S&mp nov dec '13 final

Vol. VII No. 6

November / December 2013

Serving Soil, Mulch, Compost, & Biofuel Professionals www.SoilandMulchProducerNews.com

NEWS

Attention Readers !

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Amadas Industries – pg 21 Nova Packaging LLC – pg 13 PremierTech Chronos – pg 17

Buildings & Structures ClearSpan – pg 19

Clutch Parts Foley Engines – pg 3

Compost Equipment

Farmer Automatic/Aggero – pg 14 HCL Machine Works – pg 20

Mulch Coloring Equipment/Colorants Colorbiotics – pg 11

Shredders, Grinders, Chippers & Screening Systems Allu Group Inc – pg 16 CW Mill Equipment Co. – pg 5 Doppstadt – pg 7 Komptech USA – pg 24 Morbark Inc. – pg 2 Peterson – pg 23 Premier Tech Chronos – pg 17 Rayco Mfg – pg 8 Rotochopper Inc. – pg 9 Screen USA – pg 19 Universal Refiner Corp – pg 14 West Salem Machinery – pg 12

Transport Trailers Trinity Trailer – pg 15

Trommel Brushes

Duff Brush LLC – pg 8 United Rotary Brush Corp – pg 3

Used Equipment

EarthSaver Equipment – pg 20

Challenges, Successes for Mulch & Soil Council

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By P.J. Heller

ike pioneers trudging their way across the country in covered wagon trains, the soil and mulch industry made slow and steady progress in 2013 but continually had to circle the wagons to fend off attacks from all sides. Many of the issues faced by the industry in 2013 will continue into the New Year. Among the most pressing will be maintaining access to raw materials, having access to an open and fair marketplace and differentiating the “good from the bad” operators, according to Robert C. LaGasse, executive director of the Mulch & Soil Council. LaGasse outlined the achievements and challenges ahead for the industry at the council’s annual meeting Oct. 16-17 in New Orleans. He later elaborated on those issues in an interview with Soil & Mulch Producer News. Action — or inaction — by the federal government on matters affecting the mulch industry came in for heavy criticism. Specifically targeted were the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its efforts to increase the cancer hazard rating of inorganic arsenic by as much as 17 times the current level; the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency’s Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) which provides a subsidy to forest and agriculture land owners for eligible biomass material delivered to a qualified biomass conversion facility; and Congress for its failure to renew the 2008 Farm Bill of which BCAP is a part. On the positive side, the council reported on its success in defeating a proposal to regulate potting soil and mulch as soil amendments and

on the introduction of its Elite Bulk Member program, which was rolled out at the New Orleans conference. One of the most contentious issues facing the industry is BCAP, which is “driving competition for raw materials and [creating] unfair government diversion of raw materials away from our industry into bioenergy,” LaGasse says. While mulch has been established as a “higher-value product” under BCAP, that status could change at any moment, LaGasse warns. “If it’s in the USDA’s best interest or the Department of Energy’s best interest to change that definition, then we would be back in the same boat,” he says. The battle lines are clearly drawn as more bioenergy and pellet plants come online and require more and more raw materials. “We’re in competition with them,” LaGasse says. “There’s ongoing efforts by the bioenergy industry to get as much control over raw materials as they can, so just because we won this round [with the higher-value product designation] that doesn’t mean they’re going to stop. They have no reason to stop. It’s in their best interest to proceed. There are more bioenergy and pellet mills and pellet exports going on now than there were before and they’re consuming large amounts of resources.” He notes that at every annual council meeting, there is at least one session on alternative raw materials. “We’re looking at alternative supplies in the event we get overrun,” LaGasse explains. Under BCAP, the government provides financial subsidies to encourage cultivation of new biomass crops, much to the consternation of other Continued on page 3

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Soil & Mulch Producer News   November / December 2013

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PUBLICATION STAFF Publisher / Editor Rick Downing Contributing Editors / Writers P.J. Hellers • 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 For subscription information, please call 440-257-6453. Soil & Mulch Producer News is published quarterly by Downing & Associates. Reproductions or transmission of Soil & Mulch Producer News, 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. ©

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Challenges, Successes for Mulch & Soil Council Continued from page 1

industries who also vie for those raw materials. Congress limited BCAP funding in fiscal year 2012 to $17 million. Within 30 days of BCAP going into effect, wood fiber suppliers refused to sell wood chips, sawdust or other forest by-products to mulch producers at market rates and wood suppliers willing to sell materials would do so only at the subsidized rate whether they were BCAP qualified or not, according to the council. “When the government subsidizes one use over another, then obviously the seller is going to go with the highest bidder,” LaGasse points out. “If they’re using public money to destroy private industry and to subsidize foreign exports, I’m not sure why that’s good for the green industry. I know why it’s not good for the Mulch & Soil Council members. I’m not sure why it’s even good for the U.S. economy.” Congress failed to renew the $500 billion farm bill — which includes everything from food assistance to farm subsidies to farm conservation and which is generally renewed every five years — by its Sept. 30 deadline. House and Senate conferees are still trying to work out their differences. Another major issue for the council on the federal level is the EPA’s attempt to increase the cancer hazard rating of inorganic arsenic by 17 times the current level. “That will reduce permitted arsenic exposure to less than the natural background levels in most soils across the country, especially in western states,” according to LaGasse. “That change will significantly threaten mulch and soil products.” Other critics have said the proposal would result in enormous regulatory costs and, in some cases, unattainable standards. The change in the hazard rating would go into the EPA’s Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS), a human health assessment program that evaluates information on health effects that may result from exposure to environmental contaminants. The IRIS database is web accessible and contains information on more than 550 chemical substances. Although not considered rule making, the IRIS database is heavily relied on by federal, state and local agencies in setting regulations. “Technically it’s not a regulation but in actuality it will end up in all regulations,” LaGasse warns. “You never know where it’s going to crop up. It could literally be federal, state or local. That means you’d be fighting so many battles on so many fronts just to stay alive on something that if it were true, we’d all be dead anyway. “If the [proposed] level of increase was established as the new level, all remediated brownfields would suddenly be brownfields again,” he adds. “Where are you going to get the soil to remediate them with, because most of the

