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Compost serves as a ''growing medium'': a porous, absorbent material which holds moisture and soluble minerals, providing the support and [[nutrients]] in which most plants will flourish. To maximize plant growth, it is sometimes necessary to dilute compost with soil or peat to reduce salinity or to add neutralisers to bring the pH closer to 7, or additional nutrients like [[fertiliser]]s or [[manure]], [[wetting agent]]s, and materials to improve drainage and aeration, such as [[sand]], [[grit]], bark chips, [[vermiculite]], [[perlite]], or clay granules. |
Compost serves as a ''growing medium'': a porous, absorbent material which holds moisture and soluble minerals, providing the support and [[nutrients]] in which most plants will flourish. To maximize plant growth, it is sometimes necessary to dilute compost with soil or peat to reduce salinity or to add neutralisers to bring the pH closer to 7, or additional nutrients like [[fertiliser]]s or [[manure]], [[wetting agent]]s, and materials to improve drainage and aeration, such as [[sand]], [[grit]], bark chips, [[vermiculite]], [[perlite]], or clay granules. |
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==Composting Mandate== |
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Heightened realization of limited space for land filling has spurred recycling worldwide by means of composting, a widely accepted process for converting decomposable wastes of natural origin into stable, sanitized products that are horticulturally useful. The roots of modern composting lie in European-based organic farming dating from the early 20th century <ref>J. Heckman, The Roots of Modern Organic Farming '' in'' Renew. Agric. and Food Systems 21, 143 (2006).</ref> However, the modern application of composting for waste reduction has very little in common with organic farming. The drafting in 1999 of the European [[Landfill Directive]] put enormous regulatory pressure on European states to meet targets for landfill reduction by removing organic materials and finding alternate treatment. While certain countries such as Belgium, Holland, Germany and Austria readily achieved the mandated targets, other countries such as Great Britain, Spain and Italy did not; indeed, it is widely rumored that the UK, despite its early important contributions in [[organic farming]] and [[John Innes Compost]], only started taking composting seriously with the Brussels threat of a levy of penalty if it did not attain the required reduction targets. Thusly, modern large-scale composting should not be confused with an idealistic, organic-oriented goal to recycle and improve soils- for most western countries now, it's virtually the law. |
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==Compost ingredients== |
==Compost ingredients== |
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Given enough time, all [[biodegradable]] material will compost. However, most domestic systems will not reach sufficiently high temperatures to kill [[pathogen]]s and weed seeds or deter [[vermin]], so pet droppings, scraps of [[meat]], and [[dairy product]]s are often best left to operators of high-rate, [[thermophilic]] composting systems. Hobby animal manure (horses, goats), vegetable kitchen and garden waste are all excellent raw material for home composting.</sub>''' |
Given enough time, all [[biodegradable]] material will compost, and the primary objective in the modern push to compost is to capture readily degradable materials so they do not enter landfills. However, most domestic systems will not reach sufficiently high temperatures to kill [[pathogen]]s and weed seeds or deter [[vermin]], so pet droppings, scraps of [[meat]], and [[dairy product]]s are often best left to operators of high-rate, [[thermophilic]] composting systems. Hobby animal manure (horses, goats), vegetable kitchen and garden waste are never the less all excellent raw material for home composting.</sub>''' |
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==European composting standards== |
==European composting standards== |
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===Inorganic additives=== |
===Inorganic additives=== |
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*[[Loam]] |
*[[Loam]] |
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⚫ | |||
*[[Grit]] |
*[[Grit]] |
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⚫ | |||
*[[Vermiculite]] |
*[[Vermiculite]] |
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*[[Perlite]] |
*[[Perlite]] |
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==Literature== |
==Literature== |
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* Insam, H; Riddech, N; Klammer, S (Eds.): '''Microbiology of Composting''' ,Springer Verlag, Berlin New York 2002, ISBN: 978-3-540-67568-6 |
* Insam, H; Riddech, N; Klammer, S (Eds.): '''Microbiology of Composting''' ,Springer Verlag, Berlin New York 2002, ISBN: 978-3-540-67568-6 |
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* Hogg, D., J. Barth, E. Favoino, M. Centemero, V. Caimi, F. Amlinger, W. Devliegher, W. Brinton., S. Antler. 2002. Comparison of compost standards within the EU, North America, and Australasia. Waste and Resources Action Programme Committee (UK) (see wrap.or.uk) |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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* [http://articles.canadiangardening.com/Homepage/default/compost-basics-n237680p1.html Composting Basics] Canadian Gardening Magazine |
* [http://articles.canadiangardening.com/Homepage/default/compost-basics-n237680p1.html Composting Basics] Canadian Gardening Magazine |
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* [http://www.naturemill.com/ An automatic composter] |
* [http://www.naturemill.com/ An automatic composter] |
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* [http://eur-lex.europa.eu/en/index.htm Commission of the European Communities. Landfill Directive 1999/31/EC. Official Journal L 182 , 16/07/1999 P.0001-0019. } |
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{{waste}} |
{{waste}} |
Revision as of 14:06, 3 January 2008
- For the process of producing compost see composting
Compost (Template:PronEng or US /ˈkɒmpoʊst/) is the aerobically decomposed remnants of organic matter. Compost is used in landscaping, horticulture and agriculture as a soil conditioner and fertiliser. It is also useful for erosion control, land/stream reclamation, wetland construction, and as landfill cover (see compost uses).
