Envirem Organics Inc. - Compost Council of Canada

Compost:Innovative Use in Reclamation andConstructed WetlandsCCC National Conference Sep 22-24, 2010, OttawaEnvirem Organics Inc., 180 Hodgson Road, Fredericton, NB, E3C 2G4www.envirem.com Ph: (506) 459-3464 / 800-524-9411 / Fax: (506) 453-1332

Envirem’s CompostProcessing Facilities• Compost processing atEnvirem’s five separatefacilities• End products producedfrom composting include:– Topsoil Manufacturing– Growing Media & PeatSubstitute– Erosion Control Mulches– Organic Fertilizers

BELLEDUNE COMPOST FACILITYBelledune, NB (est. 1995)

FREDERICTON COMPOST FACILITY(Established 1996)

MIRAMICHI BAGGING FACILITY(Established 1997)

LP EAST RIVER COMPOST FACILITY(Est. 2001)

SAINT FRANCOIS PELLETIZING PLANTSaint Francois, NB (est. 2003)

SAINT FRANCOIS COMPOST FACILITYSaint Francois, NB (est. 2003)

Granular Organic FertilizerPelletized Poultry Manure• Feedstock consists ofpoultry manure frombroiler and layer poultrybarns in the MadawaskaRegion on NB.• Pelletizing Plant containsdryer, grinders, mixersand pellet dye topasteurize, compress,and produce granularfertilizer from poultrymanure.• Produced in two differentgrain sizes for turf oragricultural applications• End product fertilizerprovides organic matter,nutrients, iron, calcium,lime, and microbialmatter to soil for overallsoil health.

Clarendon Compost Facilityest. 2004

Clarendon Compost Facilityest. 2004

BAYSIDE ANAEROBIC DIGESTER(Established 2000)

Innovative ProjectsCompost TopsoilManufacturingDredge Spoil StabilizationContaminated SludgeBioremediationPulp Mill BiosolidsCompostingManure Pelletizing forOrganic Certified CropInputsAnaerobic Digestion forBiogasSSO Processing: In-Vesseland WindrowComposting for Pathogenand DiseaseDestruction – SRM,Dead-stock, Cull Potato,Mussel Shell

Economic Environmental SocialIncreased DirectEmploymentCreation of new,Compost-BasedProduct SalesIncreased GDPBeneficial Re-Use of WasteReducedLandfillingand/orIncinerationPreservesNatural PeatMoss andTopsoilEnvironmentsStrengthens RuralCommunitiesHealthier PeopleResulting FromUse of OrganicsGood News Story

Large-Scale Industrial Composting – converts organicresiduals from forestry, fishery, agriculture and municipalgenerators into consistent high-quality compost.

Rate at which micro-organisms degradecontaminants is influenced by: oxygen,moisture, nutrients, pH, temperature,availabilityand toxic inhibitorsBiological Mechanisms:biological degradation(hydrolysis/oxidation),cellular decomposition(molds/fungi/mineralization),adsorption, andvolatilizationSuccess with Organic Pollutantsincluding: Fuels, Explosives, VOC’s andSemi-VOC’sMetals: Arsenic, Cadmium, Lead, Zinc

Versus Chemical Nitrogen orHydroseed Products:Compost introducesnutrients, organic matterand beneficial microbialpopulations necessary toenhance degradation ratesand sustain vegetation overthe long-termVersus Purchased MicrobialSupplements:Compost results in theproduction of a beneficialtopsoil through the addedorganic-matter improvementto soils

Versus Raw Sludge orManures:Compost is a maturequality amendment withnone of theenvironmentalrestrictions associatedwith raw sludge/manuresuch as pathogens andviruses, odors, vectorsor leachate run-off

Compost Council of CanadaIntroduced a nationalstandard,Implemented CQA,and is preparing to launchnational advertisingcampaignForeignMatter/SharpsTraceMetalsMaturity/OxygenUptakeMandatorySpecifications forCompost QualityAgronomicindicatorsPathogens/Fecal &salmonella

Hierarchy ofCompost Uses& Sale PricesPremium $$$Peat Moss SubstituteProfessional NurseryHorticultural MixesRetail Bagged CompostTurf EstablishmentSportsfieldDehydrated CompostTop-DressingOrganic GardeningStandard $$ $$Compost Manufactured TopsoilMulch SubstituteLandscaping Soil AmendmentFlower BedsGreen RoofsAgricultureBase $Erosion ControlDOT RoWBrownfield & MineReclamationTreated SoilLandfill CapWetland ConstructionStabilize Acid Generation

Use of compost within aconstructed wetland soilprovides the following benefits:• Rapid development ofwetland plants andecosystem componentsincluding microbes, insectsand wildlife• Compost soil mediaprovides increasedprecipitation/run-offinfiltration rates (>1” perhour) and water holdingcapacity (2.3 gallons/cu.ft)• Increased plantsurvivability

By introducing dredge spoils into a compost windrow you canbiologically dry the material, stabilize pH and salinity and introduceorganic matter and nutrients providing an excellent manufactured topsoilgrade.

