run by the Soil and Water Conservation District. Started in 1989. 2 FTE plus 1 equipment operator seasonally.
Costs: $294,000
Revenues: $210,000
Permits: $40,000
Sales: $40,000
Tipping fees: $130,000
Municipal: $90,000
Private: $40,000
Equipment
- Screener CEC Roadrunner Double deck Shaker $130,000
- Grinder VerMeer TG 800 $510,000 grant applied for
- Wildcat Windrow Turner attaches to loader $90,000
- Coloring Cannon $25,000
- Payloaders John Deer 624 $156,000
- And John Deer 744 $210,000
Product sales
Compost
- Bulk Rate $13/Cubic Yard
- Bulk (More than 20 yds.) $9/Cubic Yard
- Bulk (More than 500 yds.) $7/Cubic Yard
- Bagged $2/bag (1.2 cu. ft.)
- Bagged $3 bags/$5
Wood Chips (Mulch)
- Bagged - $2 (2/cu.ft.) or 3 bags/$5
- Bulk - $9/cu.yd.
Colored Wood Chips (Mulch) Red,black or dark brown
- Bagged - $3/bag (2 cu.ft.
- Bulk - $30/cu.yd
Blended top soil $16/cu. Yd.
2. Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Authority
Dave Lupinski, Director of Recycling
MANAGEMENT METHODS
- Regional large scale yard waste composting site (13 acres)
- Compost site services 19 municipalities (2/3 population)
- Promote back yard composting
- Composting education
- Promote Reduction/Reuse/Recycling
Facts and Figures
- Opened Facility in 1991
- Received and Processed over 184,000 tons
- Average 13,000 – 15,000 TPY
- 68% mixed, 30% leaves, 2% grass
- Charge $14.50/TON TIPPING FEE
- (Charged to Municipalities, Haulers & Landscapers)
- $5.00 Drop-Off Fee – Residents , Pick-Up Truck & Trailer
- $231,690 - beak even. 2006 BUDGET
- 2 FULL TIME EMPLOYEES
- $500,000 CAPITAL BUDGET 2001-2006
Operation
Receive mixed green waste
Grind and mix
Make and turn windrows (dedicated turner). Monitor temperature.
Screen
Market – bulk and bag
Delivery
- Delivery Fee Charges Of $45.00 - $90.00 Depending On Municipality Location
- Charge $10.00 Per Cubic Yard
- Quantities Delivered
- Minimum 2 Cubic Yards
- Maximum 20 Cubic Yards
- No Charge for Wholesale Delivery of Bagged Compost (100 bags minimum)
Price list
- BULK
- $10 per small pick up truck
- $15 per large/normal pick-up
- $10.00 per cubic yard bulk loads
- $7.50 per yard for over 100 cubic yards per year
- BAGS
- $1.25 per bag wholesale
- $2.00 per bag or 3 for $5.00 retail
DEVELOP UNIQUE AND UNUSUAL MARKETS FOR USES OF MUNICIPAL YARD WASTE COMPOST
Use in sports turf maintenance
- Held in conjunction with School District Superintendents of Buildings and Grounds Association
- Little Falls City School District Host
- Little Falls applied 240 tons of Authority Yard Waste Compost on 5 Athletic Fields in 2004 with excellent results
- Mike Kelly Superintendent of Buildings & Grounds
- 10 Local Schools & 20 Individuals Attended
3. WeCare Organics, LLC
Brian C. Fleury, Sales Manager
Various applications for composts made from different feedstocks.
- Turf Establishment
- Topdressing
- Manufactured Topsoil
- Planting Beds
- Tree/Shrub Backfill Mix
Can make a product to fit the use. Best value is to make a manufactured specialty soil to meet desired specifications. Work with Landscape Architects to get appropriate guidelines/requirements written into specifications for the plans. Specs should address pH, salts, nutrients (N,P,K), water holding capacity, organic matter and bulk density.
4. Toad Hollow Farms
Bill Gupthill, Toad Hollow Farms
Brian Luton, WasteNot Resources
Dairy farm waste, grocery store residuals (often plastic contamination). Batch processes and batch testing as required by NYSDEC.
The municipal prices quoted above are less than his costs of production. Need to educate consumers on different products and their value.
Tip fee: $30/ton ~ half of Onondaga solid waste fee.
Prices: $20/cu yd; $95/yd for potting soil. Garden blend is the biggest seller.
5. Guidelines
Ellen Harrison, Director, Cornell Waste Management Institute
What compost users care about:
- Weed seeds
- Consistency of product
- pH
- Chemical and physical contamination
- NPK
- Organic Matter content
- Pathogens
But most yard wastes are not tested for these parameters.
New NYS Dept. of Ag and Markets rules regarding fertilizer and compost
- 1 NYCRR section 153.1 amended
- Ag compost is exempt from fertilizer fees and guaranteed analysis.
- Label average total N, total P and total K.
- Can include other compost characteristics.
- Obtain license and file test results filed with the NYS DAM.
Typical parameters found in use guidelines may include:
- Density
- pH
- OM
- C:N ratio
- Maturity
- Nitrogen
- Soluble salts
- Metals
- Particle size
- Foreign matter
A standard label similar to the food nutrition label could be useful.
Discussion points:
Testing of composts and labeling is important in helping consumers make appropriate choices.
Health and safety considerations for compost workers. A compost facility operator mentioned respiratory problems he had when working with the compost. Abatement measures include: enclosed cabs; best practices manual; respirator with organic canister; technical assistance from NYS Dept. of Labor is available.
Neighbor issues: have protocols in place for handling complaints and for minimizing issues.
Mulch: sales not regulated by NYS DEC, no formal requirements. For untreated wood, there is a blanket Beneficial Use Determination.
Grass clippings and odors: some communities won’t take grass (encourage leave it on the lawn); don’t stockpile it; keep sufficient carbon source on hand and mix promptly; turn more frequently.
