Land Application of Composts, and Other Wastes in Florida

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1 Land Application of Composts, and Other Wastes in Florida - Benefits, Concerns, and Regulations Y.C. Li, G. O Connor, E. Hanlon, J. Chen TREC-SWS-SFREC-MREC IFAS/University of Florida BMP Workshop/Apopka/May 20, 2008

2 Compost: products from the controlled biological decomposition of organic materials. Food processing wastes from plant and animal materials. Coal ash: fly ash and bottom ash from power plants. Wood ash: the residue remaining after the combustion of wood. WTRs: drinking water treatment residuals. Phosphogypsum: from the state s phosphorus fertilizer industry.

3 Availability Waste Total/potential mass (x 10 3 Mg) Used for land application (x 10 3 Mg) Potential for land use (x 10 3 Mg) Compost 5, ,000 Food processing >5,000 Very low low Coal ash 1,850 Very low medium Wood ash <5 high Drinking water unknown Very low medium Treatment residuals Phosphogypsum 1,000,000 Very low very low

4 Composts Florida collected ~37 x 10 6 Mg of MSW, which includes ~4 x 10 6 yard trash (yard waste). >1.5 x 10 6 Mg food wastes were collected, but only ~1% was reused. ~5 x 10 6 Mg of composts could be generated from yard trash and food waste. However, <0.15 x 10 6 Mg of compost is produced annually in FL.

5 Composts There are 83 private and public facilities registered with FDEP to produce composts. The Solid Waste Facility Inventory Report identifies only 29 active facilities in Because FL s regulatory definition of compost includes mulch, screenings and other products, most of the active composting facilities do not produce compost, but only mulches and other non-decomposed products. FL Organic Recycling Center for Excellence reported that FDEP permitted only 5 composing facilities (Sumter County, Black Gold, Reedy Creek, Busch Gardens, and Jacksonville Zoological Gardens) in 2005.

6 Composts Regulations, waste composition, and cost play critical roles in explaining the lack of compost facilities: The regulations strongly favor processing rather than composting because a full permit is required for compost facilities, with some exceptions. Most of yard waste is woody materials and more suitable as a bulking agent than as compost feedstock. Costs of producing compost are often higher than landfill tipping fees or the sale of mature compost. Florida has a large potential compost market, but the demand for compost is not well-developed.

7 Beneficial Effects in FL

8 Compost Improve soil fertility Suppress soil borne diseases/nematodes Control weeds as a mulch Improve crop yield

9 Improve Soil Fertility Increase soil organic carbon Increase soil water and nutrient holding capacities Supply nutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu) Enhance soil microbial activity

10 Suppressed diseases/nematodes

11 Disease/ Nematode Nematode (1) Stem canker (1) Root rot (1) Nematode (1) Crop Compost Rate (Mg ha -1 ) Soil Response Citation Tomato MSW 29.6 Gravelly Bryan et al., 1997 Okra YW Fine sand - Ritzinger et al., 1997 Nematode(11) Tomato BS 16 Gravelly - Mannion et al., 1994 Nematode(1) Bacterial wilt (1) Squash 16 Gravelly + Mannion et al., 1994 Tomato YW Loam fine sand/ Loamy sand YW/PL YW/CM n/+ n/+ n/+ Chellemi et al., 1992 BS n/- Mushroom +/n Nematode(9) Okra YW/BS Gravelly +/- Wang et al., 2007

12 Do composts improve crop yield?

14 Tomato Crop Response Compost Rate Soil Response Citation MSW/BS 30 Gravelly - Bryan et al MSW/BS 30 Gravelly + Bryan et al MSW/BS 75, 112 fine sand - Obreza and Reeder, 1994 MSW 30 Gravelly + Bryan et al MSW 13, 27 Fine sand + Obreza and Reeder, 1994 MSW 60, 120 Gravelly + Bryan et al YW 12, 24, 36 fine sand + Csizinszky&Stanley 1998 PR 188 fine sand + Stoffella and Graetz, 2000

Food Processing Wastes Sugarcane filtercake compost has been used as a partial substitute for peat in containerized seedling production systems of citrus and

15 Food Processing Wastes Sugarcane filtercake compost has been used as a partial substitute for peat in containerized seedling production systems of citrus and tomatoes (Stoffella et al. 1996; Stoffella and Graetz, 1996). There is no known research on land application of food processing wastes for citrus and vegetables.

