User:Jlw361/Final Article

These are my recommendations for revising the article Compost.


 * Added a part about composting toilets
 * Added uses for composting blanket/berm
 * Added an example of composting

Copied content from Compost; see that page's history for attribution.

Composting technologies
Various approaches have been developed to handle different ingredients, locations, throughput and applications for the composted product.

Composting is a process for converting decomposable organic materials into useful stable products. Therefore, valuable landfill space can be used for other wastes by composting these materials rather than dumping them on landfills. It may however be difficult to control inert and plastics contamination from municipal solid waste.

Co-composting is a technique that processes organic solid waste together with other input materials such as dewatered fecal sludge or sewage sludge.

Industrial composting systems are being installed to treat organic solid waste and recycle it rather than landfilling it. It is one example of an advanced waste processing system. Mechanical sorting of mixed waste streams combined with anaerobic digestion or in-vessel composting is called mechanical biological treatment. It is increasingly being used in developed countries due to regulations controlling the amount of organic matter allowed in landfills. Treating biodegradable waste before it enters a landfill reduces global warming from fugitive methane; untreated waste breaks down anaerobically in a landfill, producing landfill gas that contains methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

'''Another household technology people can apply to their daily lives is Composting Toilets. Specifically, rain-water-flushed toilets, this is a type of toilet that utilize rain water to flush the toilet. Whereas currently in the US our toilets use 1 to 1.6 gallons per flush. These Composting Toilets don't need running water nor do they waste water. Research also suggests that if we implemented Composting Toilets we would reduce our environmental impact'''.

Uses
Compost can be used as an additive to soil, or other matrices such as coir and peat, as a tilth improver, supplying humus and nutrients. It provides a rich growing medium as absorbent material (porous). This material contains moisture and soluble minerals, which provides support and nutrients. Although it is rarely used alone, plants can flourish from mixed soil, sand, grit, bark chips, vermiculite, perlite, or clay granules to produce loam. Compost can be tilled directly into the soil or growing medium to boost the level of organic matter and the overall fertility of the soil. Compost that is ready to be used as an additive is dark brown or even black with an earthy smell. '''For example, in the country Pakistan they found composting is actually more beneficial than burning or wasting. Using the method composting method allowed for the emissions levels to drop.'''

Generally, direct seeding into a compost is not recommended due to the speed with which it may dry and the possible presence of phytotoxins in immature compost that may inhibit germination,  and the possible tie up of nitrogen by incompletely decomposed lignin. It is very common to see blends of 20–30% compost used for transplanting seedlings at cotyledon stage or later.

Compost can be used to increase plant immunity to diseases and pests.

'''Compost can help with erosion, and a term used for this is called a compost blanket. A lot of this is used in construction sites or near highways to keep erosion away from hurting the area. Another use for Compost in nature is a compost berm. These berms can be found on slopes, there use is to allow water to run into the berm while it runs through the berm the water gives off pollutants and sediment into the berm.'''

