the use of composts in agriculture · • 2003/04: 2 mt bmw composted – 84% green waste –...
TRANSCRIPT
The Use of Compostsin Agriculture
Mary Dimambro & Rob LillywhiteWarwick HRI
Project outline
Rob LillywhiteWarwick HRI
Staff at Warwick HRI
• Mary Dimambro• Robert Lillywhite• Clive Rahn• Mary Turner
• Project outline• Chemical characterisation of composts• Field trial results• Summary
Programme
BMW sent to landfill in the UK must be reduced to:
•75% of the amount produced in 1995 by 2010•50% of the amount produced in 1995 by 2013•35% of the amount produced in 1995 by 2020
Since 50%+ of municipal solid waste is biodegradable, that means finding alternative routes of disposal for:
• between 4.9 & 7.7 Mt by 2010• between 10.6 & 15.5 Mt by 2020
EU landfill Directive (1999/31/EC)
Waste in the UK
• Biodegradable municipal waste = BMW– Green waste– Food waste– Paper & cardboard
• Municipal solid waste = MSW
Composting in the UK• 2003/04: 2 Mt BMW composted
– 84% green waste– Composting of kitchen and other municipal wastes is in
its infancy• Area of up to 500,000 ha would be required to
spread 15 Mt compost (rate: 250 kg N / ha)
Discussion of compost characteristics
Mary Dimambro
Talk summary• The composts • Compost analysis • Results• Summary
Sourcing the composts • UK composters contacted• At least 15 companies compost BMW
– Source segregated– Mixed MSW
• 12 composts obtained
The composts• 12 used for initial characterisation• 5 selected for the field trial
A GF
H I J
The composts
VEVEVEVEOWVEOWOWVEOWVEVESystemMixed MSWManurePet food wasteCatering wasteKitchen wasteCardboardPaperMilk wastePotato wasteVegetable wasteFruit wasteStrawGreen waste
LKJIHGFEDCBAFeedstock
VE=In Vessel, OW=Open Windrow
Compost analysis
• British Standard methods for soil improvers and growing media
• Recommended by BSI PAS 100 • Performed at
– Warwick HRI – Direct Laboratories, Wolverhampton
Compost analysis• Characterisation:
– Moisture content, bulk density, pH, conductivity, organic matter, nutrients
• Proximate analysis:– Water soluble carbohydrates, cellulose, lignin, ash
• Heavy metals• Total coliforms, E. coli, Salmonella• Bioassay
CompostA B C D E F G H I J K L
pH
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Results: pH
Results: Carbon
CompostA B C D E F G H I J K L
% C
arbo
n (d
ry w
eigh
t)
0
10
20
30
40
Results: Nitrogen
CompostA B C D E F G H I J K L
% N
itrog
en (d
ry w
eigh
t)
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
Meat waste
Results: C:N ratio
Compost
A B C D E F G H I J K L
C:N
ratio
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
20:1
Compost
A B C D E F G H I J K L
mg/
kg
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000NO3 NH4 Mg P Fe
Results: Nutrients
Compost
A B C D E F G H I J K L
% c
onta
min
ant
0
5
10
15
20
25Glass Plastic Metal Stones Other
Results: Contaminants
72% MSW
MSW
C o m p o s t
A B C D E F G H I J K L
mg/
kg h
eavy
met
al
0
1 0 0
2 0 0
3 0 0
4 0 0
5 0 0
6 0 0
7 0 0
P b N i Z n C u C r
mg/
kg d
ry w
eigh
t
Mixed MSW
Zn
Pb & Cu
Results: Heavy Metals
Methods: Germination Test
Composts used
Green & kitchen waste, paper, cardboard, catering waste J
MSWG
Green waste, fruit & vegetable waste, cardboard F
Green waste, fruit & vegetable wasteB
Green & kitchen waste, paper, cardboardA
Feedstock
Methods: Germination Test
