Safety Health & Environment Section
Environmental Management System (EMS)
FMENVREC005
Rocket Composter
Operational Procedures
January 2013
Version 1.0
Document review due: December 2014
Document History
Date
Author
Version
Description of modifications
19.12.12
C.Challen
0.1
Initial draft of document issued for review.
11.01.13
C.Challen
1.0
Minor changes to RA regarding size of the
caddies and the need to provide waterproof
labels.
References
#
Title
Version
File Name
[1]
Environmental Aspects Register
3.0
FM ENV 004
[2]
Environmental Sustainability Policy
4.0
FM ENV 002
[3]
Register of Legal & Other
Requirements
6.0
FM ENV 006
[4]
ISO14001
2004
[5]
Rocket Composter Risk Assessment
1.0
[6]
Tidy Planet Ltd Operating Instructions
2010
1.0 Rocket Composter Manufacturers Guidelines and Safe Use


Please refer to the Tidy Planet Ltd Operating Instructions FMENVREC102 (Hard
copy in Rocket Composter housing and also available on S Drive )
Please refer to the Rocket Composter Risk Assessment (Appendix 1)
2.0 Day-to-Day Operation
2.1 Collection of Food Waste



Food waste should be collected from Harrington and Foster Kitchen at approximately
15:00 Monday-Friday
Ensure good manual handling procedures are employed.
Ensure that the waste food bins are adequately secured on van.
2.2 Inputting Material to the Rocket







Check compost bag at output end and change if full
Weigh collected food waste bins and record findings
Check that the food waste does not contain any contaminants (e.g. plastic, paper,
cutlery)
Add one bucket of wood chip for each bucket of food waste, alternating between
wood chip and food waste
DO NOT decant liquid food waste but drain off liquid to sewer prior to use
A maximum of 4.5 bins of food waste to be decanted each day
Record on the white board the number of bins and approximate volume of waste food
and wood chip added to the Rocket
2.3 Cleaning







Rinse out waste food bins in the trough sink
Return Foster bins to Foster for dishwashing
Place Harrington bins on van and return next morning for dishwashing
Wipe down Rocket each day using warm water and disinfectant
DO NOT allow disinfectant to enter the Rocket inlet. This will kill the microbes
necessary to the composting process
Remove any food waste from the external Rocket housing and the surrounding area.
Sweep and, if necessary, mop floors
3.0 Weekly Operation




Empty out leachate outlet pipe- this liquid can be added with material going into the
rocket or disposed to sewer
Check and clean extractor filter and inline fan
Remove leachate exit pipe and clean with hot water and brush mesh
Check for obstructions before replacing filter



NOTE: Gloves and Eye protection should be worn for these tasks
NOTE: Power to be isolated before these tasks are completed
Set Rocket Composter to Weekend setting
4.0 Storage and Use of Compost








Compost bags should be tagged and labelled with date removed from output end
Sieve compost if required using the Scheppach rs400 (DO NOT use inside the
Rocket building)
Bag fine material for maturation
Large particulates should be recycled through the Rocket as brown waste
Wet compost should be recycled through the Rocket as brown waste
Compost needs to be stored for a minimum four weeks for maturation period
Use compost as mulch (liaise with FM Grounds)
Once bags are empty wash out with hose and hang to dry before reuse
5.0 Contingency Plans


If over volume of food waste or process fails the Preston City Council food waste bins
at Foster and Harrington should be used.
If compost very wet and no room in Rocket dispose in the Preston City Council food
waste bin at Foster.
6.0 Legislation
The handling, use and disposal of animal by-products is controlled by the European Union
(EU) Animal By-products Regulation 2009 and the EU Implementing Regulation 2011. See
Defra Guidelines on Regulation