background levels of the soil you would be using would exceed those levels? How are you going to garden in your backyard if your backyard is essentially a brownfield? “There would be no landscaping. It would also mean there would be no road building. You wouldn’t be able to sell your residential property without a permit. The impact is so far reaching that it would be horrific,” he says. The increase in the hazard rating of inorganic arsenic was part of the agency’s periodic review and updating of contaminants. It relied on a study conducted some two decades ago in Taiwan, which critics say was simply not representative. LaGasse says EPA ignored other studies done in the last 20 years. The council joined with other organizations and coalitions, including food companies, mining companies and science-based groups, to challenge the proposal. The EPA’s IRIS database research was “basically hidden” and never given to science advisory boards for review or posted for public comment, LaGasse says. The initial proposal was to increase the risk assessment by 23 times, which was subsequently scaled back to 17 times, he notes. “For our industry, a 17-fold hazard increase in arsenic would exceed the background levels of arsenic in the soil in most counties across the country,” LaGasse says. Using a worst case scenario, he says if a tree was felled in a forest, had soil embedded in the bark when it hit the ground, and was then debarked, the arsenic levels could potentially exceed the IRIS assessment. Congress eventually got involved in the issue and mandated that the EPA reassess the implementation of the arsenic rule. The National Academy of Sciences is to review and approve the risk assessment. No formal action is expected anytime soon. The EPA’s proposed action has left LaGasse and others fuming. “I think EPA has lost is credibility as a scientific organization and when it acts like this it destroys the public faith in the agency,” he says. “I think they’re doing tremendous harm at their own hands. Somebody wanted to make a point and they manipulated the science to prove their point.” On a more positive note, LaGasse reported that the council was successful after a lengthy battle to change proposals by the Association of American Plant Food Control Officials (AAPFCO) to regulate mulch and potting soil as soil amendments. AAPFCO is an organization of fertilizer control officials from each state in the United States, from Canada and from Puerto Rico. Had the change not been made, mulch and potting soil would have had to be registered and taxed as soil amendments.

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November / December 2013   Soil & Mulch Producer News

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Mulch Producer NEWS Exterior view of Zero Waste Energy Development Company’s new anaerobic digestion facility in San Jose, California.

Waste-to-Energy

Silicon Valley Capital Stakes Claim to Home of World’s Largest Dry Fermentation AD Facility

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By Todd Williams

he City of San Jose, California has taken one of its jobs – an expeditor of waste collection and disposal – to a new level by spearheading development of the world’s largest dry fermentation anaerobic digestion (AD) facility. The facility, which opened for business in November 2013, showcases a unique public-private partnership between this high tech-oriented city and a cutting edge, private waste-to-energy firm. Located on a old 23-acre closed landfill, the plant is a result of a partnership between the city, and local companies GreenWaste Recovery, a collection and processing company, and Zanker Resource Management, a materials processing and composting company. These two firms formed a new company, Zero Waste Energy Development Company (ZWEDC), to bid on, design and construct the massive energy plant. Through the competitive process, ZWEDC submitted a bid and was ultimately selected to provide commercial organics processing services for San Jose. ZWEDC turned to Zero Waste Energy, LLC (ZWE) to design the facility and provide the German-based AD technology, according to Dirk Dudgeon, ZWE vice president. Dudgeon notes this technology called Kompoferm, was developed by Eggersmann Analgenbau Concept GmbH (EAB) and licensed to ZWE. According to Dudgeon, basically the plant turns food scraps and yard waste into electricity and compost via the AD process. Using injected bacteria and an oxygen-deprived environment, the AD process breaks down the organic matter into a combustible biogas with high methane content. The methane gas is then used to power two 800kW engines that generate power. The remaining material is then composted and sold for use in commercial landscaping. According to Emily Hanson, Director of Business Development and Communications at ZWEDC, the public/private partnership began initial planning for the facility in 2008 along with conceptual designing. Site development began in 2011 with initial construction beginning in early 2013. Hanson explains that after the city negotiated a 40-year lease on the old landfill for the plant’s location, ZWEDC invested $11.8 million preparing the land for construction. This included the installation of water and other utilities to the abandoned city dump. Credit for this infrastructure work was built into the lease. Additionally, ZWEDC was granted an exclusive, 15-year contract for the processing of wet material, such as commercial food waste, for the city. According to Hanson, because the bulk of the start-up cost for the facility was in the site development, that expansion in the second and third phases of the plant will cost substantially less than phase one. Up until now, San Jose’s commercial customers were paying a hauler to take waste about 30 miles away for disposal. With the new AD plant starting up, their cost will be approximately the same because although it costs more to treat the waste, it is not hauled as far, resulting in lower transportation costs. As part of San Jose’s commitment to recycling, the city also launched its new commercial sector waste system in July 2012, that consolidated service previously handled by multiple waste haulers to a single citywide franchise with Republic Services. This move boosted the commercial recycling rate from 22 percent to almost 70 percent by December 2012, six months after the program launch. 4

Soil & Mulch Producer News  November / December 2013

In turn, Republic invested significantly in infrastructure development including the world’s largest highly advanced recycling facility that sorts 400,000 tons of wet and dry materials annually. Although Republic sends some of the commercial wet waste directly to the ZWEDC plant, most of this waste goes to Republic’s facility first for sorting and processing, then the wet waste is sent to the ZWEDC plant. The combination of the new collection system, the advanced recycling facility and the waste-to-energy plant has garnered San Jose the Gold Excellence Award from the Solid Waste Association of North America in September 2013. The AD facility, Hanson notes, is also state-of –the-art and is designed to achieve LEED Gold certification. It is being built in three phases. Each phase will process up to 250 tons per day or up to 90,000 tons per year of organic waste. At full build-out, the facility will process 270,000 tons per year or 750 tons per day of organic waste. The plant operates six days per week. Hanson explains that the facility is fully enclosed and ventilated. Each phase includes 16 concrete AD digesters and four in-vessel composting (IVC) tunnels along with the two engines. The facility is also designed with biogas clean-up systems for the production of compressed natural gas (CNG) for vehicle fuel. “We looked at both wet and dry fermentation processing initially. Because the wet process uses a slurry, we decided on the dry process because it uses no water and less energy,” Hanson explains. Dudgeon further explains that the waste material remains in the digesters for 21 days and is kept at a temperature of 125-131 degrees Fahrenheit. This generates a biogas yield of 3,000-3,200 CF/Ton with a methane content of 58-62 percent. Because each “pile” of waste is different in composition, the methane captured from each digester is combined with methane captured from the bacteria injection system to form a uniform, high quality gas. Hanson says when the waste is put in a digester; it takes about 12 to 24 hours to reach the ideal operating temperature. Then the oxygen is purged from the digester, triggering the digestive process. “This is a natural biological process. All we do is trigger it and capture the methane. Maximizing the process is our goal. The more gas we produce and capture, the more electricity we will have,” Hanson notes. Each of the three phases of the plant will produce 1,600kW of power as well as 30,000 tons of finish compost per year, she adds. The volume of compost produced during the AD process is reduced by about 30 percent during the processing. The raw compost stays in the vessel compost tunnel for about five days to eliminate odor. It is then screened and sold as a soil additive by Z-Best Composting. “The ZWEDC AD facility will generate and run on one hundred percent clean, renewable energy providing surplus power first to Zanker’s adjacent processing operations and, during off peak hours, the surplus power will be sent back to the grid,” says Hanson. Future phases are anticipated to create CNG to be used as city vehicle fuels filled at an on-site station, she adds. Dudgeon says the process yields a landfill diversion rate of over 84.5 percent, exceeding California’s mandates. The electricity generated complies

