2010
Composting
Handbook
Stacey Dorn and Donovan Hayes
Lafayette College
1/1/2010
Section
1:
Procedure
Before Reaching Bushkill Commons:
1. Pick up the truck key from the Public Safety Office. Tell them you are with the compost
team. (It is truck 110 with the blue keychain if the secretary doesn’t know what you are
talking about)
2. Pick up the truck in the alleyway behind Acopian across from the Markle Parking Deck.
Make sure that you also have the Composting Key. Key can be picked up from the
Composting Team shelf in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Lounge (317 Acopian).
3. Drive to your assigned pickup spot (Farinon or Marquis) and back the truck up to the
loading dock and have your partner assist in loading the buckets or bags of food into the
truck bed.
4. Continue to Bushkill Commons (The gate is locked at night, call Public Safety and ask them
to come unlock it).
NOTE: Make sure you completely and accurately fill out the Earth Tub Logging
Form throughout the whole process. It can be found in the blue clipboard
attached to the power outlets.
Loading the Earth Tubs:
1. Carefully back the truck into the loading dock of the appropriate earth bin.
2. Turn on the lights (switch is located on the bottom part of the power console).
3. Retrieve the scale, thermometer, and flashlight from the chest (black with a yellow lid).
4. Open top hatch of bin and take the temperature of the compost in the earth tub. Start to
fill out the Earth Tub Logging Form. Close hatch.
5. Weigh the buckets of waste on the scale.
6. Weigh 3 parts leaves and 1 part woodchips to equal weight of dining hall waste.
Example: If dining hall waste weighs 100 lbs, use 75 lbs leaves and 25 lbs woodchips.
Note: woodchips and leaves are in piles near the composting site.
Note: The table below is a good way to estimate how much to retrieve from the piles
before you weigh in.
Material
A trashcan full of DRY leaves
A trashcan full of moist leaves
A bucket of woodchips
Average Weight
60 lbs
90 lbs
20 lbs
7. Open top hatch of bin again and add woodchips, leaves and dining hall waste. Close top
hatch.
Operating the Auger:
1. Plug in the power cord that is hooked on the side of the earth tub.
2. Switch the grey power box to ON by unlocking the lock on switch and pushing it to
upward position.
3. Press the black “start” button.
4. Have each person grab a handle on the side of the earth tub and get ready to push and
rotate the lid. This allows the auger to fully mix in the new material and aerate the compost.
5. Slowly rotate bin two full rotations clockwise and two full rotations counterclockwise,
starting with the auger in its original position and moving it a third of the way towards the
middle after each rotation. (Auger can be moved with the crank attached to it)
7. Once finished mixing, return the auger to its original position (closed) and press the red
“stop” button on the power box.
Final Tests:
1. Complete the final tests in order to complete the Logging Form.
2. Retrieve a glass container from the composting chest and completely fill with a sample of
mixed compost. Secure the lid.
Note: Each glass container is marked on the lid with a day of the week. It is
important you use the container with the right day of the week on it! You will also
notice there are blue and white lids. The white lids are for “Great White’s”
samples and the blue lids are for “Big Blue’s” samples.
Secure the Site:
1. Close and lock all hatches on the bins.
2. Return scale, thermometer, and flashlight to the compost chest and secure its lid.
3. Check to make sure that the BioFilter is operating.
4. Turn off the lights.
5. Lock the gate on your way out.
Return the Truck:
1. Return the truck to the alley between AEC and Plant Ops (make sure that the windows are
completely closed and doors are locked).
2. Take the Truck key back to Public Safety and return to Compost Team mailbox in the Civil
and Environmental Engineering Lounge (317 Acopian).
Section
2: Safety
Before Reaching Bushkill Commons:
1. Drive the truck carefully.
2. Have your partner assist in loading the buckets or bags of food into the truck bed,
especially if they are heavy. Lift with your legs, not your back.
Ex. http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/55ff8bfaf4/dark-knight-psa-heavy-lifting-fromhamtramyk
3. Never go out to the site alone.
Loading the Earth Tubs:
1. Use a guide person so you do not run the truck into anything. Remember your truck
certification class!! Agree on hand signals and cover the brake.
2. Be careful not to catch your hand in the hatch closing or opening it.
3. Get help pouring the trashcans in the Earth Tub, they’re heavy.
Operating the Auger:
1. Make sure the power cord is not wet! Electrocution is unhealthy.
2. Plug cord in before you turn ON the power box.
3. When the auger is not in use make sure it is unplugged.
3. When the auger is on make sure all hatches are closed and locked!
Final Tests:
1. Don’t fall in the earth tub while collecting sample. If you fall in be sure to shower fully
before making contact with any of your orifices.
2. If you break a glass container carefully clean it up with gloves.