User:Sartimepollution

FAQ ABOUT COMPOST
Composting is coming to be accepted as the only “Free of cost “ solution to distillery effluent problem. There is no other technology which gives zero effluent discharge solution to distillery effluent. Hence we can ill afford to pass up composting for solving the ever-growing air, water and land pollution problems caused by distillery wastes.

Composting is a fermentation process, much like our yeast and alcohol industries. Composting differs, however, on two significant points; it is conducted in a mass of solids and depends on a great many types of micro-organisms. On the other hand the other processes are conducted in liquids, which means uniformity can be maintained easily and depend on a single species of microbes, great care having been taken to keep out all other types. This manual is divided into 4 sections.

Our study of various compost yards have shown that where ever there is lack of understanding of the science of composting process, the plant supervisor finds it difficult to appreciate the various parameters. As composting proceeds, a number of changes occur in its physical, chemical and biological characteristics. Monitoring some of these variables will help you to assess the status of your compost and to compare the progress of systems with different initial conditions or ingredients. This manual  therefore  center on the biology of the composting process.

Operators who understand the basics of the composting process can help insure composting process. This manual cover the most important aspects of operating a composting facility. The emphasis is on fundamentals. By understanding these fundamentals, operators can diagnose and correct problems as they arise. The troubleshooting sheet provides a summary of common problems and remedies.

'''COMPOSTING IS DEFINITELY A SCIENCE, BUT WHEN IT IS PRACTICED AS AN ART, BAD SCIENCE GETS INTO IT. AS A RESULT A COMPOST YARD SUPERVISOR WONDERS …………....”WHAT SHALL I DO?”'''

SOIL AND COMPOST
1. What is Soil?

Soil is made up of varying ratios of minerals air, water and organic material. Soil is healthy if it consists of roughly 40 - 50 % minerals, 20 - 30 % water, 20 - 30% air, 5 - 15 % organic material.

 2. What is compost?

Compost is Humus. Humus is a more or less stable byproduct of the decomposition of the organic matter. Chemically it is the most powerful ingredient of soil, the very basis of plant life.

 3. Why at Present Soil has less Organic matter?

Pesticides, while destroying harmful insect pests, also destroy beneficial micro and macro-organisms. Many areas today are totally devoid of earthworms, probably the most beneficial soil insect we have. Earthworms serve to aerate the soil and digest dead organic material, converting it into humus; the essence of soil fertility. The end result is all this soil is nearly lifeless; and that this soil cannot support plant life even with the constant addition of chemical fertilizers. Since the advent of the discovery of using N-P-K (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium) approximately 60 years ago, most other forms of fertilization have been largely ignored. Large chemical companies advertised these chemical sources of N-P-K, since they were cheap and easy to produce and assured them of a higher profit margin. As time went by, chemical distribution was firmly entrenched and established. Now, the chemical cost factors have increased considerably and due to the over-dosing of chemical fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides, world -wide soil damage is being examined with a critical eye. Compost answers the problems that have been created by greatly reducing and in some cases practically eliminating the need for chemical fertilizers by making plants more efficient in their nutrient uptake. Compost contains the trace minerals that plants need and over a period of time will replace the lost fertility of these abused soils. In addition, compost contains many other wonderful benefits, as indicated previously, that are of prime importance for the growing of crops. Compost is competitive and is of prime importance for the growing of crops. Humate is competitive in price on a cost effective basis and restores the soil for added benefit.

4. What does compost do?

It is the organic material in the soil that provide 1. A repository for nutrients make nutrients available to plant material, 2. A home to the many beneficial organisms that help to decompose dead organic matter. 3. Provide aeration. 4. Regulate moisture content and soil temperature and 5. Organic Fertilizer eliminates the need for chemical fertilizer in the long run.

Synthetic or chemical fertilizers have several advantages over organic fertilizers. First is price and the second is price. It is always more expensive to use the organic method in the beginning but becomes cheaper in the long run. The fertilizers in a bag merely feed the plant, doing nothing for the soil. I liken it to a drug addict, after a fertilizer application, what is not washed off with the first rain or leaching down as in sandy soils, is available to the plant. The plant, be it grass or tomatoes, takes up what is there, when it needs it. After a very short period of time, the nitrogen is simply not there. So, like a druggie, your plants need another fix and it never ends. Organic matter/compost, however, works on an entirely different principle. First, after tilling in, for a new bed, it cannot go anywhere. Secondly, nutrients must be in an inorganic state in order for the plants to be able to use them. Compost is, of course, organic. What changes the state of being are soil microbes, and it is the slow process. The microbes attach themselves to the soil particles, some living only 20 min and in the process, changing organic to inorganic. This makes compost natures only slow release fertilizer. This process goes on for years. So to sum it up, chemical fertilizers feed the plant now and do nothing for the soil. Organic matter/compost builds the soil, which in turn feeds the plants, and the system becomes self sustaining.