Continued on next page

Soil

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Mulch Producer NEWS

Continued from previous page with the state’s Renewable Portfolio Standards as well. And as an added bonus, because this organic waste is diverted from landfills, there is a reduction in fugitive methane emissions that contribute to greenhouse gases. Methane, Hanson adds, is 22 times more harmful to the environment than CO2. According to Jo Zientek, Deputy Director of Environmental Services for San Jose, the new facility is inline with the city’s ambitious Green Vision plan that outlines goals to achieve by 2022, that enhance the city’s economic and environmental well being. The goal relevant to commercial waste recycling is to divert 100 percent of the waste from landfills and convert organic waste to energy. “This type of project had never been done before on an old landfill site. It was a perfect match for our city who had the land and needed it developed. It all fits into San Jose’s Green Vision to make our city a world center of clean energy technology,” Zientek says. In addition to the new AD plant, Zientek says the city is planning to pilot a low heat gasification plant that will use woody yard wastes and bio-solids from the city’s wastewater treatment plant for fuel and will produce methane and electricity. Presently, the city trucks all yard waste a long distance to an older type co-generation facility. By building one that uses the latest German technology and is in the city, San Jose will be another step forward in its Green Vision plan, she notes. “We want to be way ahead of the curve in sustainability. By doing this, we are actually following an economic development plan. We’re telling people and companies coming to San Jose that we are a city that can get things done and that we are creative,” Zientek says.

Challenges, Successes for Mulch & Soil Council Continued from page 3

“It would have subjected the industry to additional regulations that were unnecessary, additional fees that were inappropriate and a lot of paperwork,” LaGasse says. LaGasse says mulch and potting soil were initially included due to “misinformation and misunderstanding at the regulatory level.“ It took two-anda-half years to get it changed, he says. Mulch and potting soil were excluded from the law unless the products themselves specifically contain instructions for incorporating the materials into the soil. “Those are not typical instructions for those products and we advised our members not to use those instructions on their product,” LaGasse notes. The council also rolled out its Elite Bulk Member program this year, designed to recognize mulch and soil producing companies who demonstrate good industry business, production and control practices. The program had long been sought by bulk producers; a product certification program for bagged products has been in place since 2003. “We got an extremely positive response” to the bulk member program, LaGasse says, adding that he expects to see applications coming in by the end of December or early January. “There is a lot more to being a quality, reliable mulch and soil producer than pumping out truckloads or bags of product: much more than most customers see in just an end product,” the council explains on its website. “Operational practices that support product quality and reliability are often the result of business policies for which most good companies never get recognized. “More recognition is needed by the industry to help focus attention on companies engaged in manufacturing quality mulch and soil products using good business, production and control practices and as valuable business and environmental partners in communities across the nation,” it says. “And more education and support is needed to help the best industry representatives maintain their leading-edge practices as the state of the art of technology, business and the environment changes over time.” Dealing with the industry’s multiple issues and challenges doesn’t seem to faze LaGasse, who heads the council that has 130 member companies. “I have a low threshold for boredom,” he says with a laugh. “If I had a crystal ball, I’d know what direction to go,” he adds. “But since we don’t, we just keep our eyes open for everything.”

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Loss of Eastern Hemlock Will Affect Forest Water Use

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tto, NC — The loss of eastern hemlock from forests in the Southern Appalachian region of the United States could permanently change the area’s hydrologic cycle, reports a new study by U.S. Forest Service scientists at the Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory (Coweeta) located in Otto, North Carolina, published online in the journal Ecological Applications and available now in preprint format. “The hemlock woolly adelgid, an exotic invasive insect, has caused widespread hemlock mortality,” says Steven Brantley, a post-doctoral researcher at Coweeta and lead author of the paper. “Hemlock decline is expected to have a major impact on forest processes, including transpiration.” Transpiration describes the loss of water from plant leaves or needles. Coweeta researchers estimated changes in transpiration at the forest-level since hemlock woolly adelgid infestation by monitoring tree water use and changes in forest composition from 2004 to 2011. The four studied stands were once dominated by eastern hemlock trees, and are located in the Coweeta watersheds. Because of its dense evergreen foliage and dominance in riparian and cove habitats, eastern hemlock plays an important role in the area’s water cycle, regulating stream flow year round. The loss of hemlock from southern Appalachian forests can be compared to the loss of American chestnut from eastern forests, which became functionally extinct after the introduction of an exotic fungus in the early 20th century. Changes in local forest hydrology from the loss of eastern hemlock will largely depend on which species replace it. Rhododendron, a woody evergreen shrub common in southern Appalachian forests, is one of the species replacing eastern hemlock trees. Although rhododendron is evergreen, it has a lower leaf area than hemlock, and thus transpiration in rhododendron-dominated forest stands is lower than in previously-healthy hemlock forests. Most of the other species replacing eastern hemlock trees are deciduous, such as sweet birch, which unlike the evergreen rhododendron and eastern hemlock, do not transpire during the winter. Sweet birch trees also have a much higher transpiration rate than eastern hemlock trees during the growing season. “The cumulative effect of these species changes will probably mean permanent changes in seasonal transpiration patterns,” says Brantley. “In the growing season, transpiration rates will likely rise, leading to lower stream flow in the summer. However, transpiration rates in the winter will be reduced, which could cause increased winter stream discharge.

Nitrogen Fertilizer Persistent for a Century in Soils and Groundwater

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lberta, Canada — According to a report on WaterWorld.com, the findings of a 30-year study show that soil and groundwater contamination caused by synthetic nitrogen used in crop fertilizers will remain much longer than previously thought. Scientists in France and at the University of Calgary say nitrate seepage is likely to continue for at least another 50 years. Their study findings show that of the synthetic nitrogen fertilizer applied to crops in 1982, about 15 percent still remained in soil organic matter, and 10 percent found its way into groundwater. Lead investigators, Mathieu Sebilo at the Université Pierre et Marie Currie in Paris, France, and by Bernhard Mayer, professor of geochemistry and head of the Applied Geochemistry Group at the University of Calgary, plus several research organizations in France employed new methodology to trace nitrogen “fate.” The scientists used a new technique, called “fingerprinting,” that tracked nitrogen fertilizer applied to sugar beet and winter wheat crops in 1982. The test plots were located in France. The study findings reported in the paper, “Long-term fate of nitrate fertilizer in agricultural soils,” have been published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. The fingerprinting method allowed the scientists to trace nitrogen’s path from consumption by the plants to its residue in soil, and finally, to groundwater two meters deep in the soil. The amount of nitrogen and its rate of seepage could then be measured. The team found that 61 to 65 percent of the nitrogen was taken up by the sugar beet and wheat plants over the 30-year study, and another 32 to 37 percent remained in the soil organic matter in 1985. After three decades, 12 to 15 percent was still present in the soil. Between eight to 12 percent of the fertilizer leaked in the form of nitrate toward groundwater over the course of 30 years. The study calculated that it will continue to leak at low rates “for at least another five decades.” About 15 percent of the initially applied fertilizer nitrogen will be exported from the soils toward the groundwater over a time span of almost one century after the 1982 fertilizer application, the scientists say. Surveys conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in the 1980s showed that nitrate contamination had probably impacted more public and domestic water supply wells in the U.S. than any other contaminant. 6

