FAQ
How much does Accelerated Biological Organics Processing (ABOP) cost?
Cost of construction of an ABOP system is based on the capacity that you would like to process per day. In rough numbers the cost to operate an ABOP system will be about half the cost associated with the local landfill tipping fees. The general answer is that it will cost about half as much to be sustainable.
What materials are used to create an Accelerated Biological Organics Processing (ABOP) system?
The materials used to create an ABOP system are primarily from the environmental and mining industry. They are chosen for their dependability, durability, quality, and reasonable price.
What is an Accelerated Biological Organics Processing (ABOP) system?
An ABOP system is an optimized environment that facilitates the biological processing of organic materials. The environment is optimized by controlling all the conditions that are critical to microbiologically processing the energy available in the organic feedstock. Organic resources are recovered from the waste stream and are used to manufacture soil amendments and other valuable materials.
What is humus?
The best reference we have found is the 1936 document, HUMUS ORIGIN, CHEMICAL COMPOSITION, AND IMPORTANCE IN NATURE by SELMAN A. WAKSMAN Professor of Soil Microbiology, Rutgers University, and Microbiologist, New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station
“A certain part of these residues is more or less resistant to microbial decomposition and remains for a period of time in an undecomposed or in a somewhat modified state, and may even accumulate under certain conditions. This resistant material is dark brown to black in color and possesses certain characteristic physical and chemical properties; it is usually called HUMUS.”
How do Accelerated Biological Organics Processing (ABOP) systems prevent contamination of the humus product?
ABOP systems have the huge advantage of not requiring the grinding or shredding of materials. Avoiding abrasion of contaminants minimizes small particles that can’t be screened out. Most things like plastic utensils and containers come through the process intact and are easily screened out.
How much does an Accelerated Biological Organics Processing (ABOP) system cost?
The cost is based on the volume of material that needs to be processed. Costs decrease per unit volume of feedstock capacity. Our standard rule is ABOP system will cost half as much as landfill tipping fees or less. Smaller community garden type ABOP systems can be built for about $25,000 in 2023.
What materials are used to create an Accelerated Biological Organics Processing (ABOP) system?
Most of the materials used to build an Aerobic Digester are off-the-shelf environmental and mining components that are chosen for their durability, longevity, energy efficiency, price, availability, quality, and performance.
How long does it take for humus to be created in an Accelerated Biological Organics Processing (ABOP) system?
ABOP systems have the flexibility to speed up or slow down with your needs. The system can begin creating humus continuously in approximately 40 days. The process can be sped up at your convenience. The 40 days residence time is conservative and was arrived at by the intersection of minimized costs and maximizing performance. Humus does not need curing when it comes out of the ABOP systems . Humus is the organic matter and the nutrients of your feedstock in a stabilized form.
What can you do with humus?
Humus provides vitality to soil. Humus could be used as a top dressing or as a soil amendment. It can be mixed with other materials to form soil blends. Lands that are unproductive can be upgraded to valuable arable properties with humus. Humus is the foundation of soil health.
What is sustainable sustainability?
Sustainable sustainability implies operating in a sustainable fashion at a cost that is less than that of operating in an unsustainable manner. A good example is processing organic resources for half as much as it costs to landfill them.
What are the differences between aerated static pile (ASP) processing and Accelerated Biological Organics Processing (ABOP)?
Aerobic Digestion offers a dramatic improvement in processing control. The improved control provides an optimal environment for the aerobic microbes that are used to process the organic feedstock. ASP’s cannot provide an optimal environment for microbes. ASP does not control moisture, nutrient movement, oxygen supply, or the components necessary for microbial health. ASP’s are constrained by only being able to blow air or suck air into or out of the pile of material. This offers minimal control of the microbial biology that processing depends on. An ABOP system has a much larger microbial population that processes feedstock faster and more efficiently. An ABOP systems has many times the processing capabilities of an ASP with the same footprint, because an ABOP system has many times more microbes working at any given time.
What is the operating life of an Accelerated Biological Organics Processing (ABOP) system?
ABOP systems are designed to operate indefinitely with small cost-effective rebuilds or replacements of components as they wear out. The components are reasonably priced and they last a long time. A major attribute of ABOP is that it can provide trouble free operations for decades.
How scalable is an Accelerated Biological Organics Processing (ABOP) system?
ABOP systems can be operated below capacity and at capacities that exceed standard operating utilization. ABOP systems can be operated at volumes associated with community gardens and can be designed to process all the organic materials found in large metropolitan areas. The technology is the same throughout. An existing ABOP system can be expanded with fairly minor modifications. Original designs should take into consideration the likelihood of significant increases in material becoming available with the lower prices and the higher quality product associated with ABOP systems.
How does Accelerated Biological Organics Processing (ABOP) eliminate the production of methane?
An ABOP system optimizes the biological conditions that favor aerobic microorganisms. The aerobic microorganisms are far more effective at processing organic material then methanogenic organisms. The aerobic organisms simply outcompete the methane producing microbes and the methane producing microbe population never develops.
How big is an Accelerated Biological Organics Processing (ABOP) system?
An ABOP system can have a footprint of a fraction of an acre or as processing capacity increases, several acres. The microbes operate effectively at all capacities because of the optimized conditions. The microbes operate best at large capacities. The smaller volume ABOP systems are still far superior to any size ASP processing systems.
What is the value of humus?
Humus is a very valuable soil amendment. It has applications in virtually any landscaping or agricultural application. Humus is the basic building block of all fertile soil. It provides a multitude of necessary characteristics that optimize the value and fertility of soil. Soil vitality and the overall health of the soil depends on humus.
How do you use humus to make soil blends to fit specific applications?
Humus is a valuable commodity. Soil blends value is defined on how much humus it contains. Soils should be provided with humus based on their expected use. Agricultural soils can never have too much humus. Humus production can be utilized to sequester carbon.
How does an Accelerated Biological Organics Processing (ABOP) system provide 1,000 times greater processing capability than an ASP?
The combination of precise control of water content, oxygen, temperature, nutrients, and complete control of the materials and biota provides the optimal environment for aerobic microorganisms.
Can invasive species be processed in an Accelerated Biological Organics Processing (ABOP) system?
The seed pods of invasive species are processed by the microorganisms or they germinate and die in the ABOP system. ABOP processes the seed to a stable humus. Humus will be sterile until wind-blown seeds are allowed contact and they proliferate.