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How Composting Organics in California Reduces Greenhouse Gases

How Composting Organics in California Reduces Greenhouse Gases. March 19, 2007 Roger Vander Wende. Text. Greenhouse Gases and Composting. Some Key Elements. Top Greenhouse Gases. GHG Reduced by Composting. Carbon Dioxide CO2 Carbon Storage Increased Crop Yields Methane CH4

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How Composting Organics in California Reduces Greenhouse Gases

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  1. How Composting Organics in California Reduces Greenhouse Gases March 19, 2007 Roger Vander Wende

  2. Text

  3. Greenhouse Gases and Composting Some Key Elements

  4. Top Greenhouse Gases

  5. GHG Reduced by Composting • Carbon Dioxide CO2 • Carbon Storage • Increased Crop Yields • Methane CH4 • Removes Organics from Landfills • Nitrous Oxide N2O • Reduces Fertilizer Use

  6. Natural Storage Coal, Oil & Gas Deposits Soils & Organic Matter Forest & Plants Proposed Methods Drilling Under the Oceans Mine Reuse Landfills Composting Carbon Storage(Carbon Sequestration)

  7. Carbon Storage (Compost Method) • We Compost Plant Material Containing Carbon • Accelerate the Natural Process of Decomposition • Apply the Finished Compost (Containing Carbon) • Soil Stores the Carbon for Many Years • Increases Plant Growth & CO2 Intake

  8. Why Store With Compost? Proven Technology Compatible with Recycling Goals Compatible with Highest and Best Use Goals Multiple Agricultural Benefits Increase GHG Benefits through Additional Plant Growth No Leakage Concerns or Monitoring of Gas Reservoirs

  9. Quantifying GHG Reduction Through Composting • 0.05 MTCE/Wet Ton of Organics (USEPA) • Underestimates Intake of Carbon by Increased Plant Growth • Excludes Reduced Pesticide Use • May Underestimate Fertilizer Reduction

  10. Net GHG Emissions from Composting(in MTCE Per Ton of Yard Trimmings Composted)* Emission / Storage Factor -.05 * USEPA

  11. Our Organic Management Activities Supply Chain • Collect separated & commingled Organics • Remove Organics from Mixed Waste Compost Site • Preprocess to Remove Contaminants • “Overs” to our Biomass Facilities Farm • Use Compost on all Crops

  12. 3692 Ton per day facility

  13. Market Problem?WE DISAGREE The State’s two largest Compost Facilities can’t meet market demand due to insufficient supply.

  14. Our Compost Recipe30:1 Carbon/Nitrogen Ratio Grass 18-19 Parts Carbon to 1 Part Nitrogen Food 10-15 Parts Carbon to 1 part Nitrogen Leaves 66-67 Parts Carbon to 1 part Nitrogen Wood 100-200 Parts Carbon to 1 part Nitrogen *Moisture Goal <60%

  15. Lamont Compost Site

  16. Net GHG Impact of Our Composted Materials * • 2006 • 25,593 tons of GHG Reduction • At Full Capacity, we would Reduce GHG by 69,879 tons/year* • * New Compost Application Only

  17. OUR FARM

  18. / Wheat

  19. Our Field Compost 20 tons /acre 170 units of nitrogen/acre Yield 35 tons/acre Neighboring Field No Compost 240 units of nitrogen/acre Yield 21 tons/acre Corn Crops With & Without Compost

  20. Conventional Methods

  21. With Compost

  22. Our Organic Hay • 560 Acres CCOF Certified Alfalfa Hay • 20 Tons Per Acre Applied Twice a Year • No Pesticides • No Commercial Fertilizer

  23. Heavy Clay Soil High Alkali, Salts Elevated pH Poor Seed Germination Little or No Growth 20 tons/acre of Compost applied twice a year Opened Soil to Allow Leaching Good Results in 3 Years Full Seed Germination Wheat & Milo Crops No Fertilizer Last Year for Milo Soil Rejuvenation Using CompostWheat Field

  24. Additional Compost Benefits • Decreased Pesticide Use • Microbial Diversity • Decreased Water Use • Improved Soil Structure • Substitute for Open Field Burning • Prevents Erosion

  25. Crop RotationAlso Reduces Fertilizer Use • Alfalfa 4-5 Years • Until Sufficient Nitrogen is Fixed in Soil • Winter Wheat 1 year November-May • Spring Corn 1 year May - October • Back to Alfalfa

  26. Spreading

  27. Cattle feed

  28. What’s Holding Back Green Waste Compost Expansion? • Insufficient Supply of Organic Materials • Compost DemandExceeds Supply

  29. Composting Community Recycling LA Area Pricing $32.88 - $38.05 / ton ADC LA County Landfills & Transfer Station $12.10 - $14.05 / ton Los Angeles AreaGreenwaste Pricing

  30. What if Greenwaste ADC Was Used For CompostStatewide? • 1,762,873 tons/year of Finished Compost • 150,390 TPY of GHG Emissions Reductions* • * Does not include the GHG benefits from increased plant growth

  31. Recommendations Steps To Increased Composting in California • Remove Barriers to Greenwaste Supply • ADC Diversion Credits • Tighter ADC Regulations • State Study to Better Document Compost Benefits (lack of consensus to date) • Coordinated Advocacy to Include Composting in California Climate Initiatives for all applicable State Agency Recommendations

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