Issuu

May / June 2015

Vol. IX No. 3

Serving Soil, Mulch, Compost & Wood Pellet Producers www.SoilandMulchProducerNews.com

NEWS

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Cleaning Up Oil & Gas Rig Sites ...

Hungry Microbes Create Clean Compost from Contaminated Drill Cuttings

By Todd Williams

he oil and gas industry is getting a microbial hand up in restoring drilling sites, utilizing a product and process that uses compost and microbes to create a soil amendment from hydrocarbon contaminated well cuttings. And, the same product can be used to remediate polluted soils elsewhere, says its developer, Darren Midlane. The product, HydroLoc tm Soil Amend, was developed following years of research and applications in Europe, Asia and the United States, according to Midlane. Midlane, a horticulturist a n d s o i l s c i e n t i s t , s ay s HydroLoc is a proprietary blend of bacterial species customized for the degradation and remediation of petroleum hydrocarbons. It consists of compost, mineral additives and microbes. Harvest Quest, an environmental biotechnology company owned by Ecoverse, based in Avon, Ohio, assists in the manufacturing of the product via its interests in HydroLoc Solutions LLC. Harvest Quest is focused on

organics recycling and soil remediation solutions invested in composting and remediation of polluted soils and drill cuttings. Midlane is now Chief Technical Officer at Harvest Quest. In 1990, Midlane says he discovered the inoculants’ process (that makes the chemicalmunching microbes) while looking for new planting mediums, after the United Kingdom placed a moratorium on the extraction of peat in that country. “In my research process, I mixed a new batch of compost and it became very hot and turned into a grey material. I set it aside and forgot about the material,” he recounts. Later he was testing waste from paper mills for its compost ability and it occurred to him to mix that batch of grey material with the paper mill waste. It subsequently caught on fire. Midlane says he then realized that he had discovered something important. “I began using this microbial material to remediate Continued on page 3

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Cleaning Up Oil & Gas Rig Sites Continued from page 1

polluted soils in England with success,” he explains. Those polluted soils included beach sand contaminated by the tanker “Sea Empress” that ran aground in South Wales in 1996, spilling 70,000 tons of crude oil in a sensitive wildlife area. Midlane also worked in Sweden and Southeast Asia with soil amendments, including one that was used to compost palm oil fruit debris that previously had been burned. In 2000, Midlane brought his microbe research to the U.S. and to Harvest Quest, where he began a working relationship with A1 Organics, the Eaton, Colorado-based organics recycler. “I was brought in as the ‘bug guy’, due to my work with microbes, when Harvest Quest, A1 and Green Earth Environmental, Inc. began working with oil and gas well cuttings,” he says. According to Bob Yost, Vice President and Chief Technical Officer at A1 Organics, Green Earth is a Milliken, Colorado-based light civil, reclamation, and commercial landscaping contractor active in the oil production industry. Yost’s and Midlane’s passion for remediating hydrocarbon-polluted soils were a match, and more research into the problem began, using Midlane’s bugs as the weapon against polluted drill cuttings. Yost’s involvement in the oil and gas business started with work in the composting of heavy hydrocarbon soils, including tank bottom sludges, beginning in the early 1990s when he helped create some options for the composting of hydrocarbon bearing production related media. In 2013, Green Earth became involved in the process when one of its owners, Bruce Sandau, provided some of his Colorado farmland for use as a spread-field for cuttings. According to Yost, spread-fields are out-of-production land used to spread out and incorporate a mixture of soil and drill cuttings. A year or so later, the land would then go back into production. Sandau experienced an exploration and production (E&P) waste event on his property, and saw a need for a better option. The same mixture was also used for the disposal of cuttings in landfills, a costly proposition due to the fact that all the drill cuttings and soils had to be transported off-site for treatment and replaced with new clean fill dirt. Not only is this a costly solution, but it can also introduce non-native flora and pests that can further harm the environment being restored. According to Yost, Sandau was aware of the work A1 and Harvest Quest were doing and saw a potential for it in the growing E&P waste footprint in Colorado. A joint venture between A1, Green Earth and Harvest Quest was formed with the purpose of using Midlane’s microbial formula combined with high microbial compost of a specified nature to clean up Colorado’s oil field sites after the rigs moved on. Named HydroLoc Solutions, LLC, this cutting edge firm now offers sustainable and economically viable products and processes to

treat contaminated soils and sludges from all types of industries, including E&P waste from the oil and gas industry. “A1 and Green Earth presented the new product and process to the oil and gas producers Green Earth was servicing. The producers saw the economic and environmental benefit and gave Green Earth the opportunity to use it under heavy scrutiny from the first producer. The field work met with resounding success and the momentum was set,” Yost recalls. Yost explains the HydroLoc process begins while the well is being drilled. At a location on the rig called the “shaker table” where the solid drill cuttings are separated from the drilling fluid, the HydroLoc mixture is added to the cuttings. Once mixed with the cuttings, the mixture is processed on the well location, under specified operational plans, and the microbes do their thing by breaking down the non-living organic compounds - converting them into methanol, water and carbon dioxide. The mixture of HydroLoc varies from well to well and depends, in part, on the type of drilling fluid used. Cuttings from the vertical shaft typically contain fewer hydrocarbons than cuttings from the lateral shaft, and are segregated during the HydroLoc process, explains Midlane. Yost notes the typical Colorado well reaches down and then horizontally out, up to 27,000 feet deep, through shale formations, creating approximately 400-500 tons of cuttings that have to be disposed. The treated material, Yost continues, is then hauled from the rig to a storage area where it is further processed and monitored according to specific operational plans. The HydroLoc process remediates the hydrocarbons present in the blended material to levels below regulatory requirements, normally in 28-45 days for water-based muds, and 60-90 days for oil based drilling muds in the cuttings, Yost adds. Oil based muds are treated with more microbes than water based muds, usually about three times the amount. He explains that water based muds containing the inert, clay-like mineral bentonite, the post mixture, pre-processed blend of cuttings and HydroLoc mix, show about 700-1,400 parts per million (PPM) in total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH). HydroLoc can treat cuttings containing as much as 20,000-30,000 ppm. It is added according to the level of TPH present in the cuttings when tested. Midlane notes that there are 10 pounds of inoculants in one cubic yard of HydroLoc mix, and that there are 2.2 billion microbes in a single gram of HydroLoc. In fact, adds Midlane, cuttings that have been mixed with cement kiln dust and fly ash and had a PH of 12.6, after being treated with microbes resulted in a PH of 8.1. After treatment on the drilling rig, the end material is classified as a soil amendment and used for remediation or restoration of Continued on page 4

