| The City of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories (NWT), Canada, funded a centralized municipal composting pilot project based on recommendations from two studies (Gartner Lee Ltd., 2007; Ripley and Mackenzie, 2008). This study formed part of the pilot project and was designed to determine how passively-aerated static piles perform compared to turned windrows. The two systems were compared primarily through results obtained by monitoring surface and internal temperatures of two passively-aerated static piles and one control turned windrow. Feedstock materials consisted of non-shredded source-separated food waste, boxboard, mixed paper, and some yard waste. Results showed that passively-aerated static piles performed worse than turned windrows, likely as a result of poor structure, which led to compaction, and the use of non-shredded feedstock material. Performance of the control turned windrow and similarly managed windrows were also assessed and provide information for the optimization of centralized composting in the City of Yellowknife. |
