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Determining animal mortality compost maturity and suitability for road project applications for the Virginia Department of Transportation.

File Language:
English


Details

  • Creators:
    Donaldson, Bridget M. ; Crawley, Michael W.
  • Corporate Creators:
    Virginia Center for Transportation Innovation and Research
  • Corporate Contributors:
    Virginia. Dept. of Transportation ; United States. Federal Highway Administration
  • Subject/TRT Terms:
  • Publication/ Report Number:
    FHWA/VCTIR 15-R21
  • Resource Type:
    Tech Report
  • Geographical Coverage:
    Virginia
  • Corporate Publisher:
    Virginia Center for Transportation Innovation and Research
  • Abstract:
    A series of studies on the effectiveness, feasibility, and costs of composting as a means of managing animal mortality ; removed from roadways has been conducted at the Virginia Center for Transportation Innovation and Research (VCTIR). In ; these studies, three composting methods were evaluated for use by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and found ; to be effective: static compost windrows, a forced aeration system, and a rotary drum. Successful pilot studies at VDOT ; maintenance facilities have led to a growing interest in adopting this method of mortality management. As plans for additional ; composting vessels are underway, final tests are needed in order to develop guidance on composting procedures that generate ; mature, or finished, compost that is suitable for road project applications. ; The purpose of this study was to determine the time and treatment conditions necessary for VDOT compost vessels to ; generate mature compost and to evaluate the suitability of this compost for potential VDOT applications. Four methods were ; used to assess compost maturity: temperature monitoring, the Solvita compost maturity test, plant germination and growth tests, ; and qualitative observations. Tests were conducted on compost generated from the rotary drum and forced aeration system and ; on compost subsequently transferred to curing areas. The suitability of compost for road project applications was determined by ; testing compost for a suite of biological, physical, and chemical properties and conducting a demonstration project at a VDOT ; facility. ; Of the compost maturity tests, temperature decline was the most conservative indicator of finished compost. As ; determined primarily by temperature monitoring and supported by the other maturity tests, compost generated from the forced ; aeration system and rotary drum should be transferred to curing areas to cure for approximately 8 to 9 weeks. Mature compost ; generated from these vessels met the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s compost specifications for transportation ; applications. It is recommended that VCTIR and VDOT incorporate the findings of this study into a guidance document for ; VDOT animal mortality composting.
  • Format:
    PDF
  • Funding:
    105203
  • Download URL:
    https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/28869/dot_28869_DS1.pdf
  • File Type:
    Filetype[PDF - 1.08 MB]
  • Collection(s):
    US Transportation Collection
  • Main Document Checksum:
    urn:sha256:c4330cbe45dc3f7ac20f873e31f73c73472ae7b2b50b4abe6a8584ac6c5e1098
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File Language:
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