Full Text
Home > Solid Waste Home > Compost & Organics > Compost Troubleshooter List Compost Troubleshooter List Table of: Problem condition or situation, possible source/reason for problem, other clues that help identify a given problem, and the suggested remedy for a given problem. Compost Troubleshooting and Management Guide Condition or Situation Possible Source/Reason Other Clues Remedy Pile fails to heat Material too dry Cannot squeeze water from material Add water or wet ingredients Materials too wet Materials look or feel soggy; pile slumps; moisture content greater than 60% Add dry amendments and remix Not enough nitrogen, or slowly degrading or stable materials C:N ratio greater than 50:1; large amount of woody materials Add highnitrogen ingredients; change composting recipe Poor structure Pile settles quickly; few large particles; not excessively wet Add bulking agent Cold weather and small pile size Pile height less than 3.5 feet Enlarge or combine piles; add highly degradable ingredients pH excessively low pH measures less than 5.5; garbagelike odor Add lime or wood ash and remix Condition or Situation Possible Source/Reason Other Clues Remedy Temperature falls consistently over several days Low oxygen; need for aeration Temperature declines gradually rather than sharply Turn or aerate pile Low moisture Cannot squeeze water from material Add water Condition or Situation Possible Source/Reason Other Clues Remedy Uneven temperatures or varying odors in pile Poorly mixed materials Visible differences in the pile moisture and materials Turn or remix pile Uneven airflow or air short circuiting Visible differences in the pile moisture and materials remix pile Materials at different stages of maturity Temperature varies along the pile length None required Condition or Situation Possible Source/Reason Other Clues Remedy Gradually falling temperatures; pile does not reheat after turning or aeration Composting nearing completion Approaching expected composting time period; adequate moisture available; C:N ratio less than 20:1 None required ---PAGE BREAK--- Low moisture Cannot squeeze water from materials Add water and remix Condition or Situation Possible Source/Reason Other Clues Remedy Pile Over heating (greater than 150F) Insufficient aeration for heat removal Pile is moist Turn pile to increase airflow Moderate to low moisture; limited evaporative cooling Pile feels damp but not excessively wet or dry Add water; continue turning and aeration to control temperature Pile is too large Height greater than 8 feet Decrease the pile size Condition or Situation Possible Source/Reason Other Clues Remedy Extremely high temperatures (greater than 170F) in pile: composting or curing/storage Pyrolysis or spontaneous combustion Low moisture content; pile interior looks or smells charred Decrease pile size; maintain proper moisture content; add water to charred or smoldering sections; break down pile, combine with other piles Condition or Situation Possible Source/Reason Other Clues Remedy High temperatures or odors in curing or storage pile Compost is not stable Short active composting period; temperature and odor change after mixing Manage pile for temperature and odor control, turn piles as necessary; limit pile size Piles are too large Height greater than 8 feet; width greater than 20 feet Decrease pile size Condition or Situation Possible Source/Reason Other Clues Remedy Ammonia odor coming from composting piles High nitrogen level C:N ratio less than 20:1 Add highcarbon amendments High pH pH greater than 8.0 Lower pH with acidic ingredients and/or avoid alkaline ingredients Slowly available carbon source Large woody particles; C:N ratio less than 30:1 Use another carbon amendment or increase the carbon proportion Condition or Situation Possible Source/Reason Other Clues Remedy Rottenegg or putrid odors coming from composting piles continually Anaerobic conditions Low temperatures Materials too wet Add dry amendment Poor structure Add bulking agent Pile compacted Remix pile and add bulking agent if necessary Insufficient aeration Turn pile to increase airflow Anaerobic conditions High temperatures Pile too large Decrease the pile size Airflow uneven or short circuiting Remix pile; change recipe Condition or Situation Possible Source/Reason Other Clues Remedy Odors generated only after turning Odorous raw materials High temperatures Frequent turnings; increase porosity; add odorabsorbing amendment Insufficient aeration; anaerobic interior Falling temperatures Shorten time interval between turnings; increase porosity Condition or Possible ---PAGE BREAK--- Situation Source/Reason Other Clues Remedy Site related odors (piles not odorous) Raw materials Odor is characteristic of the raw material Handle raw materials with minimal storage Nutrient rich puddles because of poor drainage Standing puddles of water Divert runoff away Condition or Situation Possible Source/Reason Other Clues Remedy Fly or mosquito problems Flies breed in compost piles Fresh manure or food material at pile surface; flies hover around piles Turn piles every four to seven days; cover static piles with a 6inch layer of compost Flies breeding in raw materials Wet raw materials stored on site more than four days Handle raw materials Condition or Situation Possible Source/Reason Other Clues Remedy Compost contains clumps of materials and large particles; texture is not uniform Poor mixing of materials or insufficient turning Original raw materials discernible in compost Screen compost; improve initial mixing Airflow uneven or short circuiting Wet clumps of compost Screen or shred compost; improve air distribution Raw materials contain large particles and non degradable or slowly degradable materials Large, often woody, particles in compost Screen compost; grind and/or sort raw materials Active composting not complete Curing piles heat or develop odors Lengthen composting time or improve compost conditions. Date of Source Material: 12/19/2005 Source: Klickitat County Solid Waste Link to Source: Klickitat County Solid Waste: [EMAIL REDACTED] CONTENT INDEXES Solid Waste Home Press Releases Disposal Household Hazardous Waste Commercial Hazardous Waste Rehab the Lab Litter and Illegal Dumping Recycling Waste Reduction Compost & Organics Statistics Maps Radio Spots Fun Stuff SWAC Solid Waste Management Plan Contact: Kevin Barry: Director [EMAIL REDACTED] Office: 228 West Main St. msch14 Goldendale, WA 98620 MonFri 8am5pm Fax: 509 7735991 Phone: 509 7734448 Top of Page