Day 14100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
Compost
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Peat
Compost G
Day0 5 10 15 20 25 30
% G
erm
inat
ion
0
20
40
60
80
100
0% compost 25% compost 50% compost 75% compost 100% compost
Compost J
Day0 5 10 15 20 25 30
% G
erm
inat
ion
0
20
40
60
80
100
0% compost 25% compost 50% compost 75% compost 100% compost
Results: Germination
0% compost 25% compost 50% compost 75% compost 100% compost
Results: tomato yield
CompostA B F G J Peat
Dry
wei
ght /
pla
nt (m
g)
0
100
200
300
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
Bioassay summary• 25% compost:
– does not inhibit germination– does not reduce plant growth
• 100% compost: – reduces germination– reduces growth
Compost summary• 100% MSW compost
– High physical contaminants (glass, plastic)– High C:N ratio– High heavy metals (some exceed PAS 100)
Compost summary• Source segregated composts
– Generally within or close to PAS 100 limits– Low physical contaminants (mostly stones)– Low heavy metals– Range of nutrient concentrations
Compost analysis• More details in the technical report
Rob Lillywhite
The field trial
Breakdown of presentation
• Composts used• Field trial design• Data collection• Results• Discussion
Composts used
Soil conditionerIn-vesselGreen & kitchen waste, paper, cardboard, catering waste
J
Landfill coverIn-vesselMSWG
Landscaping, agricultural landWindrow
30-40% green waste, 60-70% fruit & vegetable waste, cardboard
F
Soil conditionerVCU50% green waste, 50% fruit & vegetable wasteB
Agricultural land, reclamation, landfill coverIn-vesselGreen & kitchen waste,
paper, cardboardA
End useSystemFeedstock
Field trial design5 composts (A, B, F, G & J) x
3 treatments (250, 500 & 250+125 kg/ha N) +
6 fertiliser (0, 42, 84, 125, 167 & 250 kg/ha N) x
3 replicates = 63 plots
Field trial designP1 P3 P5
B1 B2 B3
P2 P6P4 P25
P15
P14P13P12P11P10P9
P7
P8
P16
P24P23P22
P20P19P18P17
P27P26
P29 P31P30 P32 P33 P34
P21 P36 P37 P39P38 P40 P41 P42
P28 P43 P44 P45 P46 P47 P48
P35 P50 P51 P52 P54P53 P55
P57 P59P58 P60 P61 P62
T1
Com
post
1 (2
50)
T4
Com
post
2 (2
50)
T7
Com
post
3 (2
50)
T10
Com
post
4 (2
50)
T13
Com
post
5 (2
50)
T16
NH
4NO
3(0
)
P49
P56
P63
T2
Com
post
1 (5
00)
T3
Com
post
1 (2
50) +
N
T6
Com
post
2 (5
00)
T5
Com
post
2 (2
50) +
N
T9
Com
post
3 (2
50) +
N
T8
Com
post
3 (5
00)
T12
Com
post
4 (2
50) +
N
T11
Com
post
4 (5
00)
T14
Com
post
5 (5
00)
T15
Com
post
5 (2
50) +
N
T20
NH
4NO
3(1
67)
T18
NH
4NO
3(8
4)
T17
NH
4NO
3(4
2)
T19
NH
4NO
3(1
25)
T21
NH
4NO
3(2
09)
T11
Com
post
4 (5
00)
T11
Com
post
4 (5
00)
T15
Com
post
5 (2
50) +
N
T15
Com
post
5 (2
50) +
N
T4
Com
post
2 (2
50)
T4
Com
post
2 (2
50)
T1
Com
post
1 (2
50)
T1
Com
post
1 (2
50)
T7
Com
post
3 (2
50)
T7
Com
post
3 (2
50)
T16
NH
4NO
3(0
)
T16
NH
4NO
3(0
)
T19
NH
4NO
3(1
25)
T19
NH
4NO
3(1
25)
T21
NH
4NO
3(2
09)
T21
NH
4NO
3(2
09)
T8
Com
post
3 (5
00)
T8
Com
post
3 (5
00)
T18
NH
4NO
3(8
4)
T18
NH
4NO
3(8
4)
T10
Com
post
4 (2
50)
T10
Com
post
4 (2
50)
T9
Com
post
3 (2
50) +
N
T9
Com
post
3 (2
50) +
N
T13
Com
post
5 (2
50)
T13
Com
post
5 (2
50)
T6
Com
post
2 (5
00)
T6
Com
post
2 (5
00)
T2
Com
post
1 (5
00)
T2
Com
post
1 (5
00)
T12
Com
post
4 (2
50) +
N
T12
Com
post
4 (2
50) +
N
T14
Com
post
5 (5
00)
T14
Com
post
5 (5
00)
T17
NH
4NO
3(4
2)
T17