Catering waste is classified as category 3.
Animal by-products must be collected and transported in leak-proof, closed
containers or sealed new packaging.
Animal by-product waste must be stored in clean, sealed, leak-proof containers.
Label all containers with ‘Not for human consumption’
Do not store animal by-products where they could contaminate other foodstuffs or
be exposed to animals or wild birds.
Food waste should be collected and disposed of without undue delay
Keep a copy of all documents for at least two years. You may need to show them
during an inspection.
Record the date that the animal by-products were disposed (and the name and
address of the waste carrier if applicable). Keep these records for at least two
years.
Clean and disinfect containers after each waste collection.
Have an emergency plan, e.g. to cover destroying large quantities of animal byproducts because of Rocket breakdown or staff absence.
RISK ASSESSMENT FORM
Risk Assessment For
Assessment Undertaken By
Assessment Reviewed
Service / School: FM
Name: Clair Challen
Name: Peter Hill
Location of Activity: Back of Foster building
Date: January 2013
Date: 20/12/12
Activity: Operation of the Rocket In-Vessel
Composter
Signed by Dean of School / Head of Service or
their nominee:
REF: Version 1.1
Date:
List significant hazards
here:
List groups of
people who are at
risk:
List existing controls, or refer to safety procedures
etc.
For risks, which are not
adequately controlled, list the
action needed.
Generation of food waste
 Injury from handling
heavy containers
 Flies/maggots/rat
contamination
Kitchen staff
Small 23 litre green bins with lids to be used to collect
waste food
Labels ‘Non for Human
Consumption’ required
Food waste containers not to be overfilled
Good manual handling procedures to be used
Food waste containers to be collected daily
Remaining level of
risk: H,M or L.
L
Collection and transport of
food waste
 Injury from handling
heavy containers
 Flies/maggots/rat
contamination
 Spillage of food
waste
FM waste and
recycling staff
Small 23 litre green bins with lids to be used only
Food waste containers not to be overfilled
Kitchen staff
Good manual handling procedures to be used
Use trolley to transport bins by hand
Food waste containers to be collected daily
Containers should be dish-washed daily in Catering
kitchens
Good hygiene procedures followed
Bins to be adequately secured in the van
Storage of Food Waste
 Attract rats,
flies/maggots,
disease organisms
FM waste and
recycling staff
Food waste containers must be collected and emptied into
the Rocket Composter without ‘undue delay’ and not more
than 66 hours from collection (this allows for weekend
settings to be applied).
Containers must be rinsed as soon as they are emptied (a
low sink trough to be provided in the input side)
Empty containers to be returned to Catering for dishwashing within 24 hours
Operation
 Injury from handling
heavy containers
 Attract
flies/maggots/rats
 Contamination from
disease organisms
 Generation of odours
 Trips, slips and falls
 Electrical shock
 Fire
FM waste and
recycling staff
All staff with access to be familiar with the Tidy Planet
operating instructions
Laminated copy of daily operating sheet to be displayed
Ensure that the composter maintains a temperature above
70°C for a minimum of 1 hour.
Use the Data logger and laptop to record temperatures
Good manual handling procedures to be used
Use steps provided to transfer food waste from container
into the vessel
A maximum of 4.5 bins of food waste and equivalent
volume of wood chip to be fed to the composter per day
Weekend settings to be applied
Clean external housing of the Rocket Composter daily
Sweep area daily to maintain hygiene
Mop floor as required
Do not smoke, eat or drink when working with this product
Keep the area free of clutter
PAT testing carried out
Maintenance
 Electrical shock
 Fire
FM waste and
recycling staff
Follow regular maintenance procedures as outlined in the
Tidy Planet Operational procedures specifically;


Once a week clean external housing with
disinfectant and empty the leachate container
Once a fortnight clean leachate exit pipe and
check sludge box for blockages
Laminated copy of weekly maintenance sheet to be
displayed
Isolate power to Rocket before any maintenance work is
carried out
Where gloves and eye protection when carrying out any
maintenance work
Storage and Use of Compost
 Injury from use of
the Rotary Sifter
 Dust
 Injury from handling
heavy containers
Empty the product bag daily
FM waste and
recycling staff
Compost to be stored for 4 weeks for maturation or mixed
in static pile
FM Grounds team
Laminated copy of trouble shooting sheet to be displayed
Follow operating procedures of the Scheppach rs400
Rotary sifter to be used externally (in dry weather only)
Good manual handling procedures to be used