Yard Waste and Organics

Composting Site Concepts City

Of Harrisburg/ HSD Partnership
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PRESENTED TO:
WORKSHOP SESSION HARRISBURG SCHOOL
DISTRICT BOARD
MARCH 2, 2016
BY
TERRY D. KEENE, P.E., CRP

Todays Topics
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Organics Management Why?

Composting Benefits
Yard Waste and Food Waste
Technology
Permitting
Siting Considerations
Educational Benefits
Partnership Highlights and Schedule

Why Reclaim Organics?

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Why Divert Organics?

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Source: U.S. EPA 2012

Consumer drivers ARE changing

From:
Globally-available
Conventionally grown
Expansion
Low compliance
Lowest cost
Man-made

Source US Compost Council 2016

To:
Locally-grown
Organically/sustainably grown
Sustainability
Low-impact Development
Total cost of owning
Natural

Whats Trending? Sustainability

Corporate and Personal Sustainability

WHY??
The Greens: Corporate Image, Cost
Savings

Source US Composting Council 2016

Whats Trending? Food Waste Reduction

Recycle Food Scraps (END disposal!)
Sept. 2015: USDA and USEPA
announced the first-ever national
food waste reduction goal, calling for a
50% reduction by 2030.
How and Where??
Source US Composting Council 2016

Three-State Study Avg. of Food Waste Generators

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Prisons
2.2%
Institutions
16.7%

Commercial
5.9%

Food/Grocery
Stores*
9.9%
Hospitals
8.7%
Commercial
Food/Grocery Stores*
Hospitals

Industrial
56.6%

Industrial
Institutions
Prisons

Source: AgRecycle 2006

Whats Trending? Local/Urban Programs

Act (BuyShopGROW) Locally

Source US Composting Council 2016

Urban Landscaping & Gardening

(source DEP)

LocalFood TheTriplePlay!
Locallyproducedfood
Cityvacantlotinitiatives&reducedcarbonfootprint
Saferfood
Youknowwhereitcomesfrom
Organicallygrownwithfewerchemicals
Morenutritiousfood
USDAshowedlocallygrownfoodincompostbase
hadupto4050%morefoodvalue!
Source: US Composting Council, 2016

Soil Benefits for Compost End-Users

Improves the
Physical
Properties of
Soils. Compost
increases water holding,
soil aeration, structural
stability, resistance to
water and wind erosion,
root penetration, and
soil temperature
stabilization, thereby
preventing turf losses on
roadsides, hillsides,
playing fields, and golf
courses.
EPA 2000, AgRecycle

Point State Park

Soil Benefits for Compost End-Users

Enhances the
Chemical
Properties of
Soils. Compost

increases macro- and

micronutrient content,
increases availability of
beneficial minerals,
ensures pH stability,
and provides a longterm source of nutrient
input by acting as a
nutrient reservoir, and
reduces fertilizer
requirements by at
least 50%.

The Pittsburgh Zoo

EPA 2000, AgRecycle

Soil Benefits for Compost End-Users

Improves the
Biological
Properties of Soils.

Compost promotes the

activity of beneficial
micro-organisms,
suppresses certain plant
diseases, promotes faster
root development,
promotes higher yields of
agricultural crops, and
bonds heavy metals,
preventing migration to
water resources absorbed
by plants.

EPA 2000, AgRecycle

Compost in Erosion/Sedimentation Control

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Erosion Control Blankets

Compost in Erosion/Sedimentation Control

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Silt Socks and Inlet Protection

Compost in Erosion/Sedimentation Control

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Toe-of-Bank, Steep Slope and Steambank Stabilization

How is Composting Regulated in PA?

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Generally Based on Generator and Type of Material

Captive Facilities no permit
Permit-by-Rule (400+ yard waste facilities in PA)
General Permits (multiple options)
On-Farm Composting
Larger than 5-acre yard waste composting operations
Expanded organics sources (e.g. GP-025)

Individual Permits complex and expensive

GOAL AT HSD SITE SIMPLIFIED PERMITTING

What is Yard Waste?

Yard Waste is leaves, grass clippings, garden

residue, tree trimmings, chipped shrubbery and other
vegetative materials.
(Pa. Municipal Waste Regulations, Section 271.1)

Pennsylvania Yard Waste Statistics

DEP estimates leaves, brush,

and grass if collected would
be approximately 17% of
the total waste stream.
Grass- 7% total waste stream
Brush- 4% total waste stream
Leaves- 5.5% total waste stream
Stumps and heavy wood- <0.5% total waste stream

(source DEP 2000)

DEP 2000

What is a Yard Waste Composting Facility?

