Salvage Science: Build and Test an Indoor Composter
Summary
Introduction
Have you ever seen a product labeled “biodegradable” or “compostable” and wondered just how well it decomposes? A lot of different products claim to be biodegradable or compostable, such as food containers, bags, packaging materials, and spoons and forks. Not only do they clearly come in different shapes and sizes, but they’re made of different materials as well. Do they decompose differently, and, if so, which decomposes the fastest? In this science activity, you will make your own indoor composter and investigate how well different biodegradable and compostable items decompose in it.
Background
Composting is a great way to salvage, or recycle, material that might otherwise be thrown into a landfill. The result of composting is very beneficial – you end up with decomposed materials that can be used to feed, or fertilize, plants. Compost is rich in nutrients that plants readily devour.
One material that cannot be composted and frequently finds its way into landfills is plastic. Many everyday items, such as grocery bags, food containers, packaging materials, and disposable forks and plates, are made of plastic (usually polyethylene or polystyrene). It’s estimated to take hundreds of years to decompose. Consequently, researchers are developing new products that decompose more quickly and can be used instead of plastic products. Some of these products claim to be “compostable” or “biodegradable.” Most compostable products are made from corn starch (as a processed form, polylactic acid [PLA]), fibrous plant pulp (such as from sugarcane, called bagasse), or starch from other plants, such as potatoes. Many biodegradable products are also made from other plant materials, such as sugarcane pulp or bamboo. New materials are tested all the time to see if they can be transformed into biodegradable or compostable products.
Materials
- Different compostable or biodegradable products to test. Some SunChips bags are compostable – check the bag for details. Some grocery stores that sell natural and organic foods, such as Whole Foods Market, may sell compostable and biodegradable products, or offer compostable or biodegradable food containers for prepared foods.
- Scissors
- Ruler
- Synthetic string or yarn
- Brown and green composting materials. See the Preparation section below for details.
- Buckets (optional)
- Plastic bin with lid that seals, at least 10 gallons in size
- Drill with bits ideally 3/8 inch or ¼ inch
- A place indoors that is out of the way where you can keep your compost bin for several weeks. It should not receive a lot of direct sunlight.
- Tray that fits under the bin
- Two wooden boards, ideally ¾ inch by 1 ½ inches. The boards should be cut the same length as the plastic bin. Some hardwood stores will cut the wood for you.
- Soil
- Compost aerator or long rubber gloves
- Digital thermometer and humidity gauge (optional)
Preparation
- Try to cut your different test products into squares that are each about the same size (about 4 inches in length is ideal). If possible, make a few squares from each product to test. (You may want to save some extra pieces to compare to the composted squares later.) How are the products similar to each other, and how are they different?
- For each square you’ll test, cut a piece of string or yarn that is about twice as long as the height of the compost bin. Tightly and securely tie a string to each test item. You may need to cut a slit in the item to tie a string securely to it.
- Collect enough “brown” scraps (which are dry and rich in carbon) to fill your bin more than half full. You can use buckets for this. Good brown scraps include: Dry leaves, black and white newspaper, dry hedge clippings, dry garden trimmings, paper towels, straw or hay, small wood chippings, crushed egg shells, tissues, untreated cardboard, coffee filters, ashes (from plants/wood), old fabric made from natural fibers, sphagnum peat moss, and coconut husk fibers. How are the brown scraps similar?
- Collect enough “green” scraps (which are wet and rich in nitrogen) to fill your bin nearly half full. You can use buckets for this. Good green scraps include: Fruits, vegetables, old flowers, dead plants, young weeds, manure from herbivores, tea bags, coffee grounds, moist leaves, pond algae and seaweed (sparingly), and grass cuttings. How are the green scraps similar?
- Be sure not to use the following as scraps: Anything treated with pesticides or other chemicals, non-biodegradable plastics or synthetic fibers, meat, fish, bones, dairy products, potato peelings, garlic, watermelon rinds, oils, diseased plants, weeds with seeds, weed roots, dog or cat manure, disposable diapers, glossy paper or magazines, charcoal, or cat litter.
- On the bottom of the plastic bin, have an adult carefully drill 12 holes roughly evenly spaced from each other.
Instructions
- In the area you picked to keep your compost bin, set down the tray. Space the two wooden boards evenly across the inside of the tray. On top of the boards, place your bin so that it is stable. (If needed, move the boards slightly so air can flow through the bin’s holes.)
