Extension Communications
3614 Administrative Services Building
Ames, Iowa 50011-3614
(515) 294-9915
9/12/02
Contact:
Sherry Hoyer, Iowa Pork Industry Center, (515) 294-4496, shoyer@iastate.edu
Display to Show Benefits of Composting and Biofilters
ALLEMAN, Iowa -- The Iowa Pork Industry Center's interactive display at the Farm Progress Show will feature two ways that producers are "Making a Difference in Iowa's Environment." Attendees are invited to see, touch and smell equipment and materials associated with composting of swine mortalities and use of a biofilter model. Composting and biofilters are simple technologies that producers can adopt and adapt to their individual circumstances with minimal effort and maximum positive results.
Composting is a simple natural process that is environmentally sound, flexible and cost effective. Iowa law requires that within 24 hours of death, carcasses must be disposed of by proper methods and composting is one of those methods. Producers of all types, sizes and localities can use composting any time of the year. No need to wait for ground to dry up or thaw out so carcasses can be buried, and no need to call for expensive rendering services. The display will include samples of co-compost items and composted materials, commonly asked questions and answers, and photos of an ISU compost research site near Madrid.
(Learn more about composting from this ISU Web site <http://www.abe.iastate.edu/pigsgone/>)
One way to help reduce odors from livestock facilities is to install and use a biofilter system. New Iowa law limits the amount of hydrogen sulfide and ammonia from confinement livestock facilities. Biofilters can lessen odors and reduce hydrogen sulfide emissions by as much as 95 percent and ammonia emissions as much as 80 percent. That's why biofilters are included in the interim matrix for construction permits for animal feeding operations.
Biofilters work best with buildings that use exhaust fans to ventilate all the air. Exhaust fans are attached to air ducts that force the odorous air from the building through a mixture of materials in the biofilter. A mixture of compost and wood chips is most effective in biofilters. The biggest expense related with biofilters? Most of the cost comes from replacing existing ventilation fans that are not large enough to both exhaust the air and push it through the biofilter. Attendees will have the opportunity to "try their nose" at a biofilter model to learn about the effectiveness of this technology.
(Learn more about a biofilter built as part of a demonstration project funded by IPIC at this Web site <http://www.extension.iastate.edu/ipic/projects/bf/index.htm>)
Campus and field specialists also will present sessions in the auditorium throughout the FPS on these topics: "Composting Swine Mortalities in Iowa," "Clearing the air with swine facility biofilters" and "Improving Winter Ventilation Air Quality."
The ISU exhibit is located on the west end of the Farm Progress Show ground.
-30-
Extension programs are available to all without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, or disability.