Soil & Mulch Producer News  November / December 2013

Minnesota Auditor Says State Forestry Act is Not Sustainable

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uluth, MN — A state auditor is calling the program that rewards private-forest owners with cash incentives for practicing sustainable forestry unsustainable, according to a report on DuluthNewsTribune.com. The Minnesota Sustainable Forestry Act, which has been providing the cash incentives since 2000, was intended to encourage a balance between short-term economic needs and the long-term goal of protecting the state’s forests. More than 40% are privately owned, and the number of participants in the program has increased each year, with 2,300 landowners and 730,000 acres enrolled in 2013. After studying the forestry program, the state’s independent Legislative Auditor’s Office questioned the rising cash incentives and the program’s effectiveness in monitoring the Act’s objectives. The Auditor’s report has concluded that the program is poorly managed, that oversight of landowner practices and compliance is weak and the payments -- more than $44 million in ten years – are not tied to specific goals. For some landowners, the program has proved to be profitable – with per acre incentive payments running more than twice their property tax rates per acre. For other enrollees, such as those with more valuable land, the payments fall too short to be considered incentives. The audit findings have prompted Legislative Auditor Jim Nobles to favor a return to the State’s original forestland property tax credit program where incentive payment amounts were tied to property taxes paid on specific parcels. If the current law was amended in that way, important tools would be built in to verify the status of the land before issuing payments, he believes. The report recommends that the Minnesota legislature revise rules so that participating landowners will be required to register forestmanagement plans with the Department of Natural Resources. In addition, the state Department of Taxation would be provided with procedural mechanisms to ensure the landowners are in compliance. Wayne Brandt, executive vice president of the Duluth-based Minnesota Timber Producers/ Minnesota Forest Industries group agrees that oversight is needed. “Whatever changes are made, there’s a need for some program that encourages forestland to remain forest and not all broken up into 40-acre or 10-acre parcels with cabins.” Brandt said the 2000 Act was considered better than the 1957 law because it encouraged public access and wasn’t a straight property tax break. The old law, while giving a tax break to forest owners, often shifted that tax burden onto owners of other properties, like homes and businesses.

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PA Community Composting Facility is Nixed

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elienople, PA — A plan to locate a recycling and composting facility in a drained reservoir near Pittsburgh is on hold, reports TheCranberryEagle.com. Concerns about liabilities and details prompted the Cranberry Borough council to pull the plug on a composting center that would have been established on a 30-acre parcel. The land is owned by neighboring, Zelienople. The composting idea began as the brainstorm by CHZ Composting and Education Center, Inc., a non-profit formed by a group of government leaders and citizens from Cranberry, Harmony and Zelienople boroughs. The three partnering municipalities have a successful history of working together, having pooled money for over six years to operate an electronics recycling project. Their recycling effort yielded a total of 78,000 pounds of materials collected, as of April 2013. The group’s planned compost center would have operated on a five-acre site within the 30-acre parcel owned by Zelienople. The center would have taken in yard waste collected from Cranberry Township and Zelienople and Harmony boroughs, as well as other municipalities in southwestern Butler County. Now the council must decide what to do about a $248,000 grant from the state Department of Environmental Protection that CHZ had secured to build the facility. For the time being, the reservoir site will be filled in. The council will review options for using the land, such as an environmental and educational project with a nature trail, look-out points and an arboretum.

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Biochar Studied for Carbon Mitigation

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übingen, Germany — The findings of a recently published German study point to biochar as a solution for optimizing nitrogen fertilizers and reducing greenhouse gases, according to an article on ScienceDaily.com. B i o c h a r, f e r t i l i z e r a n d n i t rog e n transforming microorganisms in soil are all linked. Their connection was the subject of the study by a team of University of Tübingen microbiologists, who observed that the microbes’ nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions increased with the use of nitrogen fertilizers. Used as a soil amendment by peoples of South America and Africa for ages, biochar alters the composition and activity of microorganisms in a way that significantly reduces their nitrous oxide emissions. What’s more, biochar can sequester carbon in the soil for hundreds to thousands of years, much the same way coal does. Also known as laughing gas, nitrous oxide is one of three gases associated with the “greenhouse effect,” blamed for causing a rise in the Earth’s atmospheric temperature. Concentrations of the greenhouse gases CO2, methane and nitrous oxide in the atmosphere have risen by 40%, 150% and 20%, respectively since 1750, according to recently-released 5th Assessment Report by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Of the numerous human activities contributing to nitrous oxide, its main source is agriculture (84%). According to another biochar researcher, David Richardson, professor at England’s University of East Anglia’s school of Biological Sciences, “Agricultural N2O emissions have increased significantly and continue to rise. [Nitrous oxide] is a big problem because it is a potent greenhouse gas. Molecule for molecule its potential to cause global warming is 300 times more than carbon 1235 dioxide. And it is behind almost one tenth of global radiative forcing by greenhouse gasses. But how to regulate these emissions has been poorly understood until now.” Biochar has other advantages. It prevents nutrients from being washed out of poor soils and positively influences the abundance, composition and activity of microorganisms in the soil.

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Info Request #160 8

Soil & Mulch Producer News   November / December 2013

Info Request #178

Duff Brush, LLC Manufacturer of Trommel Brushes

Premium Mulch Simplified Nothing beats a Rotochopper grinder for producing premium mulch from a broad range of wood fiber sources. And nothing makes it simpler to expand into the retail bag market than a Rotochopper portable bagging system.

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How can Rotochopper simplify and diversify your mulch business? Contact us today to learn more.

Info Request #170  November / December 2013   Soil & Mulch Producer News

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Join the Mulch & Soil Council TODAY

London Food Waste – A Good Business Proposition

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ondon, England — The city of London is launching a £1 million ($1.62 million USD) recycling project aimed at sparking new small business growth and diverting an annual 1,000 tons of food waste from landfills, according to an article on LetsRecyle.com. Named “FoodSave,” the 18-month pilot project is being funded by the Greater London Authority, the London Waste and Recycling Board (LWARB) and the European Regional Development Fund. Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, announced the program’s launch in November. “FoodSave” is projected to save London businesses of over half a million USD. The Sustainable Restaurant Association (“Sustain”) will provide food waste assessments, and kitchen staff training, along with advice for optimizing food recycling operations to 100 of the businesses enrolled in the project. The program’s 240 participating businesses are restaurants, hotels, pubs, canteens and quick service restaurants. Sustain also will work with others involved in food retail, food manufacturing and preparation, catering facilities, street food traders, market tall holders, wholesale markets and food growers, and farmers. England’s Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) estimates that around 15 million tons of food and drink are thrown away each year, of which four million comes from food service, restaurants and manufacturing. Food waste makes up 41% of all waste generated by the UK hospitality sector. Recently ReFood UK launched its Vision 2020 report, which called on the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to set a clear strategy for dealing with food waste in England, following waste minister Dan Rogerson’s announcement that the department is to scale back waste activities in 2014/15.