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PUBLICATION STAFF Publisher / Editor Rick Downing Contributing Editors / Writers Erika Jensen • Patrick Moore Todd Williams • Sandy Woodthorpe Production & Layout Barb Fontanelle • Christine Pavelka Advertising Sales Rick Downing Subscription / Circulation Donna Downing Editorial, Circulation & Advertising Office 6075 Hopkins Road, Mentor, OH 44060 Ph: 440-257-6453 • Fax: 440-257-6459 Email: downassoc2@oh.rr.com Subscription information, call 440-257-6453. Soil & Mulch Producer News is published bimonthly by Downing & Associates. Reproductions or transmission in whole or in part, without written permission of the publisher, is prohibited. Annual subscription rate U.S. is $19.95. Outside of the U.S. add $10.00 ($29.95). Contact our main office, or mail-in the subscription form with payment. © Copyright 2015 by Downing & Associates Printed on 10% Post-Consumer Recycled Paper

May / June 2015 Soil & Mulch Producer News

Soil

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Cleaning Up Oil & Gas Rig Sites Continued from page 3

disturbed fields, rig production pads, roadways, ditches, transmission lines and any other areas impacted by the drilling process. The typical Colorado well will furnish about 600-700 tons of HydroLoc Soil Amendment ready for spreading and incorporation into the soil, says Midlane. Once the HydroLoc finished product is spread and incorporated, the land is drill seeded, often producing vegetation in weeks, not years, says Yost. This eliminates the need to reseed multiple times before conforming with government regulations. The land can often be used for any purpose including

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Soil & Mulch Producer News May / June 2015

grazing and crop production. In fact, he says the amended (treated) soil is of equal or better quality than what was originally at the site before drilling began. To date, according to Yost, the HydroLoc process has been used on over 200 oil rigs in Colorado and Wyoming creating about 70,000 tons of the soil amendment. “State oil and gas agencies have been very open to the use of HydroLoc to remediate drill cuttings as included in the producer’s waste management plan. Every permit for wells issued must have a waste management plan and a

budget for the plan. HydroLoc can be specified in those plans. My job at A1 is to help develop a formula for mixing the right compost product with the cuttings to attain the best resulting amendment for the rig site. Then Green Earth provides the light civil engineering for the project. They do the heavy lifting and make it all come together,” explains Yost. Although Yost notes there are too many variables and proprietary data to provide costper-ton of treated cuttings, he does say that the value of the product includes its beneficial use, versus other disposal methods like spread-fields and landfills. When comparing how much a driller can save by using HydroLoc versus landfill or spread-field disposal, savings such as cost per ton for management of cuttings reduction, savings of up to 70 percent of truck traffic, and related tangible and intangible costs must be factored. There is also a cost savings by not having to import off-site compost for remediation, he explains. Yost points out, however, that the total treatment cost compared to landfill fees in Colorado and elsewhere, is competitive, and that the distance from the point of origin is a factor in cost comparisons. “This is a site specific process, and if the drilling rigs were located right next to a landfill, it might be cheaper to dispose of cuttings there; but drilling sites are not located adjacent to landfills,” says Yost. In addition to drilling site remediation, Yost and Midlane explain that the microbial components in HydroLoc can and have been used in other types of soil remediation problems. For instance, says Midlane, in the UK, HydroLoc has been used to clean up leaks from old natural gas storage tanks. Elsewhere in Europe it’s been a valuable weapon is remediating soils contaminated by creosote, herbicide and pesticide residues. In Canada, it is being used to treat hydrocarbon-polluted silt, derived from storm sewer runoff from parking lots. And, it is being used by the fracking industry in Texas, Wyoming and Colorado, to clean tank bottoms. Midlane suggests other applications in the near future will include chemically polluted soils from runoff at airports, parking garages and service stations, as well as brownfield sites. “All we have to do is adjust the formula of microbes for the specific chemical problem,” he says. Yost adds, HydroLoc is completely natural and has no need for restrictions. In fact, he notes, it has the physical attributes of regular compost, promoting plant growth and improving the properties of soil. “We do not envision a scenario of selling HydroLoc to the public, but there would likely be little to no restrictions,” he adds. Cover photos courtesy of Ecoverse, Harvest Quest and A1 Organics.

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May / June 2015 Soil & Mulch Producer News

Soil

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A Perfect Storm:

Mulch Fire Dynamics and Prevention

By Erika Jensen

n unusually large number of fires, occurring at commercial mulch and compost facilities over the past few years, have caused concern for both the organics industry and the communities affected by these fires. About 75 percent of the reported fires to date were the result of spontaneous combustion. To better understand these events, this article will look at the biology and chemistry that leads to spontaneous combustion fires. Although much of this information is common knowledge within the industry, we’ll use an understanding of the causes to frame a discussion on how to prevent such fires, as well as avoid backlash from local residents and government officials, if and when such a fire occurs. Decomposition Dynamics and Risk Factors

