COMPOSTING SYSTEM TO MANAGE DAIRY MANURE SOLIDS
Late last year, Engineered Compost Systems (ECS) began conducting trials at California State University in Fresno to explore using the new patent-pending AC Composter system to manage dairy manure solids and comply with air-quality standards. A two-zone portable pilot system was delivered by ECS and installed at the CSUF’s research dairy. The goal is to determine how well the AC Composter can meet both the demands of a dairy operation and the requirements for air emissions control in California.
Throughout North America, concern about air and water pollution from dairies is increasing. California is no exception to this, and regulation is putting more restrictions on how dairy operators can dispose of manure. These include restrictions on simple land application, which can produce excessive odours and nutrient runoff into water systems.
Composting is a proven technique to stabilize organic wastes into a more stable, useful, and valuable form. On-site composting of dairy manure allows a dairy to recycle manure solids into a safe bedding material and sell finished product. Recycling material to create bedding eliminates the expense of importing straw or other material, and selling finished compost off site creates a safe, economical path for excess nutrients to leave the site. A large barrier to widespread adoption of composting at dairies has been system cost. In the past, a large and expensive in-vessel system would be required to control odours. With the AC Composter covered ASP system, there is now a cost-effective alternative to composting dairy solids with minimal air emissions.
Throughout North America, concern about air and water pollution from dairies is increasing. California is no exception to this, and regulation is putting more restrictions on how dairy operators can dispose of manure. These include restrictions on simple land application, which can produce excessive odours and nutrient runoff into water systems.
Composting is a proven technique to stabilize organic wastes into a more stable, useful, and valuable form. On-site composting of dairy manure allows a dairy to recycle manure solids into a safe bedding material and sell finished product. Recycling material to create bedding eliminates the expense of importing straw or other material, and selling finished compost off site creates a safe, economical path for excess nutrients to leave the site. A large barrier to widespread adoption of composting at dairies has been system cost. In the past, a large and expensive in-vessel system would be required to control odours. With the AC Composter covered ASP system, there is now a cost-effective alternative to composting dairy solids with minimal air emissions.
