Steve Ross-Smith is the founder of the Worm Research Centre. He has a wealth
of environmental and farming experience having run an organic farm since 1986.
His many practical skills bring originality and efficiency to all the projects
undertaken here at the Centre. He is an innovative thinker and, recognising
the enormous gaps in information regarding small scale composting and vermiculture,
has been tackling the problem head on. Using his skills in engineering, design
and technology (HND Distinctions) many new ideas are now being researched
and developed to create workable solutions to the enormous organic waste stream
problems faced by small commercial businesses. Please contact us if you think
there is something we can help you with. The Centre are the North of England
key Compost Doctors working with CRN UK (Community Recycling Network UK) and
the CCN (Community Composting Network), to support businesses in improving
their environmental resource efficiency. See the relevant tab for more information
on how we can support you. |
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Case Studies
YORKSHIRE AIR MUSUEM
supported by the Worm Research Centre and the Community Recycling Network
UK
Organisation Profile: www.yorkshireairmuseum.co.uk
 
 
There are many places in the Yorkshire area that are open to the public and
have catering facilities. Elvington Air Museum based outside York is open to
the public most days of the year and hosts huge events such as air displays
and club meetings at various times throughout the year. They cater from an old
style NAAFI and all the food is cooked and prepared on site. For this demonstration
we looked at their bottom line daily composting needs with a view to adding
on to the facility as and when funding is available, with a throughput of 75,000
visitors every year plus many meetings and events on top of that there is a
significant amount of organic food waste being sent to landfill on a regular
basis that can be used in a closed loop system. The method(s) of organic waste
recycling previously At the beginning of the project the only recycling undertaken
was the scrap metal from the airplane renovation that is take in a monthly skip
that they actually pay for. All the other waste is taken by the local council
contractor Yorwaste. Organic waste was put in the bins along with all the other
material. Tonnes per annum of organic waste to dispose of. The café produces
approx 10 tonnes of catering waste annually from entrance paying visitors. This
increases substantially with events but figures are unknown. There is also at
least 4 tonnes of garden waste from the grounds (excluding grass). All the waste
used to be put into the council bins.
BOOTHFERRY GOLF CLUB
 
Golf Clubs provide an example of how on site composting can work efficiently
and be beneficial to the business in the reduction of their waste stream. They
produce a significant amount of organic waste that can be recycled rather than
sent to landfill and have enough land to utilise the end product. This club
is a pleasant meadowland course, more than 6600 yards long. There are extensive
gardens producing over 10 tonnes of organic waste which also includes packaging
arising from the golf shop. The restaurant hosts corporate and private functions
as well as serving members and has recently been upgraded. It serves 200+ meals
per day with the resultant waste stream that needs disposing of.
The Director and Head Chef are very well informed about composting and are enthusiastic
in their support for this study. They have been using the Green Machine System
with great effect since August 2006. The Green Machine is an integral easy to
use back to basics composting system harnessing the use of both worms and compost
heaps. Realising that each system has a value in its own right both are put
together to create an all encompassing low cost. tidy compost method for the
small commercial user enabling them to transform their organic waste into a
valuable asset with minimum outlay, rather than a waste stream problem. Worms
are invaluable in dealing with liquid and less solid waste arising from catering
establishments that is hard to deal with by other methods. Heaping creates a
quick breakdown of organic material making it readily available for use on the
land. The system equipment consists of a modular WormPod filled with 4k of worms
per square metre giving 10 sq metres of wormbed capable of up to 30k+ of processing
per day.
The catering waste is mixed with other larger material such as garden waste,
grass and shredded cardboard and heaped in a windrow area which quickly breaks
down. Since the study began Scotty's HotBox has been designed which provides
an alternative to open heaping which dramatically reduces any ensuing rodent
problem. They have plenty of land on which to distribute the resultant compost
which means it has qualified for an Environment Agency Exemption. A huge benefit
of using this system is its capability in recycling cardboard waste. (Most in-vessel
systems on the market are not able to utilise cardboard as a carbon balancer,
needing a finer material such as sawdust or pellets that have to be bought in
on a regular basis. So carbon is sent out as waste (the cardboard) and then
bought in for their machines.)
