commercial compost facility – Page 2

Nice Compostable Cup… How About the Top?

Behold the Ecotainer, the compostable cup. Behold the lid, which will never compost...ever. Maybe I'm just being a jerk, but this is what I'd call a mixed message. Maybe they just ran out of their normal wax paper lid that day and had to default to crappy plastic. Maybe the preferred non-plastic lid cost more. Maybe the paper cup cost more than they wanted it to...which leads me to my first point: I hope the cost of the cup didn't break the bank. There's plenty of paperboard cups on the market that don't say anything about being compostable, even though they are by default. It reminds me of how aerosol cans are labeled "No CFCs"...although they have been banned since 1978. Unnecessary labeling. While I realize that paper isn't devoid…

Quick Questions with Peninsula Compost’s Nelson Widell

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvcqbvBkyNQ Recently I sent a few questions over to Nelson Widell at Wilmington Organic Recycling Center. I've visited the facility a few times, and I had some questions about contamination and sorting, as well as bioplastics and pressure treated wood...so here we go: Tyler: How much compost is created each day? Nelson: We are producing about 200 tons per day of compost. Tyler: What would you say the average contamination rate is for your incoming loads? Nelson: Contamination is approximately 3% by weight. Tyler: What's your least favorite common contaminant you receive from incoming loads? (in compost receptacles available to patrons, I always see ketchup packs and plastic utensils) Nelson: The plastic circular label stickers put on bananas and tomatoes is the least favorite contaminant. Tyler: Describe the sorting system in…

Wilmington Organics Recycling Center (video)

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvcqbvBkyNQ This is the best video showing how a commercial composting facility handles their stuff. Keep in mind this is a $20 million facility complete with 2 ton Goretex tarps and capacity of 500+ tons a day. Wow. I know of a few customers of theirs that are quite happy with their stuff, and I've been a recipient of their finished product and we saw how that did...remember? One thing that I always wonder about...how can they tell if their wood waste contains creosote or CCA, or was formerly used in phytoremedial projects? Would the critters in the pile break down that nasty stuff? Compost is a cheaper disposal route per ton than the landfill for most (within proximity to a facility, of course)... so wouldn't that tempt more unnecessary…