Static Pile (Windrow) Composting

Static Pile (Windrow) composting is the making of long 3' to 6' high rows of compost and then moving and remixing daily to help aerating. Aerated Static Pile (ASP) composting is similar but air piping is laid under the pile to reduce the need to mix every day.
Concepts:	1.	It looks simple.
	2.	It looks inexpensive to build and operate.

Facts:	1.	It is not simple on a large scale.
	2.	It is not inexpensive when the land space, lack of process control, material handling, manpower, maintenance, and the size and cost of the enclosure and odor control system required to control odors are all taken into account.
The main goal of any composting facility is to produce a consistent high quality compost without having any negative impact on the community in which the facility is located. This is not an easy thing to do when using an open pile process. Odor complaints from over five miles away have closed many of these facilities down.

	>	Static Pile (Windrow)

		Agitated Bed (Mechanical Windrow)

		Rotating Drum

		Tunnel

Static Pile composting requires daily "turning" which releases much needed heat and disrupts the microorganism at work.

Aerated Static Pile composting emits excessive amounts of steam and odor.

Numerous multi million dollar facilities built on the basic composting principle shown here have also been closed because low production rates and excessive odors. This open pile method of composting is often the continuing composting stage of many so called invessel composting systems; they call it curing.

Many Cities using this simple approach in composting yard waste appreciate that composting is a solution for recycling organic waste. But these cities now realize it is not easy and they are looking for a more environmental and cost effective processes to accomplish it. Next we'll take a look at the Agitated Bed (Mechanical Windrow) composting method.

One rainy day can bring a Static Pile composting operation to a halt; and a mess.