Mass and element balance in food waste composting facilities.
The mass and element balance in municipal solid waste composting facilities that handle food waste was studied. Material samples from the facilities were analyzed for moisture, ash, carbon, nitrogen, and the oxygen consumption of compost and bulking material was determined. Three different processes were used in the food waste composting facilities: standard in-vessel composting, drying, and stand-alone composting machine. Satisfactory results were obtained for the input/output ash balance despite several assumptions made concerning the quantities involved. The carbon/nitrogen ratio and oxygen consumption values for compost derived only from food waste were estimated by excluding the contribution of the bulking material remaining in the compost product. These estimates seemed to be suitable indices for the biological stability of compost because there was a good correlation between them, and because the values seemed logical given the operating conditions at the facilities.
Zhang
Huijun
H
Lab. of Solid Waste Disposal Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Kita 13, Nishi 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8628, Japan.
Matsuto
Toshihiko
T
D002244:Carbon / Q000032:analysis; D005735:Garbage; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000032:analysis; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis; D010100:Oxygen / Q000032:analysis; D055585:Physical Phenomena; D012037:Refuse Disposal / Q000379:methods*; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis*; D014866:Waste Products / Q000032:analysis*; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis
D012987:Soil; D014866:Waste Products; D014867:Water; D002244:Carbon; D006859:Hydrogen; D009584:Nitrogen; D010100:Oxygen