ParametersTopsoilSpecificationDREDGE SPOILSCompost AmendedMix 1:1Compost AmendedMix 2:1pH 5.5 – 8.0 5.2 7.8 8.1Moisture Content 30-55% 79.1% 43.2% 33.1%Soluble Salts 2.0mmhos (dS) 4.6mmhos (dS) 1.6mmhos (dS) 0.7mmhos(dS)Organic Matter >5% 1.5% 7.2% 9.6%Sand (0.05 – 2.0 mm dia.RangeSilt (0.002 – 0.05 diarange45%-75% 90.3% 67.5% 64.9%15% - 35% 6.1% 19.0% 18.8%Clay (

Typical Brownfield sites contain “Urban Soils” characterized bylow-level metals (lead, arsenic, cadmium, zinc..etc) and/or organicpollutants (TPH, PAH, PCE, pesticides …etc.).Real Estate remains under-utilized due to perceived “hightreatment costs”.Brownfield soils can be amended with compost within ex-situwindrows whereby “biological degradation processes” act toreduce contaminants to within acceptable CCME Soil Qualitycriteria.

Brownfields can also be capped with a 2-4 foot thick layer ofhorticulture-grade “Compost Manufactured Topsoil” as inStaten Island NYC.Ecological Landscapers have developed a 10-year ParklandDevelopment Plan with lawns, sportsfields, biking/walkingtrails, and multi-purpose wetland/watercourse habitats.

Amending acidic, low organic-matter disturbedlandscapes with compost will promote vegetationestablishment with long-term “survivability”.Decreases erosion, adheres metals and prevent aciddrainage run-off.Application rates for compost are recommendedbetween 200-400 tonnes per acre to increase organicmatter to >4%.

Key Soil ComponentsSoil Organic Matter• Biological– increased microbial populations• Physical– Improved infiltration, aeration, and water holdingcapacity• Nutrients– Increased Cation Exchange Capacity• Environmental– Adsorbs toxic metals and degrades toxic organicmolecules– carbon sequestration - reduces global warming

Compost Manufactured SoilThe Demonstrated DifferenceSoil pHAdjusted from5.3 to 6.5OrganicMatterRaised from3.6% to 7.4%NutrientsIncreased fromLow to High

COMAB - TPH Destruction200,000180,000160,000140,000PPM120,000100,00080,000DieselLube OilTPH60,00040,00020,00002/25/20083/3/20083/10/20083/17/20083/24/20083/31/20084/7/20084/14/20084/21/20084/28/20085/5/20085/12/20085/19/20085/26/20086/2/20086/9/20086/16/20086/23/200825-Feb 6-Mar 4-Apr 12-May 27-JunDiesel 147,500 29,000 28,000 12,000 6,300Lube Oil 33,000 12,000 12,000 8,600 4,100TPH 180,000 42,000 40,000 21,000 10,000Days under Enhanced Bioremediation COMABCompost processes are utilized within ex-situbioremediation windrows to accelerate breakdownand degradation of organic contaminants

COMAB - Bacteria LevelsCFU/Gram1.00E+099.00E+088.00E+087.00E+086.00E+085.00E+084.00E+083.00E+082.00E+081.00E+080.00E+002/25/20083/10/20083/24/20084/7/20084/21/20085/5/20085/19/20086/2/20086/16/200825-Feb 6-Mar 4-Apr 12-May 27-JunTotal Bacteria 1.10E+08 6.40E+08 3.10E+08 1.10E+08Petroleum Degrading Bacteria 2.80E+07 4.60E+08 1.40E+08 6.90E+07Days under Enhanced Bioremediation COMABTotalBacteriaPetroleumDegradingBacteriaControl of thermophillic (biological heat), mesophillicbacterial and fungi microbial degradation processesinherent within composting for destruction of petroleumcompounds and reduce bio-availability of metals

Clarendon, NBCompost Awareness DaysMiramichi, NBAnne of GreenGables, PEIEast River, NS