pontaneous combustion fires begin with pile heating caused by S microbial activity. Heat is produced as microbes decompose the organic materials, made possible by the presence of moisture. When a pile size is too large, the pile cannot lose heat as fast as it is generated, causing the temperature in the center of the pile to increase to dangerous levels. If the decomposition continues under the right conditions, the pile can continue to heat to a dangerous level. At around 180° F, microbial activity shuts down and direct chemical reactions (abiotic) processes take over. Pyrolysis is one such process, and can be defined as the decomposition of organic materials through the action of heat, which occurs in the absence of oxygen. The gasses and compounds that result from the process of pyrolysis are highly combustible, and when oxygen is introduced they can burst into flames. Smoldering can also occur in the absence of oxygen. “During pyrolysis, the traditional “fire triangle” that we’ve all been taught about, is changed somewhat. Usually we think about the fire triangle involving fuel, oxygen, and heat. But when pyrolysis comes into play, a smoldering fire can occur without oxygen,” said Robert Rynk, of the State University of New York at Cobleskill (SUNY Cobleskill). Risk factors for spontaneous combustion fires include piles that are over 20 feet tall, piles that are moderately dry, in the range of 20 to 40 percent moisture (or dry with some wet spots), and static piles that may sit for a month or longer without being turned. These values are general estimates, and will vary depending on weather conditions and pile composition. For example, oils and resins in the feedstock materials may play a role in combustion fires, as some materials are more prone to combustion because they have a lower combustion temperature. However, this is a minor consideration compared to the other risk factors, like: pile size, moisture level, and stasis (no turning, no movement). Methods of Prevention

ortunately, the prevention of mulch fires is simpler than understanding exactly how they occur. Best management practices, such as careful monitoring of temperature and moisture; noticing and correlating weather events; restricting pile size; maintaining moisture levels; and turning piles to release heat are critical to the prevention of combustion fires in organic material piles. 6

Soil & Mulch Producer News May / June 2015

According to John Ferguson of Nature’s Way Resources, careful monitoring of pile temperatures is part of his daily work, using a soil (temperature) probe to check for hot spots. “My workers monitor the temperature of the mulch piles at least twice a week, and login the information weekly. If it looks like we’ve got excessive heat building up, we flood the mulch pile first, then turn it or spread it out to release the heat,” Ferguson said. Checking for signs of a smoldering pile is also part of the monitoring. He added, that keeping the pile at a consistent moisture level close to 50 percent is important for fire prevention, and also happens to be about the right moisture level for composting. Water works as a “governor” and has an important role in moderating temperature and heat exchange within a mulch pile. “You don’t get fires if you keep the mulch at around 50 percent moisture,” said Ferguson. According to a University of Missouri report, organic material can ignite spontaneously, due to biological activity, at moisture contents between 26 to 46 percent, if the temperature exceeds 2000 F. Pile Size

estricting pile size is an important part of fire prevention. Some facility R owners, like John Ferguson, compost their mulch before offering it for sale. During this process, small piles will lose heat too fast for composting to initiate. When composting mulch, the ideal pile height is in the range of 3-10 feet high. According to Jean Bonhotal, Director of the Cornell Waste Management Institute, piles over 10-12 feet in height are not recommended, due to the risk of overheating and spontaneous combustion. Piles should be long and narrow, no more than 12-15 feet wide. Piles that are over 20 feet tall have a tendency to overheat and sometimes spontaneously combust. In addition to smaller pile size, it’s prudent to allow sufficient space between the piles for access. John Ferguson allows 8-10 feet between his piles, which is enough space for equipment to access the area, including fire trucks if needed. Larger mulch piles, in particular, benefit from turning because it lowers the pile temperature and prevents overheating. “Big piles are fine, as long as they don’t sit idle for a long time. There are a lot of factors that contribute to spontaneous combustion fires, but time is an important one. If you wait long enough, you’ll probably have a fire. One month seems to be a typical period for fires to show themselves in large static piles,” said Bob Rynk. Water

ater is a key component in both mulch and compost production, W and it works in a number of different ways. Moisture contributes to pile heating by stimulating microbial activity. However, it can also absorb large amounts of heat, as well as cool the pile through evaporation. In this way it acts as a “governor”. Providing enough water is a big job. John Ferguson uses a retention pond to supply water to his mulch piles, and the pond also serves as a water source for emergencies. Additionally, he accepts liquid byproducts from various businesses, such as cheese plants, to add moisture to his piles. He Continued on page 8

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A Perfect Storm: Mulch Fire Dynamics and Prevention Continued from page 6

does this by offering businesses a lower rate for disposal of their liquid waste, which is then sprayed directly onto his mulch piles. Mark Mills, of Ace Supply/Precision Sharpening, uses a water wagon with a 2,500 gallon tank to pump water onto his mulch piles. He also sprays the mulch with water as he is stacking the material. He makes an effort to reclaim the water after it drains out of the piles by capturing it in a pit and then pumping it back onto the piles. He does not turn the piles, instead relying on water to keep the piles from getting too hot. While it is important to maintain about 50 percent moisture content within a pile, Ferguson warns that a combination (very wet/very dry) pile can also be a fire hazard. “When we had mulch fires, every time it was connected with a particular weather event. Here in the Houston area it’s not uncommon to get 3-6 inches of rain from a storm. The mulch materials that were soaked with rainwater swell and seal off the top of the pile. Then if we get dry, gusty winds, one end of the pile can dry out while the other side stays wet. The wind gusts increase the air pressure inside the pile. From chemistry and physics, we know that as the pressure increases so does the internal temperature, which can then provide the impetus to initiate the chemical processes that lead to spontaneous combustion.” Air Flow

xygen is a strong driver of microbial activity. However, trying to O eliminate the air in a pile by compacting it with machinery is not a means of prevention. “Driving on piles is not a good idea,” said Mark Mills. “It really doesn’t help anything. It makes things worse.” This is due to a number of different factors. For example, compacted piles are denser and have a greater tendency to overheat, because the large mass retains heat and reduces vertical airflows. Also, not all of the