6. How does organic matter improve moisture retention?

Organic matter contains significant levels of cellulose. Cellulose is hydrophilic (water loving) and will absorb many times its own weight in moisture. Organic matter can also adsorb moisture on its surface. In sands, these two functions are very important. Sand can have a cationic exchange capacity as low as 2, which is basically inert. Sand also has a poor structure and in the case of sharp or washed sand, can actually compact. Organic matter, due to its higher CEC (Cationic Exchange Capacity), can greatly increase the fertility of sands as well as help to keep the grains separated, reducing compaction and improving moisture retention. Organic material will also increase the ability of sand to physically support plant materials. In clays, by loosening the soil structure more pore space is provided where water can be caught and stored for the use of plant material. Finally, organic matter releases its moisture more quickly than clay. Clay particles are thin and elongated and in laying together form an almost impervious mass. Adding organic matter/compost into clay soils is the  best  method of improving its value. The  trillions   of    bacterial   or   soil microbes that exist in each handful of compost begin to attach themselves to flat particles of clay; thereby enlarging them and changing their shape. This allows water to soak in more rapidly and oxygen to permeate the soil structure. Again, by tilling in 3” to 4” of a good compost straight into the heavy clay soil, will amend it sufficiently to create a planting bed suitable for any plant material.

 7. Organic matter & Micro-nutrients:

Micro nutrients are so called because they are needed only in micro amounts, Iron, being the most important. Iron is the cause of the green color in the plants leaves. Unlike nitrogen, iron does not cause growth, but with enough iron in the soil plants look lush, green and healthy. Manganese, zinc and copper are less important. Organic matter, besides increasing the CEC of soils, greatly improves the availability of micro-nutrients by improving the structure of the soil and increased Mycorrhizal activity. Good aeration allows soil air to reflect roughly the same ratios as atmospheric gases. This is necessary for the efficient uptake of nutrients. In soils with poor drainage, certain micro-nutrients, especially iron, manganese and copper will reduce into oxides which are unavailable to plants.

Addition of compost aid the nutrient uptake to plants, even in poor soils. The micorrhizal association between certain fungi and plant roots is directly related to increased soil organic content and micro-organism activity. However, much remains to be learned about this relationship. Good soil structure then, is important to plant growth. Organic matter is vital to improving soil structure and the activity of soil micro-organisms.

8. Why increase the activity of soil organisms?

Soil micro-organisms basically fall into two categories: good and bad. Good micro-organisms feed on dead organic material, speeding its decomposition into humus and other compounds more readily usable by plants. In addition, the good micro-organisms actually feed on the bad micro-organisms, keeping their populations in check. Studies have shown that greater soil micro-organism activity lessens the influence of undesirable soil microbes. Keep in mind that good and bad organisms are everywhere, in the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat. Significant amounts of organic matter also contributes to increased populations of soil macro-organisms, such as earthworms and soil crustaceans, which speed the breakdown of organic matter and improve drainage by their burrowing and fertility by their castings.

 9. Improving CEC of the soil:

By the bio-chemical reactions known as chelation (binding of ions), this makes the nutrients more readily available to the plants for the proper growing process. By increasing the cation exchange capacity of the soil, the humus, holds back the macro and micronutrients and supply to the plants evenly.

Without organic colloids to tie on to, nitrogen will be lost either to percolation (downward movement though the soil) or volatilization (gasification). When lost through percolation, nitrogen can contribute to downstream pollution and loss of marine life. ... a fate much worse than the economic loss of nitrogen.

Accelerates breakdown of crop residues in the soil. Establish the conditions for the release of locked up elements like phosphates and other nutrients. Pressmud retains some organics from cane and some reach molasses. Effluent is produced after alcohol recovery from molasses is rich in potassium. It should be logical, therefore to apply press mud and distillery effluent to soil in order to recycle the much needed organics and the totally imported potash..

10. As a biostimulant:

Humic substances effectively stimulate the growth of plants and microbes beyond that due to mineral nutrients. Stimulation of plant growth is typically of the order of 10-30%, while stimulation of microbial growth can be quite spectacular, depending upon the species and the environment. Numerous direct and indirect mechanisms have been postulated, such as hormone like activity, membrane transport, enhanced photosynthesis, regulation of nutrient supply, and reduction of the effect of toxic substances. A growing body of literature confirms some of these theories.

