Environmental impacts of farm-scale composting practices

• Published in: Water, air, and soil pollution air, and soil pollution, 2004-03, Vol.153 (1-4), p.45-68
• Main Authors: PEIGNE, Joséphine, GIRARDIN, Philippe
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aerobic conditions; Agricultural wastes; Agriculture, rearing and food industries wastes; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Air pollution; Air quality; Applied sciences; Biodegradation; Biological and medical sciences; Composting; Earth Sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Environmental degradation; Environmental impact; Environmental monitoring; Exact sciences and technology; Farms; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agronomy. Plant production; Hydrology; Leaching; Organic compounds; Organic matter; Other nutrients. Amendments. Solid and liquid wastes. Sludges and slurries; Pollution; Pollution, environment geology; Position (location); Raw materials; Runoff; Sciences of the Universe; Soil-plant relationships. Soil fertility. Fertilization. Amendments; Wastes; Water pollution; Water quality
• ISSN: 0049-6979; 1573-2932
• DOI: 10.1023/B:WATE.0000019932.04020.b6

Because of its agronomic benefits, farm-scale composting is an efficient means of recycling agricultural waste. Composting process is an aerobic degradation of fresh organic matter in mature compost. Nevertheless, according to the literature, composting may induce some environmental problems. The environmental impacts of composting will be described, along with an assessment of farm-scale composting practices which play a major role in pollution. The main environmental components potentially affected by composting pollution are air and water. Various gases released by composting, such as NH sub(3), CH sub(4) and N sub(2)O, can impact air quality and are therefore studied because they all have environmental impacts and can be controlled by composting management. The effect on water quality can be evaluated by considering loss of NO sub(3) super(-), NH sub(4) super(+), organic compounds and PO sub(4) super(3-). Technical evaluation criteria for the impact of farm-scale composting on the air are determined from the physical and chemical characteristics of the raw materials, the use of additives, the turning method and frequency and the duration of the composting operations. Regarding water, the weather conditions at the beginning of the composting operation, the location of the heap, the protection against rain, the water addition during the process, the use of covers and the recovery of leaching and runoff water are also taken into account. The two main practices which control the air and water pollution from composting are: the choice of the raw material which influences gas emissions and the choice of composting location which have an high effect on losses by leaching and runoff.