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10 Soil & Mulch Producer News   November / December 2013

Environmental Connection 2014 Feb. 25-28, 2014 - Nashville, TN www.ieca.org/conference

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November / December 2013   Soil & Mulch Producer News 11

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Statewide Universal Recycling Takes Off in Vermont

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ontpelier, VT — Vermont appears to be right on track toward its ambitious statewide recycling goal, according to an article on RutlandHerald.com. In November, the state Agency for Natural Resources (ANR) unveiled new symbols and signage to kick start the food recycling initiative. The State’s public education and awareness campaigns are working. Acceptance by Vermont residents is being helped along by municipalities and institutions that are adopting ways to make food waste pick up easier. The number of trash haulers collecting food scraps from restaurants, colleges and hospitals to be composted is increasing and curbside residential food waste pickup is starting to happen in some areas. The Vermont Universal Recycling Law (Act 148) enacted in 2012, calls for food waste recycling along with the usual plastic, glass, metal and paperboard recycling. Statewide recycling is to be in place by 2015. Vermont is one of the first states to mandate zero food waste by 2020. Mark Lichtenstein, president of the National Recycling Coalition, says food waste is a serious problem in the United States. Vermont’s efforts are setting a good example for the rest of the country, he believes. “[Food waste] is such a huge component and it’s really relatively easy to deal with. It’s not like you need super high-tech solutions to manage it. So if you get that stuff out of the waste stream and out of landfills it has major positive impacts,” Lichtenstein says. Act 148 mandates that all transfer stations and drop-off facilities must accept recyclables at no extra charge by July 1, 2014, and trash haulers will be required to the do the same the following year when recyclables are banned from landfills. As a way to encourage residents to recycle food waste, a statewide pricing structure will be implemented in 2015. Pick up will be charged by volume or weight and not the number of bags.

Climate Change Impact on North America’s Forests Not All Bad

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anover, NH — A review of a half century’s worth of scientific papers have led a Dartmouth College team of scientists to conclude that not all consequences of climate change for North America’s forests are bad, according to a ScienceDaily.com report. The Dartmouth-led study was published in the journal, Ecological Monographs. The study is significant because it represents the most comprehensive review to date of climate change’s impact on forests across the North American continent. A principle finding is that the increase in average temperature over the past 50 years is affecting forests in opposing ways. The average global air temperature has increased about 10 F, while the coldest winter night averages about 70 F warmer. At the same time insect outbreaks, plant diseases, wildfires and other pestilence are multiplying, the warmer temperatures are encouraging faster tree growth in certain areas. This is making the trees less susceptible to pests, in some cases. The Dartmouth researchers say the accelerated growth rates may actually bolster forest health, making trees more resilient. Other positive outcomes may include a decline of certain pest populations, increased acreage, timber harvests, carbon storage and water recycling. “One of our prominent challenges is to adapt forest management tactics and generalize the underlying theory to cope with unprecedented changes in pest pressure,” the study authors say. The tree-killing pine bark beetle populations and other invasive species once kept at bay by colder winters have exploded, catching some land stewards by surprise in recent years. Pine bark beetles have killed trees over more area of U.S. forests than wildfires, including in areas with little previous experience managing aggressive pests.

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Info Request #151 12 Soil & Mulch Producer News   November / December 2013

Manufactures Complete Systems for Packaging Your Landscape Products. A

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UNIVERSAL REFINER CORPORATION Info Request #115 14 Soil & Mulch Producer News   November / December 2013

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irth, NE — According to an Associated Press article reported on SFGate.com, one Nebraska farm sees composting as a smart business model - one important component of its sustainability practices. Since 2002, Prairieland Dairy has been making and selling its rich Prairieland Gold compost to communities in the Lincoln area. The farm’s composting site collects manure, community yard waste and food waste, turning it into 20,000 tons of compost per year. The compost is used on the farm and also sold to landscaping firms and greenhouses. Prairieland’s General Manager, Dan Rice, has applied for state and county permits to expand the eight-acre composting operation’s capacity from 10,000 cubic yards to close to 100,000 cubic yards. The farm has been participating in a successful pilot food waste program with local schools. Its expansion plans would include ramping up that program, as well as collecting food waste from nearby communities and possibly, the city of Lincoln. Current zoning rules allow composting at landfills, but surprisingly, not agricultural districts, which is where Prairieland is located. Rice has been working with the county zoning board, planning commission, the Health Department, Building and Safety and the county engineer’s office to make revisions to the code. Notices of the proposed zoning change have been sent to residents within a mile of the dairy farm and the village of Firth, which is about three miles away. Earlier this year, another Nebraska composter faced community opposition and had to downsize its expansion plans. But Prairieland’s Rice is confident, and says a few more employees would be hired, but that acreage would not increase as a result of the proposed expansion.

Common Insecticides are Removed in Sewage Treatment

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acramento, CA — Scientists at the Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District in California found that sewage treatment processes are effective in removing pyrethroid insecticides, reports an article on ScienceDaily.com. Synthetic pyrethroid insecticide compounds and pyrethrins (derived from chrysanthemum flowers) are used in more than 3,500 home and garden insecticides. Although sewage treatment processes have not been designed to remove tiny amounts of pesticides, the Sacramento study offers proof that levels were reduced by more than 97%. The research team presented its findings at the 246th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS), held in Indianapolis, IN. District’s lead scientist, Kurt N. Ohlinger, Ph.D., said, “That’s a reduction to less than one part per trillion, and pretty impressive. Conventional treatment processes remove about 89 percent, something we knew from previous research. Based on these results, we do not expect the trace amounts of pyrethroids in sewage treatment plant effluent to be toxic to even the most sensitive aquatic life.” Over the past ten years, more insect repellant, dog and cat flea shampoo, mosquito control, and home garden and agricultural pesticide products contain pyrethrins and synthetic pyrethroids. Because they are less toxic to birds and mammals, they are replacing organophosphate pesticides. Ohlinger and colleagues wanted to test the effectiveness of advanced sewage treatment processes in removing pyrethroids from wastewater from a sewage treatment plant. They knew that high levels of pyrethroids in treated water (which flows out of sewage facilities and into lakes and streams) could harm aquatic life. “Although conventional wastewater treatment processes were not designed to remove trace pyrethroid residues, we found in an earlier study of our existing treatment processes that the treatment processes were quite effective at pyrethroid removal,” he explained. “We wanted to see if advanced treatment processes were even more effective. The results provide welcome reassurance.”

www.trinitytrailer.com

sales@trinitytrailer.com

Info Request #153  November / December 2013   Soil & Mulch Producer News 15

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Portland-area Food-waste Composting Pilot to Begin in 2014 Premier Tech Celebrates 90 years of passion!