The Green Machine uses 'in house' shredded cardboard on the compost heap which
works in conjunction with the organic waste to create the correct chemical interaction
to turn the material into compost. Cardboard is a huge issue for Golf Clubs
as not only do they have food packaging but also a significant amount of packaging
in their golf shops. The study also found a use for the cardboard by shredding
it then using it as a packaging filler for postal products. Taking an average
of 227.38 kg kitchen food waste, cardboard and garden waste per week it is estimated
that 11.8 tonnes can be composted and used on site over the year. The additional
organic waste produced is grass cuttings from the greens which are spread on
the rough and not taken of site.
RUDSTONE WALK, BROUGH
Organisation Profile Website: www.rudstone-walk.co.uk
Rudstone Walk was an ideal venue for a composting trial. It is a hotel/ conference
facility set in its own 80 acres Just 1 mile from the M62 it offers bed and
breakfast accommodation; self catering cottages; conference and meeting facilities;
outside catering afternoon teas/buffet lunches; corporate entertainment, wedding
ceremonies and receptions, private dining and celebrations which gives a wide
scope of catering wastes arising. The owners were keen to reduce their waste
stream and use it as a publicity tool to educate their customers. They have
plenty of land on which to distribute the resultant compost which means it has
qualified for an Environment Agency Exemption. The Centre is an ideal location
for demonstrations and publicity for the system, within easy reach of the motorway
system and able to provide hospitality and accommodation. They are also very
keen on the idea of educating their guests by having special collection systems
in the rooms and cottages with information sheets to explain their commitment
to recycling and the environment.
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The
method of organic waste recycling currently used on their site Rudstone Walk
has the first Jurakomposter (a Swedish in vessel machine) in the country, which
is working well, providing an easy to use neat and tidy solution for a busy
business. The JK 5100 is a dual-chamber composter. Waste is inserted on a daily
basis via the hopper and a carbon source in the form of wood pellets (or sawdust)
is added either manually or automatically. Upon closing the hatch the waste
is chopped finely and passed into the first, or "processing", chamber, where
it is mixed and aerated for approximately two weeks before passing into the
second, or "ripening", chamber. Once in the ripening chamber the mixing and
aeration continues for a further two weeks (no fresh waste is added to this
chamber during this time). The mixing actions in the first and second chambers
of the composter are independent of each other, allowing greater control over
the composting process. When ripening is complete, after about a further two
weeks, the second chamber is emptied mechanically and the waste from the first
chamber passed into the second. |
The compost produced needs no further
processing and is ready for immediate use. The speed of processing makes this
an attractive solution, and no further work is needed. It is located in a barn
at the back of the hotel within easy reach of the kitchens. The waste is collected
in slatted buckets for drainage and then placed with sawdust into the machines
chopping element and on into the chamber. Tonnes per annum of organic waste
currently recycled and used on site. According to the Compost Doctor programme
waste audit carried out in October 06 showed that Rudstone Walk are producing
151 kg per week of organic waste including garden and kitchen food waste. Scaling
this up, over a year we estimate that they will produce 7.852 tonnes of organic
waste that will be used on site. A detailed estimate of the potential tonnes
recycled if all similar organisations in Yorkshire and Humber used the same
organic waste recycling methods. According to the Yorkshire Tourist Board register
there are 314 hotels in the region. These only include those registered with
the Tourist Board. They are un-able to distinguish those with suitable grounds
and whether they are of the same scale as Rudstone Walk. Therefore based on
an estimated figure of 300 similar organisations, we estimate that 2355.6 tonnes
of organic waste could be composted and used on site.