16 Fly ash as a soil amendment Improving soil texture Typical particle size: 4% clay, 63% silt, 33% sand Modification of soil ph Supply of essential plant nutrients for crop production.

17 100 Tomato Fruit Yield (mt/ha) c Total Marketable b a a Application rates of fly ash compost (mt/ha)

18 Wood Ash Application of wood ash increased soil ph (>9), plant available water (~12%) and reduced soil bulk density, macronutrients (Ca, Mg, K, and P) and micronutrients (Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn) (Chirenje and Ma, 2002)

19 Drinking Water Treatment Residuals Increased soil adsorption of P Reduced P in runoff

20 Phosphogypsum Supply calcium and sulfur Application of phosphogypsum resulted in increased yields of stargrass (Rechcigl and Mislevy, 1997)

21 Concerns surrounding reuse of compost and other wastes in Florida

22 Composts

23 Precautions of Compost Utilization High variability of quality between and within compost production facilities Plant phytotoxicity due to immature compost High salt or heavy metal contents of MSW and/or of biosolids derived compost Excessive nutrients for crop growth Environmental concerns

25 NO 3 -N (mg L -1 ) Water-soluble organic N (mg L -1 ) APPLY COMPOST AND FERTILIZER TOMATO SQUASH TOMATO SQUASH MCL Fert GC YFC BS Ft. Pierce deep wells - Organic N 3/1/97 6/1/97 9/1/97 12/1/97 3/1/98 6/1/98 9/1/98 12/1/98 Time Ft. Pierce deep wells - NO 3 Reactive (ortho) P (mg L -1 ) Non-reactive soluble P (mg L -1 ) APPLY COMPOST AND FERTILIZER TOMATO SQUASH TOMATO SQUASH Ft. Pierce deep wells - Mineral P Ft. Pierce deep wells - Organic P Time Fert GC YFC BS 3/1/97 6/1/97 9/1/97 12/1/97 3/1/98 6/1/98 9/1/98 12/1/98

26 Coal ash

32 WTRs

33 Al-WTRs produced in FL contain total As concentrations ( mg/kg) that greatly exceed the industrial limit of soil cleanup target level for As. However, recent studies have shown that As contained in Al-WTR is essentially non-labile, and that Al-WTR could indeed be used as a sorbent for As in soils. WTRs may induce plant P deficiencies and Al phytotoxicities. The availability/accessibility of sufficient quantities of WTRs and costs of transportation and application can be major limitations to large scale commercial use of WTRs.

34 Phosphogypsum

35 The major environmental concern for land application of phosphogypsum is radioactivity due to radium in marine-deposited phosphorus rock EPA has determined that phosphogypsum can be used in unlimited quantities in agriculture if radium content is 370 Bq/kg This limit generally permits the use of phosphogypsum from north FL, but does not allow the use of central FL phosphogypsum, which generally contains ~925 Bq/kg

36 Regulation/guidelines for composting and use of composts and other wastes in FL

37 Management of compost and wastes are regulated by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) based on Florida Statutes with specific Florida Administrative Codes (FAC)

38 Waste FAC Florida Administrative Code Compost Solid Waste Management Facilities Criteria for the Production and Use of Compost Made from Solid Waste Food processing Solid Waste Management Facilities Coal ash Solid Waste Management Facilities Wood ash Solid Waste Management Facilities Solid waste combustor ash management Drinking water Treatment residuals N/A Phosphogypsum Guidance for land application of drinking water treatment sludge Phosphogypsum Management

39 Compost/composting Composting facilities in FL fall into 3 regulatory categories: exempt, registration, and full permit facilities: Back yard, on-farm, and micro-scale composting are exempt from state regulation Facilities composting only yard waste are eligible for registration and are subject to fewer restrictions All other types of organic recycling facilities, like those composting food residuals, are subject to greater restriction than similar sized facilities that compost only yard trash.