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processes that lead to spontaneous combustion, such as pyrolysis, are dependent on oxygen. In a survey conducted by Robert Rynk of SUNY Cobleskill and Richard Buggeln, University of Tennesee, 70 percent of the facilities experiencing spontaneous combustion report that they intentionally compact the piles by driving over them with a wheel loader or bulldozer. Fighting Fires

avid Banwarth is a fire protection engineer, whose interest in mulch D fires is primarily connected to community-wide planning for fire safety. Banwarth encourages commercial mulch facilities to do their planning ahead of time, because mulch fires are very common. Pre-planning with the fire department is essential. There are a number of different strategies to effectively manage fires before they get out of control. A combination of applying water to the pile surface, along with opening up the pile, is one effective option for putting out the fire. In the Rynk and Buggeln survey, respondents endorsed fighting a spontaneous combustion fire with the assistance of a wheel loader, excavator, or bulldozer, in addition to a fire hose. According to John Ferguson, it’s important to wet the surface material before you open up the pile, since the introduction of fresh oxygen can cause the fire to flare up and spread along the surface. Additionally, Ferguson keeps large amounts of soil and dirt and other materials that could be applied to smother a fire. Robert Rynk makes the point that smart use of water resources is the best way to get the fire under control. “Large amounts of water are ineffective and unnecessary to fight a mulch or compost fire. Whatever water that is applied should be applied selectively and in concentrated locations. Fire departments tend to make Continued on page 10

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A Perfect Storm: Mulch Fire Dynamics and Prevention Continued from page 8

the mistake of automatically turning on the hoses and flooding the piles with water. It is their instinct to do so. This approach is not only a waste of water, but also does nothing to extinguish the fire. Liberally spraying water does help to keep the fire from spreading to adjacent piles, equipment and buildings. However, it should be applied strategically and not to soak the piles, especially those on fire. Fire suppressing chemicals such as foam can also be effective,” said Rynk. Crisis Communications

to putting out the actual physical fire, mulch producers may Iovernhaveaddition to contend with an emotional firestorm of community-wide panic a fire incident. Search the internet for “mulch fires” and you invariably come up with images of huge fires, with flames shooting high into the air. Which is why such fires always make the headlines. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to interview a mulch facility owner while a fire is in progress, which means they don’t necessarily get a fair representation in the media. Preplanning for crisis communications is essential. Who needs to know about the fire? Key contacts could include your employees, homeowners in the immediate area, media contacts, fire/police departments, and of course your customers. Press releases to the media can be largely written ahead of time and revised as necessary during the event. Social media is a powerful tool that you can use to tell your story directly to the public. You might consider posting your own photos on a Facebook page, along with essential information about the crisis as it unfolds. If you don’t have a Facebook page, consider ahead of time, how fast you can get information onto to the home page of your company website. Community-wide Impact

s a fire protection engineer, David Banwarth’s focus is to look at the A impact on the community. In addition to careful prevention efforts, facilities should plan for an adequate and reliable water supply.

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“Ideally, this should be a public water supply or a large supply of stored water, though the costs associated with this may be prohibitive,” said Banwarth. According to Banwarth, mulch facilities are best located in an industrial park setting, where there is access to a public water supply; road access for emergency vehicles; and limited exposure to homes and schools. In an industrial park setting, a typical mulch fire may be extinguished within hours; in a rural setting it may take several days and many more resources, in terms of personnel and emergency response vehicles. The longer time associated with a non-industrial setting is due to several factors: longer response times due to distances to rural areas; typically more difficult access; lengthy delays in establishing an adequate and continuous water supply; and advanced fire growth prior to extinguishment activities. Banwarth points out that mulch fires can have a huge impact on the community at large: “More developed and challenging mulch fires can severely strain or consume the fire and medical response resources of a community. The same firefighters, emergency medical responders and apparatus that would be available for other emergencies may be putting out a mulch fire. Engine companies or medic units may have to respond from more distant locations to handle regular calls for service. The adverse impact on community emergency services can be greatly reduced by locating commercial mulch manufacturing facilities in locations that best provide an ability to quickly respond and extinguish incipient fires.” In conclusion, understanding the chemical processes by which mulch piles ignite, brings a more informed understanding of how to effectively prevent fires. By thinking through a strategy for putting out fires, as well as managing communications during an emergency, mulch and compost producers can be prepared for the likely scenario of a fire at some point in their business’ operation.

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Why I Am a Climate Change Skeptic

By Patrick Moore, Cofounder and former leader of Greenpeace

am skeptical humans are the main cause of climate change and that it will be catastrophic in the near future. There is no scientific proof of this hypothesis, yet we are told “the debate is over” and “the science is settled.” My skepticism begins with the believers’ certainty they can predict the global climate with a computer model. The entire basis for the doomsday climate change scenario is the hypothesis increased atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) due to fossil-fuel emissions will heat Earth to unlivable temperatures. In fact, Earth has been warming very gradually for 300 years, since the Little Ice Age ended, long before heavy use of fossil fuels. Prior to the Little Ice Age, during the Medieval Warm Period, Vikings colonized Greenland and Newfoundland when it was warmer there than it is today. During periods of the Roman Empire’s rule over Europe, it was warmer in many regions, long before fossil fuels revolutionized civilization. The idea it would be catastrophic if CO2 were to increase and average global temperature were to rise a few degrees is preposterous. Recently, the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) announced for the umpteenth time we are doomed unless we reduce carbon-dioxide emissions to zero. Effectively, this means either reducing the population to zero or going back 10,000 years before humans began clearing forests for agriculture. This proposed cure is far

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worse than adapting to a warmer world, if it actually comes about.

IPCC Conflict of Interest

he IPCC has a hopeless conflict of interest. Its mandate, according to its own constitution, is to consider only the human causes of global warming and not the many natural causes changing the climate for billions of years. Scientists don’t understand the natural causes of climate change, just like they cannot determine whether man-caused climate change is valid. If the IPCC discovers humans are not causing climate change, or if it finds warming would benefit Earth more than warming would harm it, there would be no need for the IPCC to exist under its present mandate. To survive, it must find on the side of the apocalypse. The IPCC should either have its mandate expanded to include all causes of climate change or it ought to be dismantled.