A facility that is used to compost leaf waste, or leaf waste and
grass clippings, garden residue, tree trimmings, chipped
shrubbery and other vegetative materials. The term includes
land affected during the lifetime of the operation, including
but not limited to areas where composting occurs, support
facilities, borrow areas, offices, equipment sheds, air and
water pollution control and treatment systems, access roads,
associated onsite or contiguous collection and transportation
activities, and other activities in which the natural surface
has been disturbed as a result of or incidental to the
operation of the facility.
(Pa. Municipal Waste Regulations, Section 271.1)

Compost Technologies Turned Piles and

Windrows
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Turned Piles small, loader turning; small

institutional systems with food waste
Turned Windrows loader or windrow turner
Preferred Geometry of Turned Windrows
6-8 high, 12-16 wide, length not limited
Water source none, stream, well, loader/turner sprayer
All-weather access and pad
Restricted access
Logical layout, good surface drainage
Consideration of BMPs

Typical Site Layout Turned Windrow

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Yard Waste - Windrow Layout

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Food Waste Composting - Importance of Carbon

Food wastes cannot be composted alone.
Carbon to nitrogen ratios need to be in the range of 30/1.
Nutrients & moisture in food waste help yard waste compost.
To make the process of food waste composting cost effective,
facilities accepting food need to have access to easy
and readily available sources of carbon: LEAVES AND
YARD WASTE.
The City of Harrisburgs yard waste and brush collection
programs can provide the needed sources of carbon for HSD
food waste composting.

Food Waste Options Windrow Incorporation

(Shenks Berry Farm, Lancaster Co. - Source DEP)

Penn State Organics Processing & Education

Center batch mix (Source Penn State OP&EC)

Food Waste Options Turned and Aerated Static

Piles
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Food Waste Options ASP Bin/Bunker System

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Community and Educational Benefits

Opportunities:
Inform the community know about the facility and the value of
using compost in landscaping, gardening
Potential dropoff site for self-haul yard waste
Home for brush/grinding, mulch production
Incorporate Environmental Education and Training
Opportunities at site be resourceful
Use existing networks for assistance; e.g. Lets Get Dirty Urban
Agriculture; HSD school programs
Promote waste minimization and recycling in the schools
Use newsletters, web site, announcements
Participate in backyard composting training programs
Take advantage of PROP composting training and certification/other
training for site operators

The Proposed HSD Composting Site

1901 Wayne Avenue

Compost Facility/Siting Considerations

Things to consider:
DEP exclusionary site permitting criteria - TBD
Ingress to and egress from the site, fencing
Site acreage/ geometry/layout and future food waste
Site roads and unloading area, dropoff area
Shredding/chipping/mulching area for brush
Windrow dimensions and active compost area
Curing/screening/storage/distribution area
Equipment needs and storage
Office needs/training and education areas
Design/ operate for pollution/ nuisance prevention

Site Layout Turned Windrow Example#2

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Keys to Operate a Good Site with Process

Controls
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Make sure delivered organics are fresh

Prepare receiving area with a bed of browns near pile
Small receiving area, address any free liquids quickly

Watch C/N mix ratios closely dependent on technology

Incorporate into the pile quickly cover, aeration?
Be conscious of winds/direction, weather, time when
turning
Cover piles with compost blanket, lime as needed
Design for/minimize water ponding, runoff, free liquids
Good handling of contact rainwater
Filter strips, compost berms/socks, good site drainage

Address any nuisance issues quickly

Site Partnership Concepts

Summary of Key Points/ Schedule:
March - HSD enter IGA with City for allow site use for
composting
April - Signed IGA releases funds for experts to begin site
testing/ design/ permitting
May-July - Site to be permitted now for yard waste (Phase 1)
and food waste (Phase 2) receipt and processing
July-September Site developed and outfitted
Fall 2016 - Site ready to accept yard waste and brush from City
Site may also accept yard waste from Susquehanna Twp.
TBD
Phase 2 - Site to accept food waste from pilot HSD school
(Marshall?)
Phase 3 HSD adds food waste collection at more buildings

Site Partnership Concept - Funding

Summary of Key Points on Project Funding:
HSD leases site to City for initial 10-year term, can be
extended no money changes hands for site use
City finances site permitting, design, development,
equipment no capital funding from HSD
City staffs/ operates site, maintains records and permit
If any additional capital or operating costs are required
to process HSD food waste (in Phase 2 or later),
discussions and potential cost sharing are TBD
City provides site access by HSD and non-profits to
conduct environmental/ education/ career training (by
those parties) City will coordinate activities where
possible