The Earth Bin - A New Composting Program

 

The following is an excerpt from the Ecolog - Fall 2009,

the Helmer Nature Center newsletter:

 

...Another project that is underway this fall is the installation of an automated composting system.   This new compost container will be positioned in the woods to the west of the ball field and will be screened by trees, shrubbery and a wooden fence.  We will be composting the leaves gathered from all school district properties and WICSD will utilize the composted material as “dressing” for the district’s sports fields each year.   At this point, the first phase of site work is complete and the project should be finished sometime this spring.

 

This is brand new technology – the “Earth Bin” (manufactured by Green Mountain Technologies) is specifically designed for use in suburban/urban settings where large acreage is not readily available.  It will greatly reduce composting time and offer superior odor control.  The whole decomposition process will take place entirely within the covered bin – an operator can start the unit from an exterior control panel where at that time a large auger will mix and advance the material through each stage.  The “bin” will be recessed several feet below ground and will have a clear view side wall and cover so that students can see the different stages of the composting process.  We are excited about this new project and the example it will bring to our community.    You can learn more about the new Earth Bin at www.compostingtechnology.com.

 

Karen Mazzola

Director

Letter sent to neighbors of the Helmer Nature Center

September 2009
Earth Bin Technologies
Slideshow of Earth Bin
 
Earth Bin Facts

- The bin is manufactured by Green  Mountain Technologies.

- The Earth Bin measures 24 ft. by 7.5 ft. by 8.5 ft. tall, although it is recessed in the ground.

 

-The enclosure surrounding the new compost area is less than 7,000 sq. ft.; about one seventh of an acre. The entire acreage of the nature center property is 43.08 acres (as measured on tax accounts). The irregular shape of the enclosure is the result of adjustments to the perimeter to save certain trees such as black walnuts and to maintain as much "green cover" as possible.

 

-The enclosure houses the Earth Bin, piles of leaves awaiting composting, finished compost and mulch that is waiting to be spread on the center's trails.

- There are light fixtures in the enclosed area.  They will only be used for security purposes and will not be on dusk to dawn.

- The site work is complete and the Earth Bin itself was installed in the beginning of January. The leaf pile has been moved from the north side of the meadow into the new area.

 

- Anticipated cost - $282,830. This includes the cost of the bin and the site work and design fees.

- In the spring, an evergreen screen will be planted along the south end of the enclosure.

-During the construction we protected the pond below and saw no adverse affects anywhere on site.  The areas where soil was disturbed by the utility trench will be repaired as weather conditions allow.  

-The air that circulates through the system is filtered through a biological filter in which the air passes through pine bark.

-In the fall of 2008, the district collected all of the leaves from our properties and calculated their volume and found that we produce 750 cubic yards of leaves per year. A resident recently contacted the Department of Environmental Conservation and, upon inspection, the DEC reaction was highly complimentary of our plans. This operation has minimal impact as it is small relative to the total size of our facility. DEC involvement is required if you compost more than 3,000 cu. yds. per year. We are also an exempt facility because we are are only composting material generated from our own sites. Unfortunately this means that we cannot accept materials for compost from our residents.

-All of the leaves collected in the fall will become compost by spring.

 

-We anticipate less truck traffic at the nature center, as vehicles will now travel a shorter distance to dump leaves. They will no longer drive back and forth to the north end of the hedgerow. 

Advantages to Using the New Earth Bin System

The composting process allows the district to responsibly manage our waste.

The composting process will provide us with our own source of athletic field, lawn and garden top dressing and soil amendment.

The new process will allow us to improve the appearance of the trail head at the north end of the meadow by removing the leaves and mulch that are currently piled there.

The project provides an educational platform for composting for life sciences, ecology and business classes.
The project allows the nature center to provide environmental leadership to the community.
 

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