Composting case study

This report was presented at the UK Organic Research 2002 Conference. Garden waste delivered by the public to a recycling centre is stockpiled, shredded and delivered to the on-farm composting site. The material is forced, together with aeration pipes into 60 metre long EcoPods using specialist machinery. The temperatures achieved during the composting process are fully monitored and controlled using a forced aeration system. The composting site operates under a waste management licence exemption and has temporary planning approval. Concerns raised about the site include increased heavy traffic, leachate, noise nuisance, birds and vermin, odours, dust and bio-aerosols harmful to health. Local residents remain intolerant of the composting system. The planning authority acknowledge that current legislation can be a barrier to the development of large scale composting operations