Open (field) composting of solid municipal waste

The material stream enters the receiving area and is then sent to the primary sorting zone, where bags are opened and bulky waste is separated (removal rate is approximately 10%). The material then proceeds to the main sorting zone, where recyclable materials are separated, achieving a 60% separation rate. The remaining 30%, which primarily represents the organic fraction of the MSW, is sent to the MSW treatment plant.
The MSW treatment plant consists of two zones:

- The active composting phase zone – the beginning of the process, processing fresh material, characterized by the presence of large amounts of emitted gases.

- The reclamation phase zone – the stabilization of the material, during which the processes subside and gas emission is reduced.

For the active composting phase, it is recommended to use self-propelled windrow turners, which process material formed into triangular windrows. The source material coming from the sorting line has a moisture content of 40 to 60%, making it difficult to form into a high pile. When the moisture content is below 60%, it must be additionally moistened to create favorable conditions for accelerated composting of the rendered raw material.

During the active composting phase, the temperature in the piles reaches peak values, and for better process control, it is ineffective to immediately attempt to create large and difficult-to-manage piles. Therefore, during the active composting phase, the ideal solution is to form the material into triangular piles using a forklift and then process it with a self-propelled turner. The average processing time (accelerated composting) of the material during the active composting phase is 21 days. During this period, the material is rendered harmless and becomes more friable, and the temperature in the pile begins to drop, indicating the beginning of the maturation process. This material can then be easily placed into larger piles. Depending on the volume of composted material, different ABONO® pile turners are used. Piles are covered to reduce odor, accelerate composting during the winter, and produce compost with a high dry matter content. The ABONO® membrane for the pile cover system consists of two main layers, both UV- and moisture-resistant, and a semipermeable membrane. The membrane safely protects the composted material from weather conditions and rainwater. The inner membrane traps odors, dust, germs, and bacteria.

To moisten the composted material (if it is too dry), we recommend using a radio-controlled hose conveyor to spray the piles simultaneously with turning. The spray system evenly moistens the composted material and provides ideal conditions for bacterial growth and the process of converting waste into compost.
During the maturation phase, when the material has a sufficiently low moisture content and can be easily formed into high piles, it is considered more efficient to use a trailed side-cut turner. This turner allows for significant savings in site size, as the tall trapezoidal piles (up to 3.2 meters high and up to 20 meters wide) take up less space. The standard processing time for the material during the maturation phase is 21 days.

During this period, the material is fully stabilized and converted into a ready-to-use reclamation agent, suitable for landfill backfill. The finished product (technical compost, man-made soil, or reclamation agent) can be loaded onto vehicles (trailers, tonners, etc.) using the side conveyor of the side-cut turner. The finished reclamation material, which has undergone biothermal inactivation during accelerated composting, has a reduced moisture content and can be sifted using a screen and separators to remove foreign matter such as stones, batteries, plastic, large metal pieces, etc.

The ABONO Machine-Building Plant, LLC, manufactures and supplies all the necessary equipment and components for the inactivation of organic raw materials at both processing stages, as well as drum screens for subsequent separation (optional). We also provide calculations for the dimensions of the storage piles and their construction requirements. We register the finished product with the Russian Ministry of Agriculture. Construction of the storage piles is the responsibility of the client. ABONO LLC provides services in developing technological solutions for composting organic waste and screenings from municipal solid waste, designing composting sites for organic fractions of municipal solid waste, and equipping these sites with all the necessary equipment for crushing, grinding, sorting, separation, transportation, and composting.