By Jos Buth
Wonderful windrows? COMPOSTING
An American compost producer recently asked me whether the traditional windrow composting system - which is still widespread worldwide - can produce compost with the same good quality as modern, but more expensive, phase I aeration sys- tems. Contrary to what you might expect, a straight ‘no’ is not the obvious answer.
Results with windrow
composting are not necessarily inferior to more modern systems.
Turning compost. A 60 MUSHROOM BUSINESS
varied range of different com- posting systems are in use around the world. The chosen system depends on restrictions
imposed by national authorities and a country's particular environmental legislation regarding ammonia emissions. In a densely populated country like the Netherlands, for example, composting is only permitted in modern indoor composting plants that are equipped with aerated spigot floors and ammonia scrubbers, because all forms of ammonia emissions are prohibited. Several systems are used in indoor composting processes. At indoor composting plants, bunkers (aeration at intervals) and tunnels (constant aeration) phase I systems are used.
In the USA, in addition to bunker aeration sys- tems, there are also companies that generally
work with the ‘old’ windrow system, but also in combination with bunkers. There are several reasons for this. Taking a combined approach with windrows and bunkers is related to the bunker capacity, among other things. In recent years, after bunkers had been built in the USA, production on companies rapidly expanded again because of a growing market (note; this was prior to the corona crisis). This situation quickly resulted in a shortage of bunker capa- city. The reason many American companies still work exclusively with the windrow system is because it is still permitted in the USA, and simply because the method is far cheaper. Composting in windrows is a process that is naturally more sensitive to weather influences. Nevertheless, the results that can be achieved using this system are not necessarily inferior to other systems.
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