Compost serves as a growing medium: a porous, absorbent material which holds moisture and soluble minerals, providing the support and nutrients in which most plants will flourish. To maximize plant growth, it is sometimes necessary to dilute compost with soil or peat to reduce salinity or to add neutralisers to bring the pH closer to 7, or additional nutrients like fertilisers or manure, wetting agents, and materials to improve drainage and aeration, such as sand, grit, bark chips, vermiculite, perlite, or clay granules.
Composting Mandate
Heightened realization of limited space for land filling has spurred recycling worldwide by means of composting, a widely accepted process for converting decomposable wastes of natural origin into stable, sanitized products that are horticulturally useful. The roots of modern composting lie in European-based organic farming dating from the early 20th century [1] However, the modern application of composting for waste reduction has very little in common with organic farming. The drafting in 1999 of the European Landfill Directive put enormous regulatory pressure on European states to meet targets for landfill reduction by removing organic materials and finding alternate treatment. While certain countries such as Belgium, Holland, Germany and Austria readily achieved the mandated targets, other countries such as Great Britain, Spain and Italy did not; indeed, it is widely rumored that the UK, despite its early important contributions in organic farming and John Innes Compost, only started taking composting seriously with the Brussels threat of a levy of penalty if it did not attain the required reduction targets. Thusly, modern large-scale composting should not be confused with an idealistic, organic-oriented goal to recycle and improve soils- for most western countries now, it's virtually the law.
Compost ingredients
Given enough time, all biodegradable material will compost, and the primary objective in the modern push to compost is to capture readily degradable materials so they do not enter landfills. However, most domestic systems will not reach sufficiently high temperatures to kill pathogens and weed seeds or deter vermin, so pet droppings, scraps of meat, and dairy products are often best left to operators of high-rate, thermophilic composting systems. Hobby animal manure (horses, goats), vegetable kitchen and garden waste are never the less all excellent raw material for home composting.
European composting standards
For an overview of European efforts at compost standardisation see the European Compost Network (ECN) [2]. The British Composting Association has established very recently a set of guidelines for compost, called the BSI PAS 100 listed by the British Standards Institute (PAS stands for "Publicly Available Specification" and is not necessarily an adopted or certified standard). There are a variety of such voluntary industry standards in Europe and worldwide, such as the German Bundegütegemeinschaft Kompost e.V. (BGK) German Compost Association RAL-standard for compost developed 10 years prior to the British standard, and updated recently to include separate standards for fermented by-products(from biogas reactors) and sludge. In America, Procter & Gamble Company sponsored the USCC in the early 1990's to develop compost process and product standard called "TMECC", still in a draft state. These standarisation programs (guidelines is a better word than standard to describe these cases) are intended to provide some structure for the entire composting process from raw materials and production methods, through quality control and lab testing [3]. Swiss compost guidelines recognize distinct end-uses of composts, as determined by specific laboratory assays (see VKS-ASIC-ASAP-ASCP Swiss Compost Association and [4].
Compost types and ingredients
Compostable materials
- Biodegradable waste
- Coffee grounds
- Coir (Coconut fibre)
- Compost tea
- Cocoa shell
- Effective Microorganisms
- Green waste
- Humanure
- Leaf mold
- Manure
- Spent mushroom compost
- Tree bark
- Sedge moss
- Sphagnum moss
Inorganic additives
See also
- Anaerobic digestion
- Composting
- Composting toilet
- List of composting systems
- Mechanical biological treatment
- Soil conditioner
- Waste management
- Micro-organisms
References
- ^ J. Heckman, The Roots of Modern Organic Farming in Renew. Agric. and Food Systems 21, 143 (2006).
- ^ European Compost Network European Compost Network
- ^ Introduction to PAS 100 Waste Resource Action Programme & Composting Association Document
- ^ Swiss Compost Guidelines Swiss Compost Association
Literature
- Insam, H; Riddech, N; Klammer, S (Eds.): Microbiology of Composting ,Springer Verlag, Berlin New York 2002, ISBN: 978-3-540-67568-6
- Hogg, D., J. Barth, E. Favoino, M. Centemero, V. Caimi, F. Amlinger, W. Devliegher, W. Brinton., S. Antler. 2002. Comparison of compost standards within the EU, North America, and Australasia. Waste and Resources Action Programme Committee (UK) (see wrap.or.uk)
External links
- The Look of Compost
- Cré, the Irish Composting Association Contains information on composting in Ireland.
- Composting Basics Canadian Gardening Magazine
- An automatic composter
- [http://eur-lex.europa.eu/en/index.htm Commission of the European Communities. Landfill Directive 1999/31/EC. Official Journal L 182 , 16/07/1999 P.0001-0019. }