Compost production is growing in the U.S. as regulations in some parts of the country aim to keep organics out of landfills according to a new report from the Environmental Research & Education Foundation (EREF), Raleigh, North Carolina. The report, Composting State of Practice: Results from a National Operations Survey, which was conducted in collaboration with the U.S. Composting Council, Raleigh, and the Desert Research Institute, Reno, Nevada, is based on responses from more than 300 composting facilities to a questionnaire send in 2022. Key findings of the report included: Growth in ..read more

The global volume of peatlands has been decreasing at a rate of .05% per year while U.S. imports of the material were estimated to have dropped 21% last year, to 1.1 million tons, from 1.4 million tons in 2022, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). USGS’s Mineral Commodity Summaries 2024 said U.S. peat exports in 2023 were estimated to have increased by 7% to an estimated 46,000 tons from 43,000 tons in 2022. Peat continues to accumulate on 60% of global peatlands. However, the volume of global peatlands has been decreasing at a rate of 0.05% per year owing to harvesting and land dev ..read more

In a move to enhance waste management services while managing costs, the town of Olds, Alberta said it is discontinuing its community grass bin services in 2024.  The decision was made to shift current costs to increasing and improving residential green bin services so residents would see a more direct benefit from dollars spent, the town said. Since January 1, waste collection frequency has increased to a bi-weekly cycle. Residents now receive alternating blue and black bin pickups with weekly residential green bin pick up from April 1 to November 1.  Residential green bins offer a ..read more

Compost Queen, Fort Collins, Colorado, an advocate for sustainable waste management, announced the grand opening of its newest facility and headquarters in Fort Collins, the home of Back Gate Farm. This opening marks Compost Queen’s fourth Fort Collins location and is a significant step forward in the its mission to provide local composting solutions for the Northern Colorado community, the company said. With a focus on education, innovation and community engagement, Compost Queen aims to create a future where composting is seamlessly integrated into daily life, powering the circular economy a ..read more

A mulch fire this morning at Kurtz Brothers Inc.’s landscape supply center in Valley View, Ohio, outside Cleveland, was blamed on a “spontaneous combustion situation.” Here’s a local report from WEWS-TV, Cleveland.   The post Cleveland mulch fire blamed on spontaneous combustion first appeared on ..read more

The Washington state legislature this month approved a bill that would divert food waste and other organic material from landfills. HB 2301 has been sent to Gov. Jay Inslee for his signature. “HB2301 takes yet another big step forward to get food waste out of the landfill,” said Rep. Beth Doglio (D-Olympia). “Food waste is a major contributor of methane gas—a potent greenhouse gas—when it rots in landfills. “Edible food that often ends up in the landfill should be going to feeding people and the rest to compost and other organic management technologies. Plus, reducing food waste is something p ..read more

Salish Soils, Sechelt, British Columbia said it has acquired Top Quality Topsoil, a Sechelt-based competitor in the landscaping and gardening industry. Salish said the strategic move marks a significant milestone its mission to further expand its reach and enhance its suite of environmentally conscious products and services. The operations will now be centralized at the Salish Soils depot. By acquiring Top Quality Topsoil, Salish Soils not only expands its production capabilities but also strengthens its dedication to sustainability and environmental preservation through innovative waste-to-re ..read more

Application of compost to California almond orchards resulted in a strong increase in yield according to research presented at Compost2024—the annual conference of the U.S. Composting Council, held January 27-30, in Daytona Beach. The research was presented by Alexia Cooper, an environmental systems graduate researcher at University of California, Merced. Her current research involves assessing the effects of compost and cover crops in nut orchard systems within California’s Central Valley. Cooper said California produces 13% of the food in the U.S., including 80% of the world’s almonds. She s ..read more

By Paul Schwennesen It started in earnest in Holland last year. Now, thousands of farmers are blocking the streets of Paris, and thousands more are torching tires in Brussels. The movement, which might be fairly termed a popular uprising, has spread across Europe, from the borders of Ukraine to the shores of the Greek Isles. As uprisings go, it’s fairly genteel — the main objective seems to be to generate enough media coverage to get the attention of parliaments. Nevertheless, the angst is real, and stems fundamentally from excessive government meddling. Though there are a variety of complaint ..read more

Midwest Bio-Systems, Tampico, Illinois, has introduced the Aeromaster PT-170X pull-type compost windrow turner. The company said the reduction in maintenance costs and increased production of the machine will pay for the purchase in five years. The choice of compost turner size is frequently influenced by limited space considerations, as customers aim to meet volume goals within a smaller-than-ideal area for their compost site, Midwest-Biosystems said. Another key determinant in selecting the turner size is the balance between labor constraints and the target of achieving the maximum tons with ..read more