![]() He says it's used as everything from animal bedding to an absorbent to clean up spills. It's got some use somewhere.ĪLGEO: Gregoir says Saunders sells its sawdust to several companies besides Portland Shellfish. GREGOIR: You know, we used to call our sawdust waste product and now we call it fuel. Plant manager Bob Gregoir says the company turns out about 50 tons of sawdust and wood shavings every day. The mill takes raw logs and turns them into dowels and other wood products. And you blend those together in a recipe.ĪLGEO: Jeff Holden had no problem finding sawdust for his compost recipe.ĪLGEO: He called the Saunders Mill in Westbrook, Maine. WRIGHT: You're looking for high-nitrogen material like a fish waste, and a high-carbon material like a sawdust. He says it takes more than shells to make a good compost. It takes, you know, a smelly waste product and turns it into a highly-valuable soil amendment.ĪLGEO: David Wright is with the State Department of Environmental Protection's Residuals Utilization Unit, which oversees commercial composting operations in Maine. He contacted the same environmental officials who'd made him stop sending his shells to the potato farm, and asked them to help him set up a composting business. Soon Holden began thinking of his shells as an opportunity, not a problem. Crab shells contain a carbohydrate called chitin, which is a natural bug repellent. He found out shells, especially crab shells, can be used as an ingredient in compost, which farmers and gardeners use as an organic fertilizer. So it's something you have to get rid of quickly every day.ĪLGEO: Holden did a little research. HOLDEN: They attract vectors, seagulls, flies. So Jeff Holden had to find a new way to get rid of his shells, which were quickly piling up outside his plant. Environmental officials feared nitrates from the decomposing shells might contaminate groundwater. Instead of keeping them on an impervious surface, like concrete or asphalt, he was simply piling them in a field. It turned out the farmer was storing the shells improperly. But Maine's Department of Environmental Protection put a stop to that last year. For years Holden gave his shells to a potato farmer, who spread them on his crops. Others simply dump them, lawfully, at sea. And then, in that big tub there, we have some.ĪLGEO: Shellfish processors have long considered shells the bane of their business. HOLDEN: Got some claw shell here, some ground claw shell. The shells are ground up and stored in giant tubs outside the plant. That's a lot of shellfish and a lot of shells.ĪLGEO: Holden says Portland Shellfish generates five tons of shells every day. As Maine Public Radio's Matthew Algeo reports, this new business began as a surprise.ĪLGEO: Jeff Holden owns Portland Shellfish, a company that processes more than ten tons of crab, lobster, and shrimp daily. These days he's also making fancy-grade compost from some of the state's most common byproducts: seashells and sawdust. For years, Jeff Holden has been processing shellfish in Portland, Maine. The Living Earth composting process can be viewed here.CURWOOD: If one person's trash is another person's treasure, then Jeff Holden has struck gold. ![]() The following companies are Living Earth approved contractors Living Earth will accept delivery of compostable packaging via approved waste companies only provided a pre -sort has been completed to remove contamination. Living Earth reserve the right to reject any packaging that is presented as ‘compostable packaging’, even if certified under these standards, if found to be detrimental in any way to the Living Earth composting methods, or to Living Earth compost products. Pre-approval can be gained via an approved waste company (see below). Where standards exist ‘compostable packaging’ must be certified under the European Standard EN13432 or the Australian standard AS4736, which is the European Standard plus an earthworm toxicity test.Īny compostable packaging must be pre-approved by the site operator. or packaging that is contaminated with human bio-solids such as disposable nappies.has plastic as a partial component or is labelled as bio-oxy-degradable plastic.poly lactic acid (PLA) such as plates, cutlery and cups Living Earth will not accept ‘compostable packaging’ that is: made of wood or wood pulp or bagasse such as cardboard packaging,.In general, Living Earth will accept ‘compostable packaging’ No compostable packaging or food service waste can be placed in the Christchurch green kerbside collection bins. This must be transported to site via an approved waste collection provider and must have a pre-sort to remove contamination before reaching site. bagasse, card) that has been pre-approved by the site operator is accepted. Plastic free compostable serviceware (e.g. Facility: Christchurch City Council Organics Processing Plant – Operated by Living Earth
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |