Pilot study of coal ash compost
Authors:
Beaver, T.
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| Abstract: Washington State University has begun plans to compost waste manure from the campus dairy farm, waste from the dining hall and waste paper. A study was undertaken to see if fly ash from the university power plant could be added to the compost. Five piles of coal fly and bottom ash (5 to 31% by weight) and manure were composted over a 10 week period and then cured for 3 weeks. A greenhouse bioassay was then conducted using samples of the 8.7% and 31.8% ash-compost. The compost was mixed into potting soil at rates of 0%, 25%, 50% or 100% by volume. Tomato plants were grown and weighed. The potting soil control had the best growth followed by the 25% and 50% ash-composts. The 100% ash-compost had the poorest growth. A field test of the remaining compost planted to barley showed that yields increased with increasing ash content (no replicates so statistical tests were not possible). Increase may be due to the extra micronutrients supplied by the ash. The authors conclude that the addition of coal ash to the compost would not inhibit biological activity and that the final product appears to be enhanced for use in field applications. Further work is required to determine the cause of the poorer performance in the potting soil mixes. |
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| Publication Date: |
31 Dec 1994
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| Resource Type: |
Journal Article
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| Resource Relation: |
Compost Science and Utilization ; PBD: Sum 1994
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| Country of Publication: |
United States
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| Language: |
English
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