Test results - Long-Term Composting
The end-product from the CompostEra-process consists primarily of a "compost tea" which has been stabilized during
the passage through the filter bed in the bottom of the process chamber. This liquid contains the main plant nutrients
(N,P,K) but also mikro-nutrients taken out of the soil at the harvesting. The mikro-nutrients are the source of taste
and nutrition and by repeatedly using chemical fertilizer we impoverish the soils and create a low-grade food.
This is a serious down-ward spiral affecting everything from hay to fruit and vegetables.
The solids from fecal matter and cellulose shall be left in the process tank as long as is practically possible
(as long as there is space available for new waste in the tank). An almost full tank functions best and can stay at
this level for many years.
In the table below, a variety of test data has been assembled from several decades of operation.
Table 1 End-product from a multrum, Fecal coli bacteria.
Samples from |
Clivus typ |
Install. yr |
Visits/yr |
Lab/Date |
Fec. Coli |
Nevada Highw,Dept. |
Large Tank |
1982 |
34000 |
(1) 1983 |
7 |
Wildlife Prairie Park |
Large Tank |
1978 |
14000 |
(2) 1981 |
<2 |
Hushåll i Pennsylv. |
Smaller Tank |
1976 |
7000 |
(3) 1981 |
35 |
Sverige, 7 tankar* |
Large Tank |
Before 1972 |
Irregular use |
(4) 1976 |
Not detected |
Sverige, 7 tankar |
Large Tank |
Before 1972 |
Normal use |
(5) 1972-75 |
Not detected |
NSF's Standard |
|
|
|
|
<200 |
Septic tank Bench-mark. |
|
|
|
|
100,000 |
(1) Sierra Environmental Monitoring Inc., Rena, Nevada
(2) Microbe One, Ann Arbor, Michigan
(3) National Sanitation Foundation, Ann Arbor, Michigan
(4) Center for the Biology of Natural Systems, Wash. University, St Louis, Missoury
*This test was performed by CBNS, Washington University, St Louis MO An extensive investigation summarized below.
Table II Compost-tea
Location |
Yr inst. |
Visits/yr |
Lab /yr |
Fecal Coli |
Lab/yr |
N(tot) g/l |
Type |
Wildlife Park, IL |
-78 |
14,000 |
(1) -79 |
0 |
(3) -82 |
9.4 g/l |
Large |
Shelly Ridge, PA |
-80 |
6,000 |
(2) -81 |
2 |
- |
- |
Medium |
Camp Archb., PA |
-80 |
8,000 |
(3) -81 |
0 |
(3) -82 |
2.7 g/l |
Medium |
Hawk Mtn, PA |
-76 |
20,000 |
(4) -82 |
6 |
(4) -82 |
6 g/l |
M (2 tanks) |
Kain Park, PA |
-79 |
14,000 |
(4) -82 |
43 |
(4) -82 |
5.5 g/l |
Medium |
Blanford Cent .,MI |
-81 |
14,000 |
- |
- |
(3) -82 |
3.2 g/l |
Small |
Residential, MI |
-78 |
3,000 |
(6) -80 |
3 |
- |
- |
Small |
Residential, MI |
-73 |
6,000 |
(5) -74 |
0 |
(5) -74 |
7.4 g/l |
Medium |
EPA stand swimm |
|
|
|
<200/100ml |
|
|
|
Septic Tank Effluent |
|
Normal |
Typical |
430,000 |
|
|
|
(1) Peoria Illinois,County Health Department
(2) Quality Control Laboratory, Southhampton, PA
(3) Seewald Laboratories, Williamsport, PA
(4) Alchemis, Inc. Bath, PA
(5) Process Research, Inc. Cambridge, MA
(6) Microbe One, Ann Arbor, MI
Analysis from "liquid collection tank"
(Tank for the stabilized liquid originating as urine)
from one of the swedish highway administration's rest area on the E6 outside Falkenberg. (officiell data)
Date of sample 980420
Arriving the lab. SMI 980421
Sample taken by Ulf Hedin
SMI #:
S44 Inomhustank, Susedalen East side
S45 Inomhustank, Susedalen West side
Samples taken from two collection tanks for the stabilized end product from the compost tanks, originally from urine after passing the bio-filter.
Samples taken from two distinctly different systems (one on the west side S45 and the other S44 from the east side of the E6 highway)
Parametrar |
S44 |
S45 |
pH |
8,60 |
9,09 |
Coliform bakt./mL |
<10 |
<10 |
Thermostable ckoliform/mL |
<10 |
<10 |
E Coli/mL |
<10 |
<10 |
Fecal Strep. /mL |
<10 |
<10 |
Sulfit reducing clostridier /mL |
30 |
1 |
The low concentration of indicator organisms show the absence of fecal presence and that the treatment process has worked. There is a small presence of Clostridium which may not have fecal origin.
Smittskyddsinstitutet,
Vatten och Miljölab, 980424
Provtagare Carl Lindstrom
[signed TAS/Görel Allerstam]
Thor Axel Stenström / Görel Allestam
Chefmikrobiolog, PhD / Biomedicinsk analytiker
Table III Ventilation exhaust gases at the vent. exit
Gas |
in Clivus vent gas |
Fed. Air Quality Stand. |
NIOSH* workroom lim. |
CO2 |
0.2% |
None (ambient is 0.04%) |
0.5% safety limit |
Water vapor |
Å95% relative humidity |
- |
- |
CO |
none detected (<8 ppm) |
9 ppm |
50 ppm |
SO2 |
none detected (< 1 ppm) |
0.03 ppm |
5 ppm |
hydrogen sulfide |
0.5 ppm |
- |
10 ppm |
ammonia |
3 ppm |
- |
25 ppm |
methyl mercaptan (bad odor) |
none detected(<2.5 ppm) |
- |
- |
methane gas (explosiv above 10,000) |
4 ppm |
- |
ambient (0-4 ppm) |
*NIOSH is short for the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health.