Composting Research

Focus

The Center’s composting research will focus on identifying the barriers to, and the opportunities for, using non-marketable paper as a compost feedstock at New York State-based composting facilities. The research will determine the availability of non-marketable paper in the waste streams across New York State and determine if existing composting facility capacity can meet projected demand. Moreover, the Center will focus on the technical, operational, and economic feasibility of incorporating non-marketable paper feedstocks into existing composting facilities, as well as establish operating guidelines for new composting facilities.

Process

The team will address this through both research- and demonstration-scale composting projects to determine the impact of paper feedstock on operations and finished product quality. The research and demonstration projects will incorporate innovative management approaches, new processing technologies, and contemporary science knowledge about biodegradation processes and the effect of emerging contaminants of concern on product quality. The Center will share their progress with our stakeholders to identify barriers and opportunities to adopting new composting technologies, to address market demand for high quality compost products, and to expand our knowledge about the potential application of composting as a sustainable materials management process. CSMM will also assess material specifications of non-recyclable papers to which existing composting facilities will accept non-recyclable papers (for example, type, quantity, level of contamination, level of pre-processing, etc.), research the level of contamination (for example glass, plastics, adhesives, etc.) in non-recyclable papers and their effect on the ability to produce a marketable compost product. Our team will research and showcase the effects on the biodegradation process and finished quality of compost products and additionally, make recommendations on non-recyclable papers that are suitable for diversion from recyclables handling and recovery facilities (RHRFs) to composting facilities.