Foundations of Composting

This intensive 1-day training will cover the basic concepts, practices and “how to’s” of compost production. The course will provide a foundation for novice compost operators, managers and regulators and will refresh veteran composters on the underlying scientific principles. Subjects will include: Basic principles of composting, monitoring and managing the process, data collection and interpretation, odor control, review of major processing methods, and an overview of markets for compost.

Compost Use in Agriculture, Horticulture and Landscaping

Once compost has passed regulatory health and safety standards, fruit, vegetable, ornamental and organic growers and producers are interested in potential benefits of its use. Appropriate compost utilization for agriculture, horticultural and landscape products must ensure a proper balance between organics, applied nutrients and the nutrients needs of the particular crop being produced. Consideration must also be given to potentially harmful effects such as plant phytotoxicity and the presence of heavy metals. Workshop participants will learn proper compost use for specific crops and other applications. Training will be based on composting principles and promote the improvement of soil physical, chemical and biological properties by the correct use of composts. To evaluate the effectiveness of the training, pre and post-tests will be administered before and after the training program.

(includes lunch)
Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Aerated Static Pile Composting – Applications and Advancements

This course is intended for experienced composters (municipal, institutional and farm-based) who would like to expand beyond the basics of leaf and yard waste composting, to include residential, commercial and industrial food residuals, biosolids, livestock manure and mortalities, and other challenging by-products.

Participants will learn about: 1) the anatomy of an Aerated Static Pile; 2) different generic and proprietary aerated compost systems; and 3) how the basic composting parameters (C:N, bulk density and moisture content) play a critical role in designing an ASP System. This workshop will also cover such topics as selecting an appropriate blower and timer; pipes on grade vs. aeration trenches; biofilters for odor management; process monitoring and troubleshooting, and the benefits of converting from a turned windrow to an ASP system.

Many examples of aerated compost systems will be discussed, ranging in size from 2.5 to 25,000 cubic yards and for all varieties of organic by-products. This workshop includes group exercises, useful planning tools, and an open-discussion format to explore student’s specific needs.

It is strongly recommended that participants have completed “USCC Foundations of Composting” or a similar basic compost operations course.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

CANCELLED: Health and Safety Issues of Composting

CANCELLED.  This half-day program covers the specific health and safety concerns of the composting operation, including mechanical hazards of equipment, heat/cold stress, overexertion injuries, engulfment, and the biological and chemical hazards of raw materials and the composting process steps.

When Bad Things Happen at Your Composting Facility – Imagining What Can Go Wrong and How You Can Recover

In today’s world, it is no longer a question of whether a crisis will happen at your workplace, but rather when, which type, and how it will occur. Crises, such as natural disasters, injuries, process failures, odor problems, lawsuits, perceptions by neighbors, or financial problems, may affect the viability of a composting operation — demonstrating the need to think strategically about a composting facility’s vulnerability. By assessing risks, we can prevent crises or lessen their impact. In this highly-interactive half-day workshop, we will explore a range of crises to which a composting facility may be vulnerable and begin the process of developing plans for recovery and business/operation continuity.

Zero Waste Program Development and Implementation

ICI (Industrial, Commercial, & Institutional) & Special Event Planning

This workshop will provide the fundamentals of “Zero Waste Program” development and Implementation. The workshop will give program managers and special event planners the tools necessary for successful zero waste program development, planning and implementation.

Compost Outreach: Best Practices in Compost Education Programs

This half-day workshop takes you through the components of successful compost education programs and outreach efforts.

Covering a broad range of educational ideas and settings, Stan Slaughter, long-time compost (and recycling) educator, will share his own experiences, along with results and stories from some of his clients and send you home with new ideas for your own programs.

CANCELLED–Management of Odor Issues at Compost Facilities

CANCELLED This workshop will provide information and discuss odor management for various handling systems and control technologies for composting. Methods of odor assessment will be presented. Odor modeling and its value will be discussed. There have been several studies concerning odor as a potential public health issue. As a result there have been several legal actions against operators. This aspect will also be discussed.

sold out! TOUR of THREE local composting facilities

SOLD OUT!! Climb on board for a tour of 3 very different compost operations:

• Lanier High School, who have installed an XACT In-Vessel BioReactor and Vermicomposting System
• City of Austin Hornsby Bend Biosolids Composting Facility, award winning producer of Dillo Dirt
• Texas Disposal Systems Materials Recovery Facility, Composting Facility, and Exotic Game Ranch (this will be a more in-depth tour than will be possible at the Equipment Demonstrations on Friday).
• Lunch is included!