BACKHUS CON / LANE TURNER Lane Turners

Even if the assumption is close, composting does not necessarily always aim at the creation of "compost" in the sense of a marketable product. Basically, the word "composting" describes the natural transformation of organic material into humus by bacteria in a rotting process. If this "compost" has a high degree of purity, it can ultimately be used as fertiliser. However, materials are often composted for which later use as fertiliser can be ruled out from the outset. Household waste, for example, often contains a high organic content that can hardly be separated from the rest of the waste – yet composting or biological drying is recommended for the following reasons alone:

• Volume
  Waste with a non-composted organic content has a much higher volume, which makes landfilling more difficult. In addition to processing the material with shredders, etc., regular turning is therefore also one of the efficient methods for decisively reducing the volume.   
• Energy Expenditure
  Non-recyclable waste such as residual waste is largely treated thermally. The biofractions contained therein consist to a large extent of water, and the high moisture content therefore increases the energy demand during incineration. Biological drying with a membrane or complete composting before thermal treatment is therefore often more cost-effective. 
• Temperature 
  During composting, temperatures of up to 65 degrees are generated. If municipal waste is not treated before landfilling, uncontrolled composting takes place. The landfill then heats up considerably and hazardous pollutants can escape in combination with the other waste.
• Gases
  Controlled composting with turners also produces C0₂, but landfilling untreated material is many times more harmful to the climate. Especially in cavities sealed off from the oxygen supply, methane and nitrous oxide are quickly produced. This can be prevented by regular turning.