Political Powerhouse

limate change has become a powerful political force for myriad reasons. First, it is universal; we are told everything on Earth is threatened. Second, it invokes the two most powerful human motivators: fear and

Continued on next page

Soil

Mulch Producer NEWS

Continued from previous page guilt. We fear driving our car will kill our grandchildren, and we feel guilty for doing it. Third, there is a powerful convergence of interests among key elites that support the climate “narrative.” Environmentalists spread fear and raise donations; politicians appear to be saving Earth from doom; the media has a field day with sensation and conflict; science institutions raise billions in grants, create whole new departments, and stoke a feeding frenzy of scary scenarios; and businesses want to look “green” and receive huge public subsidies for projects that would otherwise be economic losers, such as wind farms and solar arrays. Fourth, activists engaging in class warfare see climate change as a perfect means to redistribute wealth from industrial countries to the developing world and the U.N. bureaucracy. We are told carbon dioxide is a toxic pollutant that must be curtailed, but it is actually a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas and the most important food for life on Earth. Without carbon dioxide above 150 parts per million, all plants would die.

Human Emissions Saved Planet

ver the past 150 million years, CO2 in the atmosphere has been drawn down steadily by plants from about 3,000 parts per million to about 280 parts per million before the Industrial Revolution. If this trend continued, the carbon dioxide level would have become too low to support life on Earth. Human fossil-fuel use and the clearing of land for crops have boosted carbon dioxide from its lowest level in Earth’s history back to 400 parts per million today. At 400 parts per million, all our food crops, forests, and natural ecosystems are still on a starvation diet for carbon dioxide. The optimum level of CO2 for plant growth, given enough water and nutrients, is about 1,500 parts per million, nearly four times higher than today. This is why many greenhouse growers inject carbon dioxide to increase yields. We have no proof increased levels of carbon dioxide are responsible for Earth’s slight warming over the past 300 years. There has been no significant warming over the past 18 years even though humans have emitted 25 percent of all the carbon dioxide ever emitted.

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Celebrate Carbon Dioxide

he IPCC’s followers have given us a vision of a world dying because of carbon-dioxide emissions. The evidence says Earth would be a lot deader with no carbon dioxide, and increased CO2 levels will help better feed the world’s growing population. Let’s celebrate carbon dioxide, not unnecessarily demonize it. Patrick Moore (pmoore@allowgoldenricenow. org) was a cofounder and former leader of Greenpeace for 15 years. He is now chair and spokesman for Allow Golden Rice. This article is reprinted with permission from the April 2015 issue of Environment & Climate News, a publication of The Heartland Institute.

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May / June 2015 Soil & Mulch Producer News 13

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Mulch Producer NEWS

CA City Hikes Trash Rates to Comply with State Mandate on Organic Waste

Controlling Weeds with Mulch

emecula, CA – Temecula residents saw an additional $1 a month charge per parcel on their trash bills, and they will be paying $1.95 per month more than that starting next January, according to a PE.com article. The higher rates were approved by the city so that Temecula can divert organic waste from landfill. And while residents will be paying more for trash pick-up, they are being instructed to toss away less in their regular bins. Grass clippings, green waste and food waste must be placed in separate receptacles because these organic materials will be collected and used to make biofuel. With its new food waste collection program, Temecula falls in line with a state mandate that will move California closer to zero waste. The revenue from the increased rates, along with funding from the California Energy Commission and the South Coast Air Quality Management District will support the construction and operation of a new anaerobic digestion facility in neighboring Perris. CR&R officials say that at peak operation, the Perris plant will be one of the largest in the world, converting 400,000 tons of organic waste into renewable natural gas (RNG). The biodigester is expected to be operating next October. For the near term, CR&R plans to use the methane it produces to power its trucks and in time, fuel city vehicles, but the future holds plans for pumping the gas into the state’s pipeline network for use in homes. Compost, which is leftover after methane is drawn off, will be made available to residents during community clean up days and given to the parks and recreation department for use on the city’s landscaping.

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14 Soil & Mulch Producer News May / June 2015

anitoba, Canada – Mulching can be a highly effective way to control weeds on large-scale farms, say University of Manitoba scientists, Grainews.ca reports. The researchers found that planting a cover crop that suppresses the weeds after the main crop is harvested, spreading residue from a crop, such as barley or wheat, or trying a combination of the two all produce good results. “No till,” “green manure” and cover crops are not new agricultural practices. Organic farmers have been using those methods for years to avoid using herbicides. The University of Manitoba researchers have been focusing on ways for big, conventional farms to gain benefit from the method. One study involved seeding with hairy vetch and barley to create mulch in organic no-till systems. In the first year, hairy vetch and barley were grown as green manure. In the second year, flax or spring wheat was seeded directly into the mulch. The hairy vetch cover crop reduced weeds by between 50 and 90 percent in the no-till spring wheat. Another study compared fall-seeded and post-harvest cover cropping. Seeding late-season legumes alongside organic wheat was found to increase the grain yield in the following season and reduced the need for tillage. The scientists also experimented with leaving wheat straw standing tall after grain was stripped. They next seeded the field with cover crops to supplement the biomass. This method yielded 30 to 80 percent more straw biomass in late fall, compared to chopped straw. Although the study teams found that conditions in different climates or even micro-climates might require making adjustments to the mulching methodology, the research has demonstrated that mulching can reduce reliance on herbicides, and in some cases, eliminate the need for chemical weed control altogether.

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May / June 2015 Soil & Mulch Producer News 15

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Health and Environmental Groups Say Biomass Another is Not Clean Energy Massachusetts Town Adopts Food Waste ashington, DC – In March, environmental and health advocacy groups sent a letter to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator, Gina McCarthy, condemning biomass Composting power plants for producing “some of the most polluting energy around.”