11. How is compost applied ?

The usual method of application is broadcasting. Compost should be applied prior to seeding, just like any other dry granulated chemical fertilizer and disked into the soil 6 - 8 inches.

12. How much is needed ?

It is generally recommended that for the above average soil and crops, that the amount per acre is between 200 - 500Kgs. Please note that it  is very important to obtain soil test reports and submit these to local agricultural station for exact application recommendations. 13. Will Compost harm the soil ?

Definitely not, compost organic product and is free of harmful bacteria and fungus. It will not contaminate ground water and is environmentally safe.

14. How long does compost take to show it’s value ?

One full growing season for vegetables and field crops. Naturally, weather and soil conditions are important in the results. Growers will definitely see an improvement in soil fertility by the application of compost.

15. What is  Composting ?

As soon as organic matter is introduced into soil, bacterial and fungi start decaying it taking away oxygen from the soil. Plants will die under these conditions. After the more readily decomposable matter is degraded by composting, the rate of decomposition slows down, thereby not doing any harm to the plant. Gradually, the more resistant portion, a brown spongy friable mass rich in lignin and humic acids accumulates. This is HUMUS. COMPOSTING PRODUCES HUMUS.

16. The Need for Scientific Composting ?

Composting is as such is not a new idea. Various composting techniques have been tried so far. Almost all of them is on a small / tiny scale, wherein one doesn’t have to be very careful / aware of scientific principles. Allowing more time like 3- 6 months will take care of all deficiencies. However, in a large scale composting, one has to be extremely careful.

Decomposition is incomplete, its application to fields is tantamount to direct application of press mud and effluent to soil. All the associated problems of germination disorder etc. can thus be expected. Proper scientific composting can overcome these problems and turn a nuisance into a valuable resource.

17. What happened to BOD of Spent Wash ?

Organics of Spentwash are converted to a stable humus. This is an OXIDATION reaction. The 2ES Tiller supplies the oxygen (air). Hence Biological Oxygen Demand is fulfilled. In any case, BOD harms water bodies by depleting the dissolved oxygen in water. Since in composting no liquid comes out, the question of BOD does not arise.

18. Will any insects that harm crops be produced during Composting ?

During composting reactions, the temperature inside the windrows reaches 70’C because these are EXOTHERMIC REACTIONS. At this temperature, only the composting bacteria survives and harmful worms and pests are destroyed. This compost is absolutely safe for crops.

NEED FOR INOCULUM IN COMPOST
We would like to mention that the inoculum required for composting should be different from what is used for leaf composting or carcass composting or hospital waste composting. Compost is a multi-culture biochemical process. These species exist in dynamic equilibrium. Because of its dynamic nature, it is very difficult to arrest the process and evaluate single species count in any reasonable manner. If proper inoculum is used, the results will be better. YOUR COMPOST YARD WILL SMELL RAINFOREST or A NURSERY.

ABOUT OUR INOCULUM
Inoculum is an enriched culture with natural materials that activate and rapidly multiplies the healthy organisms already present in the pressmud and distillery effluent. Inoculum is easy to apply, non- toxic, completely safe and purely natural. Inoculum super charges the colonies of micron that already was in pressmud and effluent. It stimulate and expand the bacterial colonies already exists in the pressmud & effluent and retains the nutrient value present in the pressmud. A diversity of different kinds of organisms – consortia of bacteria, actinomycetes and fungi, special inocula (bacterial activators), enzymes – called microbiological consortia are used as spore suspension in a preservative medium.

SHELF LIFE
Best results up to 12 months use from the date of manufacture.

TESTING PROCEDURE
Being a proprietary substance, the best way to test is by actual application. Density: 1.17- 1.19 Color:  Should not be white / transparent. This indicates spores have become active.

SMALL SCALE CROPPING EXPERIMENT
Take 10 kg of pressmud. Dilute 5 g of inoculum with 1 lit of water. Spray the diluted solution on the pressmud and put it in open sunlight for four days aerating the pressmud everyday. The raise in temperature up to 65°C indicates the functioning of the system.

INDICATIONS OF DETERIORATION OF QUALITY
--Sartimepollution (talk) 08:31, 6 May 2009 (UTC)
 * The inoculum suspension should not crystallize. Formation of crystals shows the preservation is no longer active.
 * No fungi should be formed on the surface (Floating biomass). This again shows preservation is not very active.