Full Circle Compost took in the compostable materials, including compostable items such and cups and utensils, from three different Earth Day events in Northern Nevada. Full Circle then processed these materials in a separate compost windrow to see how the materials would break down. The following video shows the end result after a 3 month composting process.
There are many factors that go into the process of composting materials that are deemed compostable. Each product has its own temperature rating and break down process. However, the point we are trying to make is that the compost should not adapt to these new products but that the products should be adapting to the established composting processes.
Full Circle Compost prides itself in a process that yields some of the highest quality compost on the market. Most of these items can be broken down in processes that get hotter and for long periods of time. However, our process is designed to make amazing soil amendments and products and not designed to solely break down and eliminate compostable products. We are not a garbage company but a compost company trying have our customers grow the biggest and best gardens possible.
The row was made on May 17th, 2011 and the screening was completed on August 9th, 2011. The temperatures held consistently over 130 F for almost the entire cycle with the highest temperature reaching 155 F. This row was turned less than our normal process but this was in attempt to create higher temperatures to build in the row to help break down the products.
Some of the products in the video have broken down in our process before and this leads us to question changes in manufacturing processes of the products. In general, this is not a pure test of these materials but a general understanding that allowing diverse compostable products into your materials stream prior to testing them can be hazardous.
Upon talking with the BPI who is in charge of the labeling of many compostable products, the key for any composter is to know what products work in your process and what products do not. There are many products that break down in our aerobic composting system and other that we steer far away from. The point of this video is to show the work case scenario upon trying to compost materials labeled compostable.
We view there should be more integration and communication among composters to get the message out about what is compostable and what is not. We did not include the compostable product names because further investigation is being carried out. Hope you enjoyed the video.