The groups oppose EPA’s Clean Power Plan policy that allows bioenergy as an offset for coalfired power. The letter includes a chart comparing emissions from biomass and coal power plants. The groups, all of which are located in Maryland and Washington, D.C., criticize biomass power plants for emitting conventional air pollutants and carbon dioxide at rates equal to or higher than coal- and gas-fired plants. “Each year, these waste- and biomass-burning facilities emit thousands of tons of the air pollutants that threaten health, and millions of tons of greenhouse gases. Counting state-level carbon emissions under the Clean Power Plan, but ignoring CO2 emissions from bioenergy, perpetuates the myth of biomass power as “clean” energy,” the letter says. In 2012, Massachusetts removed low-efficiency biopower from the state’s renewable energy portfolio after commissioning a study that found high net carbon dioxide emissions from woodburning power plants would compromise the state’s ability to meet 2020 and 2050 emission reduction targets. Last year, Washington, D.C. City Council passed a law eliminating low-efficiency biopower from the city’s Renewable Portfolio Standard. “The EPA recently released its Revised Framework for Assessing Biogenic CO2 Emissions from Stationary Sources, which is currently undergoing further review by the Science Advisory Board. If EPA intends to apply this framework to the Clean Power Plan, the agency should let the Board complete its review before including biomass in the final rule. If EPA does not fully account for bioenergy emissions under the final Clean Power Plan, it should remove bioenergy as a compliance measure under the rule.” Among those who signed onto the letter, the groups include Chesapeake Climate Action Network, Clean Water Action, the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, Maryland Environmental Health Network, Moms Clean Air Force, and the Sierra Club. Fueling the opposition against bioenergy is a 2014 report by The Partnership for Policy Integrity (PFPI), which took issue with the “green” reputation of wood-fired power plants and calculated such plants “emit almost 50 percent more carbon dioxide than coal-fired plants per unit of energy produced.”

ashpee, MA – Starting in April, the town of Mashpee began a composting partnership to divert food waste back to the earth instead of going to landfill, reports CapeNews.net. The town’s Department of Public Works (DPW) set up a transfer station with marked 30-gallon barrels at its recycling facility. A local composting company was contracted to handle collection and delivery of the food waste, which is taken to a Christmas tree farm in the area. The cost to hire the company to operate the compost program is a mere $150 a month. Mashpee is providing residents with twogallon scrap buckets to encourage them to participate. Residents are allowed to drop a long list of food waste into the bucket: meats and bones, vegetable and fruit waste, dairy products, eggshells, fish, grains, nut shells, paper napkins, pasta, pizza boxes, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds, shellfish and shells, tea bags, coffee grounds and filters, tofu and soy milk. The town has received a one-year, dropoff recycling/organics equipment grant of $1,500 from Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection to fund the program.

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16 Soil & Mulch Producer News May / June 2015

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Detroit Zoo Plans to Turn Animal Waste into Energy

etroit, MI – Fundraising is underway to support construction of a $1.1 million anaerobic digester at the Detroit Zoo, according to reports on CrainsDetroit.com and ThinkProgress.org. The planned biodigester will convert an annual feedstock of 400-500 tons of dry manure and other organic waste from the 125-acre zoo, turning it into methane. The biogas will power the zoo’s 18,000-square-foot Ruth Roby Glancy Animal Health Complex, which serves as the on-site veterinary hospital. The Health Complex studies and cares for zoo animals, as well as exotic pets that have been removed from homes and elsewhere. Detroit Zoo officials say they expect a return on their onsite biodigester investment in about ten years. Producing their own fuel will save $70,000 to $80,000 in energy costs because it will generate between seven and eight percent of the power needed to run the Health Complex. The biodigester is projected to save the zoo an additional $30,000 to $40,000 in waste disposal fees. A family foundation grant and a number of public-private matching funds sources have contributed more than $900,000 to the project. To raise public awareness about the initial construction phase that starts in June, the Detroit Zoological Society (DZS) and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation are using a crowdfunding approach to attract $55,000. The project has been in the works since about 2013, according to zoo officials. Two renewable-energy grants totaling $27,000 from the Michigan Economic Development Corp. funded a two-part feasibility study conducted by Michigan State University›s Anaerobic Digestion Research Education Center. The Anaerobic Digestion Research Education Center will help manage the biodigester for the first year. The biodigester is one component of the zoo’s sustainability goals. With its target of zero-waste by 2020, the zoo has been reducing its electricityrelated greenhouse gas emissions and expects to be 20 percent below 2009 levels by the end of 2015. In addition, residual compost from the biodigestion process will be used as compost in the zoo’s landscaping.

Proposed CA Legislation Supports Biomass

resno, CA – Without the assistance of state funding, a biomass facility here may have to shut down this August, reports ABC30.com. The Rio Bravo biomass plant, located in California’s Central Valley, began operating in 1988. Now the facility is nearing the end of its 30-year contract with PG&E. It is one of about 30 plant material burning plants in the state that is feeling the pinch of price competition from other renewable energy sources. According to plant manager Rick Spurlock, Rio Bravo feedstock costs can run up to $6 million dollars a year. “Solar and wind facilities get their fuel for free, biomass plants actually have to pay for their fuel,” he says. Rio Bravo produces about 25 megawatts per hour and feeds an annual four million kilowatts of energy to the utility grid, according to Rio Bravo officials. If the facility closes, its 26 employees will lose their jobs. The companies that grind up orchards and transport the wood waste to the Rio Bravo will suffer losses, too. And then there’s another impact, one that is giving some environmentalists cause for concern -- Central Valley farmers say they will have to go back to openly burning the wood waste themselves. Their remarks have rankled environmentalists. But help may be on the way. Assembly Bill 590, introduced this spring by Assembly members Brian Dahle and Rudy Salas, specifies a plan that would divert sales revenue from California’s carbon credits program to biomass plants in “greatest financial need.” The state’s “cap and trade” program takes in between $74 million and $120 million per year. California Biomass Energy Alliance Executive Director Julee Malinowski Ball, explains why utilities are not renewing the contracts. “The contracts signed back in the ‘80s were 25-, 30-year contracts and, at the end of those contracts, everyone expected power and energy prices to be much higher than they are today,” she said. “They definitely didn’t anticipate the world we live in today.”