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ack in 1923, who would have thought that such a small sphagnum peat moss business would become an international company? Yet, this is Premier Tech’s success story. From two brothers to 2,500 team members, from Rivièredu-Loup to a worldwide presence, from horticulture/agriculture to designing and manufacturing of industrial equipment, and wastewater treatment systems, Premier Tech has expanded and continues to do so in a remarkable way! Premier Tech’s story revolves around vision and stability. In 2013, Premier Tech stays the course, building for the last 90 years on the energy and passion of its multidisciplinary team and relying on both strategic acquisitions and sustained investments in Innovation, Research and Development. Premier Tech, whose international head office is still today located in Rivière-du-Loup, QC, Canada, has succeeded in establishing its presence in 20 countries in the Americas, Europe and Asia. With its diverse Business Units and passionate team members, Premier Tech has built in-depth know-how in its various key industries enabling it to expand around its three Groups: Horticulture and Agriculture, Industrial Equipment and Environmental Technologies. Today, Premier Tech’s prime objective is to continue to stand out through innovative products as well as unrivalled support and service, thanks to the talent and diversity of its teams. For more information about our company and its products, please visit www.ptchronos.com or call us at 418-867-8883.

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illsboro, OR — After more than a year of loud opposition, public hearings and media coverage, a viable solution for food waste composting has been agreed upon, reports OregonLive.com. Starting in June 2014, as much as 1,000 tons of food scraps are expected to be collected from restaurants, grocery stores, high school cafeterias in Hillsboro, Sherwood, Tualatin and unincorporated parts of southern Washington County, according to The Washington County Solid Waste District. The District will coordinate collection with private garbage haulers who then will transport the waste to composting facilities outside the county. Over the past two years, neighbors had complained loudly about odors generated by the Nature’s Needs facility in North Plains. The inherent difficulties in implementing sustainability programming, even in places where “green” thinking is status quo, has provided insight into what works and what doesn’t. The county’s commercial sector generates about 123,000 tons of garbage a year. Of that, about 30 percent is compostable, according to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. “We hope to get a good picture of heavy food waste generators,” said Theresa Koppang, Washington County’s solid waste and recycling program supervisor. “We’ll learn about what it takes (to collect food scraps separately) in terms of labor, what kind of training is needed, what are the barriers, whether there are space constraints in the kitchen or food-scraps area.” Some businesses, including Nike and Whole Foods, have individual arrangements with garbage collectors to have their food waste collected separately for composting. Composting costs are one factor the pilot program will reveal, Koppang says. Separated food waste is cheaper to dispose than mixed garbage, she said, but there are extra costs related to transporting the food scraps to the composting sites.

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Info Request #128 16 Soil & Mulch Producer News   November / December 2013

www.ptchronos.com

Info Request #119  November / December 2013   Soil & Mulch Producer News 17

Product/Equipment Profiles

Bandit Model 3750 Brings Extra Versatility for Land Clearing Operations

New Robotic Open-Mouth Bagger for Soils from Premier Tech Chronos

andit Industries has enhanced its line of track carriers; leading the charge with its all-new Model 3750. Designed to operate with extremely low ground pressure, this all-new machine can be equipped with either a mulching forestry mower head, or a hydrostatic stump grinding head. The Model 3750 combines the smaller size and lighter weight of the Model 3500 with the larger cab and forestry mower head of the Model 4000, and it rides on a CAT(r) 315 undercarriage with 800mm-wide pads. This gives the Model 3750 a ground pressure of just 3.9 PSI. The Model 3750 is available with up to 275 horsepower and features an 84-inch wide Bandit-designed forestry mower than can mulch up to a height of 72 inches. Like all Bandit track carriers, the Model 3750 features a deluxe operators cab that includes a six-way adjustable seat, electronic controls with state-of-the-art monitoring systems, rear-view cameras, on-board audio systems, and full climate control for operator comfort in all environments.

remier Tech Chronos is pleased to introduce one of its latest bagging innovations: the PTR-1030 Series Open-Mouth Bagger (Patent pending). Highly versatile, reliable and precise, this state-of-the-art system can adapt to applications that require multiple bag materials, bag sizes and bag closing devices. It uses two FANUC robots, one for empty bag handling and one for filled bag control. The two robots provide both reliability, by simplifying the mechanical aspect and limiting the number of moving parts in the machine, and precision, with their proven accuracy. The empty bag handling robot can be upgraded with a vision system which realigns the top of the bag during the empty bag placing motion, thus ensuring the highest precision during the bag closing process. The PTR-1030 can fill either gusseted or pillowtype open-mouth bags, and can handle paper, PE and laminated polywoven bags. As an option, PE bag with closing features as press-to-close or slider type can be used.

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Learn more about Bandit’s line of track carriers and other land clearing machines at www.banditchippers.com or call 1-800-952-0178.

New Stainless Steel Truck Beds by Trinity Trailer MFG., Inc.

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rinity Trailer MFG., of Boise, ID, recently introduced a new generation of light weight Eagle Bridge Stainless Steel truck beds. The beds are available in 20’ through 26’ lengths with 36” or 48” belt widths to handle soil, mulch and compost. The bed is also available in carbon steel. The new generation truck beds feature the Trinity Trailer chain and flap unload system that has made Trinity’s trailers so popular. This unload system greatly reduces belt slippage and provides a fast clean unload. Trinity’s high capacity beds are also remarkably light. 20’ beds, depending on how they are equipped, can weigh less than 5000 lbs. Designed for applications where it is just not practical to maneuver semi trailers or when a smaller load needs delivered. For more information contact Trinity Trailer at 208-336-3666, sales@trinitytrailer.com or visit www.trinitytrailer.com.

18 Soil & Mulch Producer News   November / December 2013

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For more information contact Premier Tech Chronos at 866-274-1287, info@ptchronos.com or visit www.ptchronos.com.

Komptech Introduces NEMUS 2700 (Mustang) Trommel

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omptech recently introduced its new NEMUS 2700 (New MUStang) trommel system. Some major benefits of the NEMUS include: • Higher throughput with better material flow through the drum • New hopper design with steeper side walls for less bridging • Updated hopper drive for better performance and lower conveyor wear • Fine collection discharge belt can be mounted on either side and eliminates spillage that results from a two part discharge system • Ability to use drums from the competitors’ machine • New easier control arrangement • A reinforced chassis with stronger axles and brakes and wider tires • Longer fines and overs conveyors for higher piles • One-piece cleaning brush for complete cleaning of the drum For more information, contact Komptech at 720-890-9090, info@komptechusa.com or visit www.komptech.com.

