University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU) - Research portal
Environmental impacts of decentralised composting of organic wastes: greenhouse gas emissions, nutrient leaching, sanitation of organic wastes.
- Project Leader
- Duration:
- 01.09.1999-31.12.2002
- Type of Research
- Applied Research
- Project partners
-
Compost - Development and Consulting, HOCHBERGSTR. 3, 2380 PERCHTOLDSDORF, Austria.
Contact person: DIPL.ING. FLORIAN AMLINGER;
Function of the Project Partner: Koordinator
Further information: http://www.boku.ac.at/iluet/lt/th_ut/page/forschung.htm
- Staff
- Amon Thomas, Project Staff
- Wagentristl Helmut, Project Staff
- Refenner Karl, Project Staff (bis 30.09.2021)
- Amon Barbara, Project Staff
- Moitzi Gerhard, Project Staff
- Kryvoruchko Vitaliy, Project Staff (bis 29.02.2008)
- BOKU Research Units
- Division of Agricultural Engineering
- Experimental Farm Großenzersdorf
- Funded by
- Amt der Niederösterreichischen Landesregierung, Landhausplatz 1, A-3109 St. Pölten, Austria
- Amt der Steiermärkischen Landesregierung, Entenplatz 1, 8020 Graz, Austria
- City Council of Vienna, Municipal Department 48, 1082 Wien, Austria
- Amt der Salzburger Landesregierung, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
- Amt der Oberösterreichischen Landesregierung, Kärntnerstraße 12, 4020 Linz, Austria
- Regional Government of Tyrol, Eduard- Wallnöfer- Platz 3, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
- Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management , Stubenring 1, A-1012 Wien, Austria
- Abstract
- Sustainable management of organic wastes aims at guaranteeing a constant and high product quality as well as low emissions during the composting and recycling process. When the separate collection of organic wastes was introduced, many Austrian provinces voted for a promotion of decentralised composting of organic wastes. Households were encouraged to compost organic wastes in their gardens and not deliver them to public composting plants. It was postulated that this should reduce transport, logistics of collecting organic wastes, and capacity of public composting plants. Households can apply the produced compost in their gardens and thus improve soil properties and reduce mineral fertiliser input.
The research project aims at investigating the environmental impacts of decentralised composting of organic wastes in households. Greenhouse gas emissions and nutrient leaching during the composting process are investigated under field conditions. Sanitation of the organic wastes during the composting process is monitored. The quality of the produced compost is assessed according to the Austrian guidelines on compost quality. Economics and environmental impacts of decentralised composting are quantified and potentials of this management option to recycle organic wastes are shown.
Gaseous emissions are quantified with the large open dynamic chamber developed by the Institute of Agricultural, Environmental and Energy Engineering. The large chamber enables for the first time the continuos measurement of gaseous emissions during the whole composting process under field conditions. It is thus possible to quantify gaseous emissions throughout the composting process including all relevant stages of aerobic decomposition of organic wastes. Qualitative aspects such as sanitation and compost quality are monitored, as well. A full assessment of environmental impacts of decentralised composting is possible including economical aspects of resource management.
Since July 2000 an additional aspect of organic waste composting is investigated. Emissions during composting of three organic substrates (heaps of 10 m3 each) are quantified: organic household wastes, sewage sludge and grass residues. This enables the assessment of emissions in dependency on the substrate. According to common practice, the heaps are turned in a weekly basis.
- Keywords
- agricultural ecology; environmental protection;
- waste management; decentralised composting; greenhouse gas emissions;
- Publications
-
Amon, B., Fröhlich, M. (2006): Ammoniakemissionen aus frei gelüfteten Ställen und Wirtschaftsdüngerlagerstätten für Rinder.
In: KTBL (Eds), KTBL-Schrift 449, pp 49 – 64. , KTBL-Tagung „Emissionen der Tierhaltung – Messung, Beurteilung und Minderung von Gasen, Stäuben und Keimen“, 5. – 7. Dezember, Kloster Banz, Bad Staffelstein; ISBN: 978-3-939371-19-9
[KTBL-Tagung „Emissionen der Tierhaltung – Messung, Beurteilung und Minderung von Gasen, Stäuben und Keimen“, Bad Staffelstein, Germany, 5. – 7. Dezember]