NH
4NO
3(4
2)
T5
Com
post
2 (2
50) +
N
T5
Com
post
2 (2
50) +
N
T20
NH
4NO
3(1
67)
T20
NH
4NO
3(1
67)
T3
Com
post
1 (2
50) +
N
T3
Com
post
1 (2
50) +
N
Compost incorporation
26.340.931.033.824.9
Amount (t/ha) to give 250 kg/ha N
53.781.862.367.649.8
1.731.611.011.082.16
ABFGJ
Amount (t/ha) to give 500 kg/ha N
%NCompost
Data collectionBarley• Above ground yield – day 50• Grain yield - final harvest
Soil• Pre-drilling• Pre-top dressing• Post-harvest
Field trialLocation: Warwick HRI, WellesbourneCrop: Spring barley, variety OpticComposts incorporated: 14th March 2005Drilled: 15th March 2005Harvested: 4th August 2005
01234567
A B F G J
FW (t
/ha)
250500
Yield pre top dressing
JA B F G J
Zero N
012345678
0 50 100 150 200 250Applied nitrogen
t/ha
Grain yield at harvest
0
25
50
75
100
125
150
0 50 100 150 200 250Applied nitrogen
t/ha
Grain Total
N uptake at harvest
012345678
A B F G J
250 500 250+125 N
Zero N
125 N
t/ha
Grain yield at harvest
MSW
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
A B F G J
250 500 250+125 N
Zero N
125 N
kg/h
aGrain %N at harvest
020406080
100120140
A B F G J
250 500 250+125 N
Zero N
125 N
kg/h
aGrain N uptake at harvest
020406080
100120140160
A B F G J
250 500 250+125 N
Zero N
125 N
kg/h
aTotal N uptake at harvest
0
20
40
60
80
100
A B F G J
250 500 250+125 N
Zero N
125 N
kg/h
aSoil min N (0-60 cm) at harvest
Heavy metal content of grainThe barley grain was analysed for:• chromium• copper• lead• nickel• zinc
Application of compost G resulted in a slight increase in copper content and a significant increase in levels of zinc.
Heavy metal content of soilSoils were analysed on 3 occasions for:• chromium• copper• lead• nickel• zinc
Application of compost G resulted in a slight but not significant increase in levels of lead, nickel and zinc.
What does it all mean?
Composts A, F and J are suitable for application to agricultural land without adverse effects.
Compost F is the only compost with nitrogen fertilising value in the first year of incorporation.
Due to higher levels of heavy metals and sodium, compost G cannot be recommended for application to agricultural land.
Mary Dimambro
Summary
Compost summary• All composts contain
• Organic matter • Nitrogen• Essential nutrients
Compost summary• Source segregated composts
– Low physical contaminants– Low heavy metals– Range of nutrient concentrations
Compost summary• 100% MSW compost
– High physical contaminants (glass, plastic)– High heavy metals– Range of nutrients
Field trial summary• No significant fertilising effect was obvious
in the first year of compost incorporation• Composts A, F, and J
– containing mainly plant and food waste – no adverse effects– showed agricultural benefit
Field trial summary• Compost B
– slightly reduced establishment and yield– higher levels of lead and zinc
• Compost G – adversely affected plant establishment and
yield – higher levels of all heavy metals
Recommendations• Source segregated composts
– Low heavy metals– Can be of agricultural benefit
• Compost + fertiliser best combination
• Mixed waste composts not recommended
Technical report• Available soon as a pdf• Please ensure we have your email address
• Onyx Environmental Trust• DEFRA• The compost suppliers• Direct Laboratories • Warwick HRI Analytical Laboratory
Acknowledgements
