Composting Business

SAE:

Start a composting business

Description:

Composting is biological decomposition of organic materials. Bacteria, fungi, protozoans, insects, worms and other organisms play a part in the decomposition process. Composting is nature’s means of recycling. It will turn grass clipping, leaves, vegetables, fruit and other organic materials into a very beneficial soil amendment. Composting is also an effective means of reducing the amount of solid wastes going into our nation’s landfills.

Composting can be as simple as piling leaves in the fall to constructing composting bins that will speed up the decomposition process. Depending upon the method of composting used, the decomposition process may take from a few months to several years. A compost pile may be a cold pile or hot pile. Simply piling leaves results in a cold pile since the pile does not generate enough heat to speed up the decomposition process. A properly prepared compost pile can result in a hot pile since heat will be generated which will encourage more microorganism activity to speed up the process. A key to building a faster acting compost pile is the C/N ratio (carbon/nitrogen ratio). Materials such as leaves and straw are composed mostly of carbon. Materials such as grass clipping and manure contain a larger percentage of nitrogen. A C/N ratio of 30 is usually considered ideal for a compost pile.

Composting can be an excellent SAE to produce organic matter to use in a home garden, produce organic matter to sell, conduct scientific research, or begin a school or community composting project, etc. Much information is available on constructing composting bins. Bins can be simple such as nailing four pallets together or more elaborate by constructing the bins of treated lumber. Compost bins can be purchased from a number of sources. Compost bins could be constructed for sale as a part of the SAE.

Factors To Consider	Ranking: 1 = lowest 10 = highest
Time required	3
Investment	1
Equipment needed	1
Skills required	3
Facilities required	1
Land required	1
Labor Intensity	5
Potential for income	2
Transportation required	1
Expansion possibilities	10
Expertise needed	5
Advertising needed	1
Susceptible to disease	1
Susceptible to insects	1
Suitable for residential areas	10
	Other (specify)
Length of production cycle	6 months
Regional	All
When to start project	Anytime