40 Type Characteristics Use restriction Y YM Made from yard trash, mature/semi-mature, any texture, <2% foreign matter, code 1 heavy metals Made from yard trash & manure, mature/semi-mature, any texture, <2% foreign matter, code 1 heavy metals Unrestricted use Unrestricted use A Made from solid waste, mature, fine texture, <2% foreign matter, code 1 heavy metals Unrestricted use B C D E Made from solid waste, mature/semi-mature, fine/medium texture, <4% foreign matter, code 1 or 2 (low or medium) heavy metals Made from solid wastes, mature/semi-mature, any texture, <10% foreign matter, code 1, 2, or 3 (low, medium, or high) heavy metals Made from solid wastes, not mature, any texture, >10% foreign matter, code 1, 2, or 3 (low, medium, or high) heavy metals Made from solid wastes, metals exceed standards (code 4 metals) For agricultural, public contact allowed For agricultural public contact allowed For land fill, land reclamation; public contact not allowed Must be disposed

41 Heavy metal Metal Code Concentrations (mg kg -1 dry weight) Cadmium <15 15-< >100 Copper < < ,000 >3,000 Lead < <1, ,500 >1,500 Nickel <50 50-< >500 Zinc < <1,800 1,800-10,000 >10,000

42 Coal ash Coal ash (fly ash and bottom ash) is solid waste regulated at the federal level using the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and Subtitle C or D may apply. Subtitle D is for nonhazardous wastes that are subject to individual state laws. Most states including FL have exempted coal ash from hazardous waste regulation. Coal ash management is covered by FAC , which has no specific requirements for land application. Nevertheless, FDEP required the permit for using coal ash following FAC , , and which make almost impossible for agricultural use.

43 Wood Ash Wood products burned in incinerator facilities in FL include landscape debris, yard waste, private operation waste, and emergency reduction waste from natural disasters. Production and use of wood ash are not specified with a FAC, but can be regulated under FAC (Solid Waste Management Facilities) or FAC (Solid waste combustor ash management). FDEP Memo (# SWM-05.6) states that clean dry wood may be burned in air curtain incinerators or combustors. Clean wood includes only wood that is free of paint, glue, filler, pentachlorophenol, creosote, tar, asphalt, or other wood preservatives or treatments. Wood ash from the burning of yard trash may be used as a soil amendment or incorporated into mulch or compost products under the same conditions as yard trash.

44 WTRs There is no FAC for land use of WTRs. FDEP published the Guidance for land application of drinking water plant sludge in Based on a characterization study of WTRs, FDEP has determined that beneficial land application of lime sludge from drinking water systems is not expected to create any significant threat to public health or the environment. For this reason, no additional regulation or approval by the Department is required prior to this use.

45 WTRs The Department recommends that sludge be applied at a rate <9 Mg/Ac/yr in order to minimize movement of metals into the environment. The land application of the sludge must meet the three general criteria i. not be a hazardous waste; ii. not cause violation of groundwater and surface water standards and criteria; and iii. not cause fugitive dust emissions or objectionable odors or create a public nuisance. FDEP does not approve the land application of alum or ferric sludge, unless the person seeking to apply the sludge can provide reasonable assurance of that no threat to public health or the environment. Data suggests that concerns are unjustified.

46 Phosphogypsum Phosphogypsum must be stockpiled in stacks after a 1989 EPA rule banning its use based upon the trace amount of radioactivity in the phosphogypsum. Land application of phosphogypsum would only be possible if the EPA raises the limit on radioactivity (370 Bq/kg). FAC specifically addresses phosphogypsum management: No person shall dispose of, or store prior to disposal, any phosphogypsum except within a phosphogypsum stack system permitted by the Department; and the material is subject to the licensure requirements of Chapter 404, F.S.

47 General outlook of compost/other wastes utilization in FL Tremendous amount of yard wastes and other wastes are generated from urban and various industries in FL and tonnage of wastes will be greatly increased as the population of the state increases. Most of these wastes were not utilized, but either land filled or stock piled. Limitation of landfill spaces and environmental impact of these facilities are become more and more serious problems. Land use of these wastes is viable disposal solution.

48 General outlook FL is one of leading states on research of compost and other solid waste utilization. Many research reports and publications done in FL are available and demonstrated beneficial effects of land uses of compost and other wastes and approaches to avoid negative impacts on environment.

49 General outlook However, road blocks seem always to exist for utilization of composts and other wastes. Regulatory resistance is insurmountable. Educating regulators probably is only way to break the block. Incentives from the state government will also be needed to make reuse of these wastes economically feasible.

50 THANK YOU! Questions?

Compost Utilization Quality Guidelines in Tomato Production. Monica Ozores-Hampton, Ph.D University of Florida/IFAS/SWFREC

Compost Utilization Quality Guidelines in Tomato Production Monica Ozores-Hampton, Ph.D University of Florida/IFAS/SWFREC What is Composting? It s a biological decomposition process where microorganisms