Composting

What is composting?
How is compost made?
What are the benefits of composting?
Composting programs in the Bow Valley region
Commercial Demonstration Projects
Resource materials

What is composting?

Composting is Nature’s way of recycling. It is a natural biological process, carried out under controlled conditions, which converts organic material such as food scraps and yard trimmings into a stable humus-like product called compost. During the composting process, various micro-organisms, including bacteria and fungi, break down organic material into simpler substances. Composting is an aerobic process, meaning that the micro-organisms require oxygen to do their work.

Composting is an important way to recycle – both at home an at work, where orgainic material is used and waste is created. It is estimated that about 50 per cent of the total waste stream could be composted. Composting not only helps to reduce the amount of waste going to landfills, it produces a valuable soil amendment which can improve the texture and fertility of the soil.

How is compost made?

The composting process uses micro-organisms such as bacteria and fungi to break down the organic materials. For the process to work best, it is important that the micro-organisms have a continuous supply of food (i.e. organics), water and oxygen. As well, managing the temperature of the composting material is important to make the process work.

It is also important to give the micro-organisms a “balanced diet”. Although most organic materials provide all of the nutrients for the micro-organisms to grow, they grow best with certain levels of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N). Paper, leaves and wood are high in carbon while grass clippings and vegetable scraps are high in nitrogen. Combining the correct “mix” of carbon and nitrogen materials in the composting “recipe” helps to get the best results.

When the composting process is complete, the finished product is a valuable soil amendment. Rich in organic matter, finished compost can help improve soil texture and fertility. It has many applications including home gardening, landscaping, use in potting soil for the horticultural industry and in agriculture. Composting truly is Nature’s way of recycling!

What are the benefits of composting?

In addition to diverting a large proportion of the waste stream away from disposal, an effective composting program can produce a high quality soil amendment with a variety of end uses. Compost has a high organic matter content and helps return to the soil many properties which are lost over time with use. Diverting organic wastes from landfill sites helps to conserve landfill space and to reduce the production of leachate and methane gas (both of which add to the costs and environmental issues associated with operating a landfill).

Compost has many benefits which include:

Improved plant growth – it has been shown that when compost is part of the growing medium, plants grow stronger and have higher yields. Compost adds not only organic material to the soil, but it adds trace elements such as iron, manganese, copper, zinc and boron, which are required for plant growth.
Reduced rate of nutrient release – compost binds the nutrients in the soil ensuring that they are available over a longer period of time for the plants to utilize them. Binding fertilizers with the soil also helps prevent fertilizers from running off to surface water during rain.
Improved soil porosity – microbial activity is essential for fertile soil. Micro-organisms break down organic materials making the nutrients in these materials available to plants. Compacted soil does not allow the water and air required by soil micro-organisms to penetrate below the soil surface. Because compost consists of many different sized particles, it has a porous structure, which helps to increase soil porosity.
Improved water holding capacity – the organic matter in compost can soak up water thereby increasing the soil’s water-holding capacity. This helps the soil absorb water during rain or watering, and hold it longer during dry periods.
Improved resistance to wind and water erosion – adding compost helps prevent wind and water erosion by increasing the availability of water and nutrients to plants resulting in rapid, strong plant growth in areas prone to erosion.Plant disease suppression – research has shown that compost can inhibit the incidence of plant diseases.
Reduced erosion – it has been demonstrated that compost integrates with mineral soils better than traditional mulches and hydro-seeding applications when it is used in land reclamation projects such as highway construction. This results in reduced soil erosion and better establishment of vegetation on reclaimed soil surfaces.

Composting programs in the Bow Valley region

While composting occurs naturally, the process can happen faster with the help of different systems, each designed to manage various types and quantities of organic material.

Yard and Garden Waste

Currently yard wastes such as grass, leaves and garden clippings are collected in Banff, Canmore and the MD of Bighorn and taken to the Resource Recovery Centre at the Francis Cooke Landfill for centralized composting using the windrow method. Compostable material is formed into elongated piles, known as windrows, which are turned mechanically on a regular basis.

Commercial and Residential Food Waste Composting (Check here for pictures that follow Banff food residuals from kitchen to compost.)

Backyard composting is not an option in our region due to concerns with attracting wildlife, such as bears, into our urban spaces. Bow Valley Waste is working with Member Municipalities to explore options for avoiding the need to send compostable waste to Calgary area landfills.

We are working with the Town of Banff on a pilot program for the collection and processing of residential and commercial food waste. The processing facility is part of the waste water treatment facility and makes use of enclosed tunnels contained within a building and fenced compound.

Household food scraps are collected in trial bins located in the recycle depots in Banff and on Cave Avenue. A number of commercial food service operators are also experimenting with separate food waste collection bins. The material is collected by Town of Banff waste management staff and transported to the compost facility where it is combined with biosolids from the wastewater treatement process. An amendment of wood chips is added to provide additional carbon and old compost containing a source of composting organisms completes the mixture before it is sealed in a tunnel and allowed to compost for approximately 30 days. Conditions in the composting tunnels are monitored and controlled to manage airflow, temperature and odours.

This system, designed as part of the wastewater treatment process, is being tested to see if it can manage a wide range of additional organic materials. Typical materials currently being accepted in the composting program in Banff include:

Vegetables: raw and cooked, including peelings, husks and top.
Fruit: includes pits, peels, rinds and cores
Grains: rice, breads, crusts, etc.
Coffee and Tea: includes leaves, grounds, filters and tea bags

Refer to the more detailed list to check if specific items are accepted.

Many municipal composting programs collect a wider range of materials. It is important to remember that Banff does not have a large composting facility and associated equipment or staff for separating material that composts readily from material such as plastic that does not compost. In addition, the length of time available for composting in the Banff process may limit the types of material that can be accepted.

A wider range of compostable materials may be accepted in Banff in the future as we learn more about the capability of the Banff processing and collection system. If you have any questions, please contact:

Chad Townsend
Environmental Services Coordinator
Town of Banff
chad.townsend@banff.ca
403.762.1110

Peter Duck
Regional Zero Waste Coordinator
Bow Valley Waste
peter@bvwaste.ca
403.688.1627

Other Regional Organics Collection Programs

Canmore and the MD of Bighorn do not currently have formal programs for the collection and composting of food waste. Learning from the Banff experience, we will work with these Member Municipalities to investigate organic waste management options that are appropriate for their situation. Residents and businesses in these communities are encouraged to use garburators as a way of avoiding landfill disposal. This will help reduce the various issues associated with hauling waste to Calgary area landfills.

Commercial Demonstration Projects

Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel

– has been diverting food waste from select food service areas since May 2006

Bumper’s Restaurant

– has been experimenting with increased use of their garburator and recording associated water consumption

Canada Safeway

– grocery stores in Banff and Canmore send all their organics to Safeway’s award winning province-wide composting program.

Bow Valley Waste acknowledges and appreciates the equipment and technical advice generously supplied to our trial programs by Insinkerator Food Services (A Division of Emerson Electric).

For more information on composting initiatives in Banff, Canmore and the M. D. of Bighorn contact Peter Duck, Regional Zero Waste Coordinator at 403-688-1627 or peter@bvwaste.ca .

With special thanks to Compost Council Canada (www.compost.org) for use of their informational materials.

Resource materials

Check here for pictures that follow Banff food residuals from kitchen to compost.