Green Waste Recycling Programs

Recycle Green Waste info Valuable Products

This program encourages residents, businesses, and schools t capture food scraps and recycle them into valuable plant fertilizer. Read more about the Bokashi Food Composting Network .

Green Waste management is included as a component of an Integrated Waste Management Plan. Waste reduction and cost savings are achieved through the recapture of green nutrients which are converted to second generation products or added back to the soil in the form of green fertilizers. There are several steps in getting a successful operation where the green waste is turned into a green asset.

1. Create a Model of the Operation
   The model should show the production materials , where they originate, how they arrive, how they are processed and where the waste is generated. The model should have a summary of the elements included and a simplified one page diagram showing the raw materials coming in, finished products going out and one or more waste streams generated in between.
2. Identify the measurable quantities and metrics
   Study the current operation and identify the set of metrics to be tracked, how often they can be recorded, at at what point in the process can they be easily tracked. These are needed to measure success and to streamline the waste stream down the line.
3. Propose solutions and methods for recycling the green waste
   Create a proposal for modifying or enhancing the existing processes to include points where the green waste can be captured most efficiently. The proposal should address what the scope of the green waste covers, the volumes and metrics to be tracked, and the cost benefits / tradeoffs of handling the green waste using various methods.
4. Create a Pilot Project to Demonstrate Reduction Methods
   Identify a small scale project where one or more methods can be demonstrated to confirm the reduction and cost benefits. The pilot project should be as closely tied with an existing operation as possible. For example, it you have five facilities, choose one of them to be the pilot for working out the detailed changes and costs of expanding it to the other facilities. The pilot project should include tracking of the measurable volumes, costs, and metrics associated with the success criteria.
5. Generate an Implementation Plan
   The plan should address the reduction goals, what changes or enhancements need to be made, the methods that will be used, and when thy will be executed. The implementation plan should focus on deploying the changes while having as little impact as possible on existing production operations.

EcoTools LLC can offer solutions and ideas for converting your green waste products to valuable fertilizers or second generation products. Whether you are at step (1) or step (5), EcoTools LLC works with both contributors of green waste as well as receivers to achieve their goals.

The original green waste can undergo an accelerated process to capture the nutrients and convert them to agricultural products such as soil additive and green manure planting pods.

At some point along the way, the use of probiotic-based products is usually necessary to control odors, pests, or to accelerate the biodegrading process.

Composting organic material keeps the most readily biodegradable portion of the waste stream from entering the landfill, where anaerobic decomposition of organic materials will create methane, an odor-causing greenhouse gas. Composting also prevents the point-source contamination of groundwater from mineral nitrates and phosphates contained in food scraps and yard waste.

When a plant dies, its remains are digested by microorganisms and invertebrates in the soil, and it is decomposed to humus. This is how nutrients are recycled in an ecosystem. Nature's team of bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes and nematodes help to build up the biological flora in the soil, which perform many functions including nutrient release for stimulated plant growth resulting in sturdier, healthier crops.

When the raw material mix are composted properly, microscopic soil biology breaks down complex organic compounds into stable, mature forms suitable for use on the farm, gardens, and landscaping.

Some organic materials placed in the compost pile are broken down more easily than others. Different decomposers thrive on different materials as well as at different temperature ranges. Some microbes require oxygen, and others do not. Some work at higher temperatures and some at lower temperatures Composting tends to slow down in colder weather and speeds up during the warmer months.

Having a diverse microbial community where each thrives under different conditions makes for a more efficient composting process. If the environment in the compost pile becomes inhospitable to a particular type of decomposer, it will die, become dormant, or move to a different part of the compost pile. The transforming conditions of the compost pile create a continually evolving ecosystem inside the pile.

By adding our diverse probiotic mixture of microbes, the composting activity will not only be accelerated but the added diversity will improve the efficiency and quality of the compost.

Spray the compost pile when adding new material to accelerate the biodegrading process and to reduce odors and pests.

For large piles, mix 1/4 cup per gallon of water and apply at a rate of 1 cup of diluted product per cubic yard of material.