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Product/Equipment Profiles

Walz Introduces In-Motion Truck Load Scanner

Quick-Release Manifold Bracket for Dust Suppression

eveloped as an affordable a l t e r n a t i ve t o heavy-duty truck scales, the volumetric load scanner by Walz (or Walz Load Scanner “WLS”) offers a costeffective solution to calculate load volumes in an accurate and efficient manner. With the complete truck load volume scanner by Walz, operations can verify load volumes for each truck, print load tickets for drivers and manage their data online. The Walz Load Scanner systems is integrated with Walz Scale’s propriety software platform, Payload Pro Operating System. Compatible on virtually all types of computers and mobile devices, operators can leverage the tools and capabilities of Payload Pro to monitor, track, and manage their daily load data. Load tickets can also be automatically emailed or printed for driver records, and all transactions can be imported into existing billing software for invoice generation. The optional web based cloud data site PayloadPro allows for owners and their managers to monitor production in real time from any location on their smart phones and tablet devices. Keeping you in total control of your operations from any location with an internet connection.

ust Control Technology ( D C T ) has introduced a new quick-release manifold bracket, engineered to limit worker exposure to harsh ser vice environments and potential safety hazards, while minimizing process downtime. Designed to fit all fan-driven models of DustBoss™ atomized mist dust suppression equipment, the new bracket design allows removal and replacement of the manifold in about five minutes, with no tools required. The stainless steel bracket and pin mounting system from DCT secures the manifold in position, allowing maintenance personnel to remove and replace quickly for routine cleaning or other service. Initially developed in response to customer input for use in harsh service conditions to reduce potential risk to employees, the design is expected to find utility among any customers wanting to avoid work stoppages and maximize process time.

For more information on this and all of our other payload management solutions please visit www.walzscale.com or call (309) 694-3200.

Fairbanks Scales Announces FB6000 Series Digital Instruments for Vehicle Weighing

airbanks Scales, Inc. recently introduced the FB6000 series of high performance, user-friendly digital instruments for vehicle weighing applications. Available in both Analog or equipped with Intalogix® digital load cell communications technology, the new instruments are powerful solutions for legal-for-trade, inbound/outbound weighing. Take advantage of the FB6000 series’ many exciting features to replace an old or failed analog instrument, or create a new basic weighing system at a very affordable price. With all the essential instrument functions you would expect in a sophisticated, high-traffic vehicle weighing instrument, the instruments have been packaged into an economical, yet attractive steel enclosure that is perfect for office, industrial, or washdown environments. The Intalogix versions of the FB6000 series use Intalogix digital load cell technology, which works by converting a weak analog load cell signal to a stronger, more reliable digital interface. To request more information or to find the Fairbanks representative or authorized distributor nearest you, please call (800) 451-4107, or visit www.fairbanks.com.

For more information contact DCT at (309) 693-8600, info@dustboss.com or visit www.dustboss.com.

Patz Introduces 400 Series II Vertical Mixer

atz Corp. recently announced the availabilit y of their new 400 Series II Single Screw Stationary Ve r t i c a l M i xe r ! Offered in 140 cubic foot (3.9 m3) or 200 cubic foot (5.7 m3) capacities, this new addition to the Patz Vertical Mixer line is built heavier, making it ideal for a variety of mixing applications, including the blending of livestock rations and compost materials. The mixer’s new, rectangular base allows for multiple drive mounting locations, enabling customers to adjust discharge door location simply by moving the motor and turning the machine. The mixer tub now comes standard with a ½-inch thick floor plate, heavy-duty ¼-inch walls, and two adjustable flow restrictors for exceptional mix quality of longer materials. The newly-designed steel cone-top screw includes flighting that is 60% heavier for increased lifespan and durability. Screw wear points are also reinforced with AR-400 steel. A four-piece top safety guard encloses the mixer tub, meeting ASABE safety standards and promoting safer operation of the unit. The 400 Series II Vertical Mixer is also easier to service, thanks to a new, telescoping drive line with sheer bolt protection with easy access for maintenance and service. For more information, visit www.patzcorp.com or call (920) 897-2251.

May / June 2015 Soil & Mulch Producer News 19

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Mulch Producer NEWS

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20 Soil & Mulch Producer News May / June 2015

Mohegan Tribe Plans to Go Global with Wood Pellet Production

asper, TN – According to a TimesFreePress. com article, the Mohegan Tribe of Connecticut is expanding its wood pellet production business to Tennessee, although not without some opposition. The tribe-owned Northeast Wood Products, which operates pellet making plants in Ohio, Virginia and Indiana, has acquired an abandoned facility here that once made ethanol. The tribe chose the plant because of its location near the Tennessee River and its proximity to trucking, rail and barge transportation. Once retrofitted, the facility could produce up to 125,000 tons of wood pellets a year and employ about 25 workers onsite. The demand for wood pellets continues to grow as utilities around the globe, especially in Europe need biomass sources. The European Union has set a goal of replacing coal-fired generation with renewable sources and its demand for biomass spells potential profits for Northeast Wood Products and other pellet makers. Guy Mozzicato, president of Northeast Wood Products, says, “We’re well on our way toward meeting our five-year goal of 1.5 million tons of annual capacity (for wood pellets),” Mozzicato said. “The market demand for quality product is evident, and we’re working to meet those needs.” One problem has yet to be worked out, however. Tennessee environmentalists who fought against chip mills 20 years ago are concerned the pellet making venture may spark a new wave of logging, specifically, clear cutting and deforestation. One group has vowed to fight any permits required by the Tennessee Valley Authority or Army Corps of Engineers for barge shipments of the wood pellets. Northeast Wood Products Senior Vice President Michael D. Reid has stated the company plans to use sawmill residue or source waste wood from the area and won’t try to harvest area forests or clear cut land to get the wood needed for pellet production. The original $72 million ethanol facility acquired by the tribe was built in the 1980s. After unsuccessful attempts to market that fuel product, the company defaulted on its government loans. In 1994, the plant was bought by AG Processing Inc. of Omaha, Nebraska. The property changed hands again when Community Bank later acquired the site through foreclosure.

