The REFERTIL project (FP7 contract no.: 289785) is developing safe and economical biochar quality criteria for EU policy support and proposal for possible inclusion of the biochar case into the EU FERTILIZER REGULATION revision (EC 2003/2003). The objective driven goal of this SME farmer targeted applied science and technology project is to reduce mineral fertilisers and chemicals use in agricu...

The primary objective of this study was to critically review published literature related to studies of airborne microorganisms or their constituent parts (bioaerosols) associated with organic waste composting facilities, and to establish whether there is a risk to worker health from the inhalation of these bioaerosols. The review aimed to identify the personnel at risk on compost sites, identi...

Shortage of land for waste disposal is a serious and growing potential problem in most large urban regions. However, no practical studies have been reported in the literature that incorporate the process of consumption and depletion of landfill space in urban regions over time and analyse its implications for the management of waste. An evaluation of existing models of waste management indicate...

     Due to the environmental problems caused by the accumulation of significant amounts of waste from peanut cultivation, it seems necessary to provide a solution for the reuse of this organic waste. Therefore, this experiment was conducted to investigate the possibility of using compost of peanut shells in potting Begonia rex. This research was based on randomized complete block desi...

The Summitville Mine was a high-elevation (3500 m) gold mine in southwestern Colorado. The mine was abandoned in 1992, leaving approximately 200 ha of disturbance comprised partially of an open pit, a cyanide heap leach pad, and two large waste rock piles. Reclamation of these mine facilities is challenging due to extreme climatic conditions in conjunction with high acid-production potential an...

The production of poly β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) by Bacillus subtilis NG220 was observed utilizing the sugar industry waste water supplemented with various carbon and nitrogen sources. At a growth rate of 0.14 g h(-1) L(-1), using sugar industry waste water was supplemented with maltose (1% w/v) and ammonium sulphate (1% w/v); the isolate produced 5.297 g/L of poly β-hydroxybutyrate accumulating ...

Urban community gardens worldwide provide significant health benefits to those gardening and consuming fresh produce from them. Urban gardens are most often placed in locations and on land in which soil contaminants reflect past practices and often contain elevated levels of metals and organic contaminants. Garden plot dividers made from either railroad ties or chromated copper arsenate (CCA) p...

Introduction This fact sheet is part of a series highlighting different recyclable commodities. According to www.dictionary.com, a commodity is as “an article of trade or commerce; something of use, advantage, or value; any unprocessed or partially processed good.” When a product is recycled, the original commodity material becomes new products. The recyclable commodity fact sheet series is des...

Sod culture is one of the important methods in establishing and repairing of turf grass, especially in sport fields. Nowadays, a mixture of sand and peat are commonly used in sod production in Iran. Because peat media is expensive, it seems necessary to find an alternative medium. Rice hull, tea waste and leaf compost as economical organic material that are available in huge loads in north of I...

The performance of a plug-flow automated aerobic digester used with the compost of the Biodegradable Organic Waste (BOW) from a typical family at its generation rhythm was evaluated. During a 13 month assessment, 179.7 kg of BOW were treated and 106.7 kg of compost were obtained with a C:N ratio of 12 and an average concentration of N of about 2.72%. Additional tests enabled to assess the gener...