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Urban Gardens Require Careful Soil Contamination Testing

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etroit, MI — A MichiganCitizen.com article reports that urban gardens may yield more than fresh vegetables. Contaminants, such as lead and fuel are turning up in soil tests. The problem is, detecting them and assessing their danger can be tricky and time consuming, according to a new study published in the Society for Risk Analysis journal. Researchers from Wayne State University devised a study to assess potential health hazards from urban gardening and to compare effective soil testing techniques. As such plots are increasingly being established on vacant lots in old residential neighborhoods and on land where industrial activities were once conducted, the accuracy of soil testing is important. When they sampled 80 sites across a 49-by-98-foot garden plot, the researchers found soil lead concentration measurements to be highly variable. This outcome told them that applying specific sampling strategies for detecting “hotspots” is crucial in any urban soil testing. Otherwise, they concluded, the largest concentrations of contaminant could be missed altogether. Two percent of the study plot samples exceeded the 400 ppm EPA threshold, and upon checking historical documents, they learned that a paint shop had been located in the area that showed the highest lead content. The current permissible contaminant level for lead in soil, set by the Environmental

Protection Agency (EPA), is 400 parts per million (ppm) for residential soils where children are likely to play. The importance of using the right soil testing methodology was emphasized as a result of the Detroit study. Based on their statistical models, the researchers calculated that 20 samples in a 15-by-30-meter garden plot would be needed to be 95 percent confident of detecting a hotspot. The team reported that achieving an accurate health risk assessment of urban garden soil requires taking many samples across a plot. This method is more intensive than the usual practice of soil testing, which consists of taking several soil samples in close proximity and mixing them. Furthermore, the researchers said this most likely will miss any hotspots entirely because the low-concentration samples collected will dilute the average to permissible levels. The study recommends that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency cite specific sampling objectives and guidelines for reclaimed city lots. “The highest risk of exposure generally comes from dust and soil sticking to unwashed vegetables, not from direct uptake into the vegetable plants themselves. The easiest way to reduce this risk is to thoroughly wash fresh vegetables, especially leafy plants, before eating them,” the researchers advise.

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Northwest Pallet Supply Relocates Mulch Storage Site

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ockford, IL — More than a year following a massive mulch fire at its storage facility in rural Boone County, IL, Northwest Pallet Supply has found a new location, reports an article on RRStar.com. In May 2012, the company’s mulch piles spontaneously combusted causing a blaze that took five days, more than 100 fire agencies and 4 million gallons of water to extinguish. After the incident, Northwest Pallet paid $4,500 in overtime costs to Boone County Sheriff ’s deputies and donated $16,000 to a Boone County fire district. The county brought a law suit against the owner of the land that Northwest had leased, citing zoning violations. Northwest began looking for another place to store its mulch, and found another site in Rockford. In order to get a zoning change passed, however, the business had to agree to several restrictions recommended by Rockford fire officials, including limiting the size of the mulch piles to smaller than what’s allowed by city code and allowing more space between each stockpile. Fire officials are satisfied that the plans are not consistent with the practices that contributed to the Boone County fire, said Todd Cagnoni, Rockford director of economic and community development.

www.screenusa.net

Info Request #105  November / December 2013   Soil & Mulch Producer News 19

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Co-firing - A Renewable Bridge Strategy

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ashington, D.C. — Co-firing, or combining fuels at power plants may be a way to meet future carbon emission standards, according to a BostonGlobe.com article. The recent Environmental Protection Agency requirements for new coal plants have not become law yet, but some older plants are already incorporating renewable feedstock, such as waste wood from paper mills, furniture factories, and logging operations. Even relatively small amounts of wood being burned at a large number of coal plants could help phase in renewable energy. Plants that are expected to continue operating for decades are good candidates for co-firing, and in fact, there have been at least 200 “test burns” throughout the U.S. Unfortunately, the wood alternative has significant drawbacks. Wood supply, for one. A pilot test at American Electric Power in Ohio involved using sawdust and wood scraps from a cabinet manufacturer, but there were problems getting a consistent quantity of wood. Also, the materials handling systems at coal plants were built to handle coal and they have to be modified to handle wood. At AEP, chunks of wood got caught up on the feeder, according to Mark C. McCullough, the company’s executive vice president for generation. Heating the wood in a separate chamber outside the plant is an option that European power plants have tried; however, that is even more expensive than making plant modifications.

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20 Soil & Mulch Producer News  November / December 2013

Info Request #106

Forest Service Scientists Map NonNative Forest Pests

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.S. Forest Service Researchers say the western United States could see a proliferation of new invasive forest pests over the next century, reports ScienceDaily.com. West Coast ports are providing an entry point for insect and pathogen invaders, much the same way northeastern United States has been ground zero for damaging non-native forest pest invasions for the past two centuries. In a study recently published on-line in the journal Diversity and Distributions, U.S. Forest Service researchers Andrew Liebhold, Laura Blackburn, Susan Frankel and partners used spatial data to demonstrate that the distribution of invasive forest pests is highly focused, with a particularly large number of species established in the northeastern region and then moderate but still troublesome numbers radiating to the west and south. A s t h e l a n d i n g p l a c e fo r e a r ly American colonists, and continuing with the industrialization and proliferation of cargo imports, the Northeast has been receiving invasive forest insects far longer than anywhere else in the nation. The earliest record associated with the 79 invasive forest pests used in the analysis dates back to 1794, and 19 species were detected before 1900. Seventy-five percent of the invasive forest pests included in the study were detected before 1940. In terms of invasive forest insects, tree species diversity works against Northeastern forests. “The Northeast has an abundance of diverse hardwood tree species, and 65 percent of the insect and pathogen invaders included in this study colonize hardwood tree species,” said Liebhold, a research entomologist with the U.S. Forest Service’s Northern Research Station. “Had these non-native insects disembarked in a forest that is predominately pine for example, most wouldn’t have survived to become the damaging non-native forest pests that they are today.” Establishment of both European and Asian forest insects and pathogens in North America has likely been facilitated by the similarity of the flora among these three continents, the study suggests. Industrialization and forest susceptibility to invasion also contributed to alien pests’ ability to spread. In the most populated corner of the United States, inadvertent human assistance has greatly enhanced insects’ ability to spread from the initial point of invasion throughout a region. While the study illustrates a concentration of alien forest pests in the Northeast, it also shows that forest pests are taking a toll throughout the nation. “There are plenty of highly-damaging invasive species in Western United States forests,

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Soil Continued from previous page such as sudden oak death and white pine blister rust,” according to Frankel, a plant pathologist with the Forest Service’s Pacific Southwest Research Station. “This study shows that when non-native pests are introduced, it is just a matter of time until they spread. With shipping patterns shifting to Western ports, we are concerned that the West will catch up over the next century.” The study is based on data from the Alien Forest Pest Explorer, a web tool that gives users a county-by-county look at geographical distributions of damaging forest invasive pests throughout the nation.

