Composta

LARGE-SCALE
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Organic Materials Composting

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2

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Composting Basics
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Introduction
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Just a decade ago, most public officials and business owners thought of waste materials such as grass clippings, food scraps, and sludge as a problemthey had to dispose of. But more and more often, public agencies and entrepreneurs are turning this former problem into a profit with environmental benefits. Once they’re converted into compost,organic wastes—which are the compostable portions of the solid waste stream—can be used to mulch landscaping, enhance crop growth, enrich topsoil, and provide other benefits. The change in outlook aboutmunicipal organic wastes stems from many factors: (1) municipal officials have realized that composting is an effective strategy for managing waste (up to 70 percent may be organic); (2) states havebanned certain organic materials such as cardboard and yard waste from landfills; (3) backyard composting has been readily accepted; (4) composting has been heavily promoted in the agricultural sector;and (5) more markets for compost have opened up. The key to starting a successful composting enterprise is to understand the basics, including how composting works, what types of facilities can handlethis process, which raw materials work best, how to manage odor, and how to produce and market high-quality products.

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Composting is the aerobic...