Greenhouse gas emissions from windrow composting of organic wastes: Patterns and emissions factors
Direct emissions from commercial-scale composting are uncertain. We used micrometeorological methods to continuously measure greenhouse gas (CO _2 , CH _4 , N _2 O) emissions from full composting of green waste and manure. We measured oxygen (O _2 ), moisture, and temperature continuously inside the...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IOP Publishing
2019-01-01
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| Series: | Environmental Research Letters |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab5262 |
| _version_ | 1797747691384471552 |
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| author | Sintana E Vergara Whendee L Silver |
| author_facet | Sintana E Vergara Whendee L Silver |
| author_sort | Sintana E Vergara |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Direct emissions from commercial-scale composting are uncertain. We used micrometeorological methods to continuously measure greenhouse gas (CO _2 , CH _4 , N _2 O) emissions from full composting of green waste and manure. We measured oxygen (O _2 ), moisture, and temperature continuously inside the composting pile, and analyzed chemical and physical characteristics of the feedstock weekly as potential drivers of emissions. Temperature, moisture, and O _2 all varied significantly by week. Feedstock porosity, C:N, and potential N mineralization all declined significantly over time. Potential net nitrification remained near zero throughout. CH _4 and CO _2 fluxes, indicators of feedstock lability, were variable, and most emissions (75% and 50% respectively) occurred during the first three weeks of composting. Total CH _4 emitted was 1.7 ± 0.32 g CH _4 kg ^−1 feedstock, near the median literature value using different approaches (1.4 g CH _4 kg ^−1 ). N _2 O concentrations remained below the instrument detection. Oxygen, moisture and temperature exhibited threshold effects on CH _4 emissions. Net lifecycle emissions were negative (−690 g CO _2 -e kg ^−1 ), however, after considering avoided emissions and sinks. Managing composting piles to minimize methanogenesis—by maintaining sufficient O _2 concentrations, and focusing on the first three weeks—could reduce emissions, contributing to the climate change mitigation benefit of composting. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T15:54:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e353d5b3aa704ce0ba86a5382870ac2f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1748-9326 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T15:54:09Z |
| publishDate | 2019-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj.art-e353d5b3aa704ce0ba86a5382870ac2f2023-08-09T15:01:17ZengIOP PublishingEnvironmental Research Letters1748-93262019-01-01141212402710.1088/1748-9326/ab5262Greenhouse gas emissions from windrow composting of organic wastes: Patterns and emissions factorsSintana E Vergara0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1322-7568Whendee L Silver1Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California , Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States of AmericaDepartment of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California , Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States of AmericaDirect emissions from commercial-scale composting are uncertain. We used micrometeorological methods to continuously measure greenhouse gas (CO _2 , CH _4 , N _2 O) emissions from full composting of green waste and manure. We measured oxygen (O _2 ), moisture, and temperature continuously inside the composting pile, and analyzed chemical and physical characteristics of the feedstock weekly as potential drivers of emissions. Temperature, moisture, and O _2 all varied significantly by week. Feedstock porosity, C:N, and potential N mineralization all declined significantly over time. Potential net nitrification remained near zero throughout. CH _4 and CO _2 fluxes, indicators of feedstock lability, were variable, and most emissions (75% and 50% respectively) occurred during the first three weeks of composting. Total CH _4 emitted was 1.7 ± 0.32 g CH _4 kg ^−1 feedstock, near the median literature value using different approaches (1.4 g CH _4 kg ^−1 ). N _2 O concentrations remained below the instrument detection. Oxygen, moisture and temperature exhibited threshold effects on CH _4 emissions. Net lifecycle emissions were negative (−690 g CO _2 -e kg ^−1 ), however, after considering avoided emissions and sinks. Managing composting piles to minimize methanogenesis—by maintaining sufficient O _2 concentrations, and focusing on the first three weeks—could reduce emissions, contributing to the climate change mitigation benefit of composting.https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab5262compostbiogeochemistrymicrometeorological mass balancelifecycle assessmentcontrols on decomposition |
| spellingShingle | Sintana E Vergara Whendee L Silver Greenhouse gas emissions from windrow composting of organic wastes: Patterns and emissions factors Environmental Research Letters compost biogeochemistry micrometeorological mass balance lifecycle assessment controls on decomposition |
| title | Greenhouse gas emissions from windrow composting of organic wastes: Patterns and emissions factors |
| title_full | Greenhouse gas emissions from windrow composting of organic wastes: Patterns and emissions factors |
| title_fullStr | Greenhouse gas emissions from windrow composting of organic wastes: Patterns and emissions factors |
| title_full_unstemmed | Greenhouse gas emissions from windrow composting of organic wastes: Patterns and emissions factors |
| title_short | Greenhouse gas emissions from windrow composting of organic wastes: Patterns and emissions factors |
| title_sort | greenhouse gas emissions from windrow composting of organic wastes patterns and emissions factors |
| topic | compost biogeochemistry micrometeorological mass balance lifecycle assessment controls on decomposition |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab5262 |
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