Overview of Minnesota's Compost Rules and Proposed Amendments

1. Minnesota Compost Rules Ginny Black Source-separated Organics Coordinator Minnesota Pollution Control Agency March 2013

2. Current Rule • Backyard, exempt • Yard Waste, permit by rule (121) • Solid Waste Compost Facility, full permit • 9 facilities • 5 - significant public investment • 3 - private (one new and not operating yet) • 1 - native community – Mdewakaton Sioux • Capacity: 330,000; Generation 650,000 (metro only)

3. Proposed Amendment to Compost Rule • Changing Backyard compost exemption to a Small Compost Site exemption • Source Separated Organic Materials compost facility

4. Small Compost Sites • Under 80 cubic yards, excluding finished compost • Acceptable materials: food scraps, yard waste, poultry litter generated on site, non-recyclable paper, compostable plastics (ASTM D6400 or D6868 • Unacceptable Materials: fats, oils, grease, meat, dairy, animal manure, diapers , sanitary products • Managed to avoided nuisance and public health risks

5. Yard Waste Compost Facility • Yard waste ban 1990/92 • Permit by rule process • Process to Further Reduce Pathogens • Requires period turning (3-5 times in 21 days) • Maintain temperatures - 131 degrees F • Less than 3 percent inerts, < 4mm • Control run-off/run-on • Testing of finished product not required • Unlimited use of finished product • Annual report

6. Source-separated Organics (SSO) Compost Facility Concept • New facility feed stocks: • Yard waste • Wood waste • Food waste • Industrial/manufacturing food residual – human food production • No fish waste, animal waste, meat by-products generated from industrial sources, sanitary products, diapers, sewage sludge, biosolids, septage

7. SSO Compost Facility Concept Pad Design • Hard packed all weather surface (tipping/mixing, active, curing and finished storage area) • 5’ to water table • Any combination of the following soils: • Sandy clay loam, loam, silt loam, silt, sandy clay loam, clay, silty clay • Pad: 1’ low permability soils (tipping/mixing, active) • < 5’ from water table • Low permeability soils meeting MNDOT specs for surface aggregate • Other: concrete, asphalt or geomembrane • Only under the tipping/mixing and active compost area (PFRP) • All weather drivable surface in curing and finished storage area)

8. SSO Compost Facility Concept • General Ops requirements • Secure site/signage • Secures recyclable materials, trash, rejects • Process to Further Reduce Pathogens requirements • Windrows: 21 days at 55° C, turn every 3-5 days • Static aerated pile: 7 days at 55° C • In-vessel: 3 days at 55° C • Feed stock management plan • Contact/Storm Water Management plan • NPDES standards must be followed • Odor minimization plan

9. SSO Compost Facility Concept • Training plan • 24 contact hours of training within 12 months of employment, then every 5 years • 5 contact hours every year • Acceptable list of courses approved by the Commissioner • Contact hour = 50 minutes

10. Solid Waste Compost Facility • MSW feedstocks, manures, biosolids….. • Controlled access points • Training plan • Designated delivery area • 10-7 pad for tipping/mixing/active compost area/curing area • Leachate/storm water management systems • Salvageable/recyclable materials properly stored and removed weekly • Residuals properly stored and removed weekly • Meet PFRP • Windrows: 21 days at 55° C, turn every 3-5 days • Static aerated pile: 7 days at 55° C • In-vessel: 3 days at 55° C

11. Finished Compost Testing • Testing required • 503 metals test • pH • Particle size • NPK • Soluble salts • Maturity – some flexibility • Fecal coliform, E. coli • PCB • Class I: ≤ 503 metals standards • Class II: ≥ 503 metals standards.

12. Thanks for Your Attention