- Add a layer about 3 inches deep of brown scraps to the bottom of the bin. As you add them, shred or cut the scraps so none are longer than 2 inches.
- Next add a 3 inch-deep layer of green scraps. Again, shred or cut the scraps. If they’re very wet and make a thick and clumpy layer, make it less than 3 inches deep. Why do you think it’s important to alternate the layers?
- On top of the green layer, add a brown layer (3 inches deep) with a little soil (0.5 inches deep) mixed into it. Why do you think it’s important to add some soil?
- Continue adding layers, alternating between brown, green, and brown with soil, as you just did. When you have filled the bin about half full and are making a brown layer, include your test product squares in the layer (between brown scraps). Space the squares so none are touching each other or the bin. Hang the squares’ strings over the side of the bin so their ends are on the outside of the bin. Hang strings from squares of the same product on the same side of the bin so you can keep track of them.
- Continue adding layers, alternating as before, until the bin is filled all the way to the top. Your indoor composter is now all set up!
- Mix the compost weekly, using a compost aerator or your hands with long rubber gloves. When mixing, move material from the lower part of the bin to the top, bury material that was on the top, break up clumps, and don’t lose the strings. You can also carefully dig up your test squares at this time and examine them, being sure to bury them back in the compost afterwards. Do the test squares look like they’re decomposing at all? Do some look like they’re decomposing more than others? How does the compost in general look? Over time, the compost bin’s volume should decrease, so you’ll need to continue adding scraps if you want to keep it full.
- Optional: If you have a digital thermometer with a metal rod and a humidity gauge, you can use these to measure the progress of the composter. An indoor composter will probably be between 68 to 86 °F, which is known as a “cold” compost pile. “Hot” compost piles are usually outdoors and can reach 140 to 160 °F. The humidity should not exceed 65%.
- Tip: If the compost is too humid, liquid may drain into the tray. Extra brown scraps, or holes on the side of the bin, should be added to decrease humidity.
- After your test squares have been in the compost for about four to five weeks, or for a different period of time if desired, stop your experiment and analyze your results. Carefully dig up all of your test squares, gently remove any debris from them, and examine them. How do the squares look compared to how they originally looked? Did they decompose much? Did some decompose better than others? Are you surprised by your results?
Extra: There are different ways you could try to quantify your results from this experiment. One is to weigh your items at the beginning and then again at the end and see how much weight they’ve lost. (To do this, you’ll need to let your test squares dry out for a few days at the end of the activity.) Which items decomposed the most, retaining the smallest percentage of their original weight?
Extra: Some products give estimates for how long they need to be composted to decompose. If you can find an estimate for a product, how does it compare to your results? Does the estimate recommend certain composting conditions that are different than yours?
Extra: One efficient composting method uses worms. This method is called vermicomposting, and it can also be done indoors. How well do compostable and biodegradable products decompose using worms? Is it faster than the indoor composter you built in this activity?
Observations and Results
Did you find that some test squares had significantly decomposed after four to five weeks? Did some squares decompose better than others?
After being in the indoor composter for four to five weeks, some of the test squares should have clearly decomposed, though it depends on the exact products you tested and what they were made of. Very thin items (such as compostable food bags) may have decomposed more than thicker items (such as compostable eating utensils). Compostable bowls and deli food containers should have visibly decomposed some.
Nitrogen and water (from the green scraps) along with carbon (from the brown scraps) are the key ingredients that microorganisms need to make compost efficiently, which they do by breaking down what’s in the compost, including the materials that biodegradable and compostable products are made of. One other important element is oxygen, which is introduced to the compost when it is “turned,” or aerated, with a pitchfork or compost aerator, or simply your hands. If a compost pile has these four components in the right ratios, it should efficiently turn scraps into compost.
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Cleanup
- When you are finished with your activity, you can mix your compost into the potting soil of house plants or add it to the soil around plants in your garden. However, if you tested biodegradable products, the compost should not be used on plants that will make food, because biodegradable products may contain toxins that could be released into the compost.
Additional Resources
- Composting Indoors, from Journey to Forever
- Mushroom Packaging -- Innovation Nation, from the National Science Foundation
- Disappearing Act: How Fast do Different Biodegradable & Compostable Materials Decompose?, from Science Buddies
