TY - JOUR
T1 - Variability in physical contamination assessment of source segregated biodegradable municipal waste derived composts
AU - Echavarri Bravo, Virginia
AU - Thygesen, Helene
AU - Aspray, Thomas J
PY - 2017/1
Y1 - 2017/1
N2 - Physical contaminants (glass, metal, plastic and ‘other’) and stones were isolated and categorised from three finished commercial composts derived from source segregated biodegradable municipal waste (BMW). A subset of the identified physical contaminant fragments were subsequently reintroduced into the cleaned compost samples and sent to three commercial laboratories for testing in an inter-laboratory trial using the current PAS100:2011 method (AfOR MT PC&S). The trial showed that the ‘other’ category caused difficulty for all three laboratories with under reporting, particularly of the most common ‘other’ contaminants (paper and cardboard) and, over-reporting of non-man-made fragments. One laboratory underreported metal contaminant fragments (spiked as silver foil) in three samples. Glass, plastic and stones were variably underreported due to miss-classification or over reported due to contamination with compost (organic) fragments. The results are discussed in the context of global physical contaminant test methods and compost quality assurance schemes.
AB - Physical contaminants (glass, metal, plastic and ‘other’) and stones were isolated and categorised from three finished commercial composts derived from source segregated biodegradable municipal waste (BMW). A subset of the identified physical contaminant fragments were subsequently reintroduced into the cleaned compost samples and sent to three commercial laboratories for testing in an inter-laboratory trial using the current PAS100:2011 method (AfOR MT PC&S). The trial showed that the ‘other’ category caused difficulty for all three laboratories with under reporting, particularly of the most common ‘other’ contaminants (paper and cardboard) and, over-reporting of non-man-made fragments. One laboratory underreported metal contaminant fragments (spiked as silver foil) in three samples. Glass, plastic and stones were variably underreported due to miss-classification or over reported due to contamination with compost (organic) fragments. The results are discussed in the context of global physical contaminant test methods and compost quality assurance schemes.
U2 - 10.1016/j.wasman.2016.10.049
DO - 10.1016/j.wasman.2016.10.049
M3 - Article
C2 - 27836516
SN - 0956-053X
VL - 59
SP - 30
EP - 36
JO - Waste Management
JF - Waste Management
ER -