HMYOI WETHERBY
Organisation Profile Website: www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk
Supported by the Worm Research Centre and the Community Recycling Network
 
Proposal for the RAY Organic
Close Loop Recycling Exemplar Projects
HMYOI Wetherby is a Secure College of Learning which has a population of up
to 360 trainees between the ages of 15 -18 years of age, they are producing
catering waste non stop three times a day 365 days a year. The method of organic
waste recycling currently used on their site This study site had already in
its possession a Big Hannah composting machine with which they needed guidance
to help set it up and start working. The larger Hannah machines work more efficiently
with as much liquid taken out of the waste as possible. Owing to the continuous
throughput from the inmates it was considered that a de watering plant would
be more beneficial than filter buckets which are a slow process which would
create a back up of waste.
The Compost Doctor scheme supported the study site in the installation and training
in the use of the machine and helped to establish efficient handling processes
to ensure it will become an asset to the establishment. The waste is collected
from the wings on a daily basis and clean empty buckets left in their place.
The buckets then go to the recycling unit where they are spun in the de wateriser
and added to the Big Hannah along with a quantity of sawdust. The waste then
works it way through the Hannah process over a course of 10 weeks and from that
point there will be a continuous feed of compost. The compost will contain some
matter such as bones that will not break down over such a short period. Scotty's
HotBoxes are used for a further period of maturation after which the material
is then trommeled to create a useable tilth, this is then put out on site as
a nutrient rich compost.
All garden waste from mowing the grass and from the market garden area is placed
into composting bays in the garden area (approximately 65 tonnes per annum)
and is turned about twice a year, there are several problems with this system
it is slow, unsightly, may attract vermin and compost can also be contaminated
by wind blown weed seeds, also there can be a problem with anaerobic composting
taking place if the heap becomes too wet or there is not enough oxygen present,
it then becomes very hard to turn. The Hannah and HotBoxes are eliminating these
problems. Initially all food waste produced at Wetherby was disposed of down
a macerator on the wings, this waste arises from the 3 meals a day the trainees
receive and the waste produced within the kitchens preparing the food. The majority
of this, approximately 55 tonnes a year, goes to landfill as the macerators
are not reliable and very expensive to run with repair costing approximately
£6000 in servicing and repair costs each. The waste from these was sent down
the drains in to the drainage system.
The system introduced by the Compost Doctors is designed to be run by the trainees
and linked to a composting course to give them experience for later job applications.
The trainees pick up the waste from the wings each day and fill the de-wateriser
to get rid of the high water content from the waste food before placing it in
to the in-vessel composter where it will be reduced by up to 90% in volume and
turned in to compost so it can be used as described above. Tonnes per annum
of organic waste currently recycled and used on site. HMYOI Wetherby estimate
that they produce 55 tonnes of biodegradable waste per year. This is based on
the average household dustbin that contains 20% garden waste and 17% kitchen
(food) waste. At present Wetherby produces 325 tonnes of waste per year. They
recycle approximately 138 tonnes and compost 65 tonnes. By setting up a separate
waste stream for food and composting it is further reduced the amount of biodegradable
waste going to landfill by 55 tonnes per year (17%).
Using this method also leads to substantial savings for the establishment, for
example reduction of skips for kitchens £2500 per year. Food from wings, which
is placed in the compactor and disposed of to landfill, costs us £1560 per year.
Repair/servicing or replacing macerators on the wing costs £36000 i.e. 6 macerators
x £6000. By using the composter there will also be a reduction in water rates
as waste will no longer be disposed of via the drainage system. A detailed estimate
of the potential tonnes recycled if all similar organisations in Yorkshire and
Humber used the same organic waste recycling methods.
There is the potential to divert 5874 tonnes of organic matter from landfill
sites, vastly reducing the amount of methane produced and reducing methane's
effects on the ozone layer as it is 21 times more damaging to the atmosphere
than CO2. This could also be adapted for colleges, schools and hospitals. Compost
Doctors also believe by linking this to the WYOI composting course it will help
make the trainees more employable on release from custody. |
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