Soil

Insurance Company Ordered to Pay Mulch Company Claims for Fire

ark City, KS – The Kansas Court of Appeals has ordered Indiana Lumbermens Mutual Insurance Co. to pay $231,000 to Evergreen Recycle, LLC for damages and costs related to a 2009 mulch fire, reports. The settlement comes after Lumbermens appealed a 2013 jury trial that awarded Evergreen a total of $235,000 in damages: $180,000 for ruined mulch, $50,000 for debris removal and $5,000 for emergency expenses. The recycling company took Lumbermens to court when the insurance company denied Evergreen’s claims for damages that resulted from a mulch fire. According to court records, “During a Kansas State Department of Health and Environment inspection on February 12, 2009, employees of KDHE and Evergreen Recycling first discovered wisps of smoke coming from a small spot on the top of its shredded, dried mulch pile. Evergreen’s owner, [Jeff ] Ralls thought at first that it was just a hot spot that could be easily extinguished. But after the employees dug into the pile, they determined it was bigger than originally thought and included tunnels of glowing material. Ralls called the fire department because he was concerned about the number of embers he was finding in the pile.” Lumbermens denied coverage, saying that Evergreen failed to inform the company about the fire in a timely manner. Ralls told the court he notified his insurance agent right away, although he didn’t believe he had to file a claim immediately. Lumbermens told the court the delay prevented an effective investigation. The insurer also decided that Evergreen had built too large of a mulch pile. The Park City fire code limits commercial mulch piles to 25 feet deep, 250 feet long and 150 feet wide. Lumbermens said that Evergreen’s mulch pile was more than twice that size -- 60 feet deep, 450 feet long and 300 feet wide. In the weeks following the fire, Evergreen rented water trucks and bull dozers to disassemble the pile, soak the material with water as it was removed, place the wet material in windrows and resoak any smoldering material. Evergreen employees and volunteers worked around the clock to soak and monitor the smoldering pile and the windrows. The recycler called the fire department for assistance when necessary. Park City’s fire marshal testified that it appeared to him that Evergreen was making a good faith effort to extinguish the fire, according to court records.

Mulch Producer NEWS

Attention:

contract bagging companies Please contact Soil & Mulch Producer News to be included in our July/August article on contract bagging. Email Rick at rickdowning@oh.rr.com or call 440-257-6453 to be included.

www.climateconference.heartland.org

May / June 2015 Soil & Mulch Producer News 21

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Mulch Producer NEWS

Bandit Industries Completes Fourth Plant Expansion in Nine Months

andit Industries recently announced the completion of its fourth plant expansion in nine months to keep up with increasing demand for its equipment. All the plant expansions add space for additional employees and increasing production at the company’s Mid-Michigan facility, according to the company. Bandit moved into a new rebuild facility in October of 2014, increasing its capacity for rebuilding used machines. A new electronics facility was finished in November 2014, allowing for increased production of electronic control panels harnesses, used on all Bandit equipment. “In February of this year, we moved into a new facility to build drum chipper heads for our hand-fed chippers, whole tree chippers and Beast recyclers, along with the rotors for our forestry mower lines,” said Jerry Morey, president of Bandit Industries. He added that, on April 1, Bandit Industries moved into an expansion of its whole tree manufacturing facility, increasing production of its whole tree chippers by 50 percent. “These four expansions have allowed us to add 80 full-time employees and add much-needed production,” Morey said.

T.H. Glennon Co. Welcomes Chad Lindsey to Sales Staff

T www.buffaloturbine.com

.H. Glennon Co., Salisbury, Mass., recently announced that Chad Lindsey has joined its sales staff. Chad will represent the company’s line of Colorfast landscape mulch colorants for wood, rubber and aggregate, as well as the Mulch Color Jet equipment. Chad’s sales territory includes South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Chad has been involved with mulch and the related equipment industries for over 10 years. Prior to joining T.H. Glennon Co., he was the General Manager of DTS Incorporated/DTS Rents of Greer, S.C. Between 2004 and 2011, Chad had gained vast knowledge of construction equipment while employed with a Carterpillar dealer. Chad resides near Greenville, S.C., and can be reached at 864-546-8680.

McCloskey International Welcomes Finkbiner Equipment to Global Dealer Network

cCloskey International has added equipment dealer Finkbiner Equipment to its global network of distributors. Finkbiner, located just outside Chicago, in Burr Ridge, Ill., sells and leases an extensive line of wheel loaders, paving and milling machines, crushing and screening equipment, trailers, excavators and material handling equipment among others. Finkbiner serves customers in the region across industries including road building, excavation and demolition, aggregates, scrap and materials handling. When asked why they chose to become a McCloskey dealer, Marty Ahrendt, President of Finkbiner noted that “We wanted to offer a track mounted option for our customers, and the McCloskey line of crushers, screeners and stackers were a natural choice.”

Ecoverse Sponsors Showcase Event

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22 Soil & Mulch Producer News May / June 2015

coverse welcomed more than 500 people to their showcase event in downtown Cleveland on April 14-16 at the Cleveland Convention Center. The event featured 13 machines, 36 classroom sessions, service training, and product tours of Doppstadt, Backhus, Backers, Tiger and Harvest Quest. “We had people from England, Kiverco from Ireland, Heinz Backers from Germany, the guys from Backhus and Cesaro from Italy (attending the event)” stated Shane Donnelly, Co-owner of Ecoverse. The three-day event covered a range of topics including; food waste depackaging and removal of plastic, anaerobic digestion, reduction of odors from compost, remediation of drill cuttings-hydroloc and technical equipment training. Industry leading speakers included; Tom Kirkland from Bay Mulch, Bob Yost from A1 Organics, Matt Biegler from Compost USA, Darren Midlane from Harvest Quest, Renato Contipelli from Quasar AD Systems, Mitch Kessler from Kessler Consulting and Bruce Sandau and Jim Dalton from Green Earth.

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May / June 2015 Soil & Mulch Producer News 23

www.SoilandMulchProducerNews.com

VOL. IX NO. 3

may / jun 2015

Inside This Issue Cleaning Up Oil & Gas Rig Sites ... Hungry Microbes Create Clean Compost from Contaminated Drill Cuttings PAGE 1 A Perfect Storm: Mulch Fire Dynamics and Prevention PAGE 6 Why I Am a Climate Change Skeptic PAGE 12 CA City Hikes Trash Rates to Comply with State Mandate on Organic Waste PAGE 14 Detroit Zoo Plans to Turn Animal Waste into Energy PAGE 18 Insurance Company Ordered to Pay Mulch Company Claims for Fire PAGE 21

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