ECUA’s Composting Program Wins National Award

July 7, 2016

The Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) announces that Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (ECUA) has been named the winner of the 2016 SWANA Gold Excellence Award in the composting category.

ECUA is taking home the Gold trophy for its entry, “Emerald Coast Utilities Authority Biosolids Composting Facility.” The award will be presented during an August conference in Indiana.

“ECUA is utilizing yard trash and biosolids to create an environmentally beneficial compost. This eliminates the need to landfill yard trash and biosolids and provides a valuable compost resource to residents and businesses in the ECUA service area,” said Randy Rudd, ECUA deputy executive director.

ECUA began offering garbage and yard waste sanitation collection in Escambia County in 1992. Curbside recycling service was introduced in January 2009, and in 2015, the Biosolids Composting Facility (BCF) opened. The BCF composts weekly about 400 tons of biosolids (about half of ECUA’s biosolids) and 500 tons of yard waste and will produce approximately 15,000 tons of finished compost annually. Plans are underway to double its capacity. ECUA is using the Modified Static Aerobic Pile method.

Emerald Coast bloom, “The Most in Bio-Compost,” is certified under the US Composting Council’s Seal of Testing Assurance program, a nationally recognized compost testing program.

Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Comments

One Response to “ECUA’s Composting Program Wins National Award”

  1. Jason on July 7th, 2016 9:27 am

    If only ECUA could find a way to eliminate the plastic bags from the compost. One suggested method is to cut the bags as they are being loaded into a truck during pickup and empty and disposing of the bags at that time, or by mandating paper bags or cans from recyclable yard waste.

    Recently, after raking thru a pile of compost, I elected to buy 10 bags of compost at a big box store. I understand that “you get what you pay for” and sometimes “free stuff” isnt the best stuff. But, I decided it didnt make sense to be hauling home “garbage” to put in the flowers beds of my front yard. .