Troubleshooting Guide for Carcass Composting
The information below was adapted with permission from the Government of Saskatchewan.
Troubleshooting Guide | ||
Symptom |
Possible Cause |
Remedy |
Pile fails to heat |
Material is too dry | Add moisture |
| Material is too wet | Add dry material | |
| Not enough N | Add high N amendment | |
| Poor structure (slumping) | Add bulking agent | |
| Cold weather, small piles | Enlarge or combine piles | |
Temperature falls consistently and gradually over several days although material is not fully decomposed |
Low oxygen, need aeration | Turn or aerate pile |
| Low moisture | Add water | |
Uneven temperatures in pile |
Poorly mixed materials | Turn or re-mix pile |
| Uneven airflow | Re-mix pile | |
| Materials at different stages of maturity | None required - do not mix materials at different stages of composting | |
Compost contains clumps of materials and large particles, texture is not uniform |
Poor mixing of materials | Improve initial mixing |
| Uneven airflow | Screen or shred compost | |
| Raw materials contain large particles, non-degradable, or slowly degrading materials | Screen compost, grind or sort raw materials | |
| Active composting not complete | Lengthen composting time | |
| Pile overheating (temperature greater than 150ºF) | Insufficient aeration for heat removal | Turn pile to increase aeration |
| Moderate to low moisture | Add water and mix | |
| Pile is too large | Decrease pile size to less than 8 feet | |
| Spontaneous combustion | Decrease pile size, maintain proper moisture, combine with other piles | |
Ammonia odour coming from composting pile |
High nitrogen levels | Add high carbon material |
| High pH | Lower pH with acidic ingredients | |
| Slowly available carbon source | Use another carbon source amendment or increase carbon proportion | |
| High temperatures or odours in curing or storage of pile | Compost is not stable | Manage pile for temperature and odour control, turn piles as necessary, limit pile size |
| Piles are too large | Decrease pile size | |
| Rotten egg or putrid odours coming from composting pile | Materials too wet | Add dry amendment |
| Poor structure | Re-mix pile and add bulking agent if necessary | |
| Pile compacted | Turn pile to fluff | |
| Pile too large | Decrease pile size | |
| Airflow uneven or short | Re-mix pile, change recipe | |
| Material is damp, has no unwanted odour, but fails to heat up | Lack of nitrogen | Mix high nitrogen materials like fresh manure or urea fertilizer |
| Compost is finished | Transfer to curing area | |
| Insect/flies or scavengers | Unattended piles | Maintain active turning and composting - heat and moisture discourage pests |
| Uncovered raw material | Ensure there is adequate cover. Can cover with finished compost. | |