Oregon Community Riled About Food Waste Composting Idea

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ualatin, OR — A long-time family business in Tualatin, OR is considering composting food waste, but residents say they hope it won’t ever happen, reports OregonLive.com. G r i m m ’s F u e l C o m p a ny h a s b e e n composting yard waste since 1980, but when the business applied for an updated permit with the State Department of Environmental Quality, neighboring residents and businesses aired longstanding complaints. The odors coming from the company’s composting facility have been bad for a long time, they told DEQ at a public hearing in October. The reason for the updated permit is to bring Grimm’s composting operation into alignment with the agency’s new conditions for handling feedstocks, such as yard debris, wood waste and animal manures. The Grimm’s facility produces about 35,000 tons of compost per year. Neighboring residents and businesses said they fear the business would be the recipient of food waste from a commercial food waste collection program soon to be launched in the Portland area. General Manager, Jeff Grimm, emphasized that the company had merely expressed an interest in local residential food waste – and only if there was curbside pickup. The pending permit is not enough to allow such composting. The business did obtain a conditional use permit from Tualatin, however. But to begin food waste composting, Grimm’s would need to enter into a franchise agreement with Metro, the regional government that manages the solid waste system, and receive approval for its operations plans from DEQ. Grimm’s agreed to look into suggestions to build in checkpoints or public comment opportunities over the life of the 10-year permit. DEQ expects to issue a decision in January 2014.

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D.C. Suburb Looks to Food Waste Composting

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argo, MD — Prince George’s County, MD, is forging ahead with its ambitious composting program by adding another component - food waste, according to an article on Bowie.Patch.com. A year-long pilot composting program, begun in May 2013, is being operated by the county’s Department of Environmental Resources (DER). By using special fabric covers, DER representatives say odors will be minimized and processing time will be cut from 18 weeks to eight weeks. The county currently processes 60,000 tons of yard waste compost a year. The food waste pilot project is expected to add another 4,500 tons to the mix. So far, the project has cost the county $170,000, including the cost of three fabric covers, staff time, equipment and technology. The compost will be packaged and sold regionally in nurseries as a product called Leafgro®. Three partners, Whole Foods, the University of Maryland and the town of University Park participated in the pilot study, and future residential food waste collection is being considered.

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Info Request #142  November / December 2013   Soil & Mulch Producer News 21

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ADVERTISER NEWS Bandit Industries Enters into Letter Morbark Hosts Fall of Intent to be Acquired by Alamo Demo Days orbark, Inc., recently held its seventh Demo Group Inc.

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andit Industries recently announced that it has entered into a letter of intent with Alamo Group Inc. (NYSE:ALG) pursuant to which Alamo Group would acquire Bandit Industries. The acquisition contemplated by the letter of intent has received regulatory approval under the Hart Scott Rodino Act. Consummation of the acquisition is subject to certain other pre-closing requirements. The acquisition of Bandit by Alamo would allow Bandit Industries to better capitalize on the rapid growth the company has experienced in the last three years while also preserving the Bandit legacy built over the last 30 years. In searching for a prospective buyer, Bandit owners Jerry Morey, Mike Morey Sr. and Dianne Morey were adamant about finding a company that was interested in further building the Bandit brand without changing the formula that has been such a success. “It was vital for us to find a company that would keep the Bandit name, the operations, the people and everything that has made Bandit such a success,” said Jerry Morey. “We never considered selling to anyone that might want to just build up the company for liquidation. We wanted a company that was interested in entering the markets we already supply.” It is expected that Bandit Industries will remain headquartered at its current mid-Michigan location and that its existing operations, including the workforce, management team and sales distribution network will also remain in place. In addition, it is anticipated that Jerry Morey, along with Bandit coowners Mike Morey Sr. and Diane Morey will continue to be involved with the company following the sale and during the transition to Alamo.

Foley Engines Offers Free Booklet

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Founded in 1916, Foley Engines is a family owned, fourth generation business specializing in industrial engines, replacement parts, industrial power takeoffs, and exhaust scrubbers/purifiers. To support our customers we stock over 600 engines, over 150 PTOs, and 20,000 square feet of parts and offer immediate, same-day shipment anywhere in the world. To receive this free booklet, please call Foley Engines at 800-233-6539 or email our Dr. Diesel at DrDiesel@FoleyEngines.com.

22 Soil & Mulch Producer News  November / December 2013

Days event – its second of the year – with current and potential customers and members of their authorized industrial dealer network in attendance for factory tours, networking opportunities, vendor booths, an informational seminar, and the first Boxer Rodeo Team Leader Competition. The Boxer Rodeo showcased Morbark’s newest equipment line, the Boxer compact utility loaders, as staff members raced the mini-skid steers while performing a variety of tasks. Mike Hadanek, Morbark Research and Development Specialist, won the competition. Following the race, attendees had the opportunity to try out the machines. Approximately 150 people from eight countries attended Morbark’s fall event.

Morbark, Inc., Achieves Gold Status in “I Make America” Campaign, Releases Day in the Life Video

Pro-Manufacturing Policies Pursued to Improve Economy

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oley Engines is now offering, free of charge, a booklet to help maintain and upgrade your Twin Disc® or Rockford® power takeoff clutch. This booklet contains 15 helpful Dr. Diesel Tech Tips and Guides to help you install, maintain and upgrade your Rockford® or Twin Disc® PTO.

attention: readers!

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he Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) recently announced that Morbark, Inc., has joined the elite ranks of the “I Make America” campaign’s Goldlevel company supporters. Additionally, Morbark has created a Day in the Life video to tell the story of how manufacturing affects Morbark employees, their families and the community. The video can be viewed on YouTube. “I Make America” is a grassroots campaign that was launched in September 2010 to dramatically improve American manufacturing policies to create more jobs in the U.S. and keep our economy competitive with other countries. “Morbark has been a dedicated partner for ‘I Make America,’ and I congratulate them on achieving Gold status,” said Dennis Slater, president of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. “I Make America is focused on advocating for pro-manufacturing policies and increased job growth, and Morbark has played an essential role in the campaign. Every voice matters and I look forward to continuing our great work together.”

Would you like more information about products and equipment advertised in this issue? If so, please complete the Equipment Locator Service form located between pages 12 & 13 and fax to 440-257-6459.

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Info Request #127  November / December 2013   Soil & Mulch Producer News 23

6075 Hopkins Road • Mentor, OH 44060 Ph: 440-257-6453 • Fax: 440-257-6459 Email: downassoc2@oh.rr.com VOL. VII NO. 6

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Inside This Issue

Challenges, Successes for Mulch & Soil Council Page 1 Waste-to-Energy – Silicon Valley Capital Stakes Claim to Home of World’s Largest Dry Fermentation AD Facility Page 4 Biochar Studied for Carbon Mitigation Page 8 Climate Change Impact on North America’s Forests Not All Bad Page 12 Common Insecticides Removed in Sewage Treatment Page 14 Forest Service Scientists Map Non-Native Forest Pests Page 20

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