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Hot container composting


Hot container composting (also referred to as in-vessel composting for larger industrial batches) is different to cold composting, in that compost is created without losing valuable heat. Heat loss is the reason why a compost pile takes so long to decompose. Observers have noted that the time taken to create compost can be dramatically reduced by retaining the heat in a suitably insulated container. Another observation noted is the way the compostable items are added and mixed which allows for aeration. This is an important step in the process. Compost becomes due to the absence of air, and this can result in it becoming smelly. By adding large, medium and fine items to the top of the container, space is provided in between the items for the air to flow from bottom to top. This creates a trickle ventilation. Compost made with this method is called composting (no smell).

Insulated container polystyrene, polypropylene thick walls or cavity/ceiling insulation vents on top and bottom, a starter medium, handful of soil from garden that is a few months old containing natural microbes and bacteria, regular feeding of household and compostable waste, food scraps, fruit and vegetable peelings, egg shells, bones, grass cuttings, carbon, e.g. shredded paper, torn paper, cardboard, egg cartons, cereal boxes, thermometer (optional)

Place the waste you want to compost in a bucket or bag, add large pieces (bones, large bark pieces or anything the size of large egg), medium pieces (carrot tops, potato skins, chopped up branches etc.) and fine pieces (grass cuttings, ground egg shells) and carbon (bag of shredded paper, cut up cardboard, torn up cereal boxes, egg cartons, old magazines, newspaper).

Mix well or shake bag.

Empty bucket or bag into top of container

Close lid. It must be able to be sealed and not let air enter or escape. Only the top vent should allow a controlled flow of steam to escape. Too much and most of the beneficial heat will escape and too little and the steam turns to streams of water in the inside and drops the internal temperature which in turn lowers the rate of decomposition.

The hyperthermic bacteria present in the container, derived from the handful of garden soil you added, reproduces and multiplies very quickly, which gives off a lot of heat.

Retaining this heat is the secret to hot container composting. By keeping the container sealed, insulated and controlling the escaping steam, the temperature can be kept with the range needed for hot container composting. Temperatures higher than 70 degrees causes the important hyperthermic bacteria to die off and defeats the plan.


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Wikipedia

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