Commercial-scale co-composting of wood-derived biochar with source-selected organic fraction of municipal solid waste
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: This full-scale trial aims to systematically examine the effect the addition (10% DW ratio) of wood-derived biochar produced at 700 °C on the composting of source-selected organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) and compared it with an identical treatment without biochar addition. The study mainly focused on (i) composting process performance, including compost quality, and (ii) gaseous emissions (ammonia, methane, nitrous oxide, volatile organic compounds (VOC)) and odor emissions. During the first 50 days of the composting process, biochar contributed to a more sustained thermophilic temperature of the pile compared to the control one (average 47 and 38 °C, respectively). Over the 80 days of composting, biochar significantly (p<0.003) decreased methane (from 0.17 to 0.05 kg CH4 Mg-1 OFMSW) and ammonia (from 0.57 to 0.35 kg NH3 Mg-1 OFMSW) emissions. The differences in VOC emission from the two treatments were only significant (p<0.001) during the maturation phase (from day 50 onwards) with average values of 35 and 175 g C-VOC day-1, for the biochar and control treatments, respectively. Odor emissions, measured by field olfactometry, were smaller in the presence of biochar (1.1E+0.6 vs. 1.9E+0.6 odor unit Mg-1 OFMSW). The agronomic value of the resultant biochar co-compost was similar to that of the control compost. Biochar can thus contribute to climate change mitigation, not only (i) through CO2 removal, but also (ii) through the reduction of non-CO2 greenhouse gases emissions during the composting process, while also decreasing the odor impact of the plant on nearby residents.
Source: Bioresource Technology
Institutions: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Shell (Netherlands)
Language: English
Subfield: Soil Science
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,880
Award: G3978875900
OpenAlex ID: W4409854888