In-Vessel Composting
Operator: Traverse City
Location: Traverse City, MI
Feedstock: Green Waste & Food Waste
Capacity: 180 T/year
Year Installed: 2024
Project Components:
Location: Traverse City, MI
Feedstock: Green Waste & Food Waste
Capacity: 180 T/year
Year Installed: 2024
Project Components:
- Earth Flow IM 20
- Automatic Mixing and Aeration
- Tote Tipper
- Biofilter Odor Control
- Cold Weather Insulation Package
Client’s Requirements
In 2023 and 2024 the City launched a pilot Compost and Food Waste Reduction project. SEEDS Ecology & Education Center and Carter’s Compost support the project with processing management, logistics, oversight, and aid with the selection of interested vendors through RFP hauling contracts as well as food waste source identification. The purpose of the program is to provide some City residents and businesses with easy access to more organic material pickups, especially including food waste.
Goals & Requirements:
Goals & Requirements:
- Capacity to host composting facilities that can accept food waste. Where is the ideal location for a processing system that can accept community-scale organics?
- An understanding of the ‘addressable market’ for services. How big is the market appetite for additional hauling services and also for finished compost products?
- Community partners and/or vendors who can ensure high quality services without burdening City staff and staff capacity. The City does not have the equipment nor the capacity to provide additional hauling services; similarly it is lacking expertise and equipment for food waste composting
Our Solution
The Earth Flow IM20 in vessel composting system is the hub of an impressive partnership between Traverse City, Carter’s Compost and the SEEDS Ecology and Education Center.
Carter’s Compost is a bicycle-powered community food waste collection and composting service started in 2014. SEEDS operates successful community education and engagement programs. Both are key partners of the city who are taking on different roles in the new expanded food waste composting program, along with permaculture and local sustainable agriculture outreach projects. .
Traverse City summarizes the challenges and goals as:
Carter’s Compost is a bicycle-powered community food waste collection and composting service started in 2014. SEEDS operates successful community education and engagement programs. Both are key partners of the city who are taking on different roles in the new expanded food waste composting program, along with permaculture and local sustainable agriculture outreach projects. .
Traverse City summarizes the challenges and goals as:
- Purchasing and hosting a 20-yard “In-Vessel” composter. This containerized system is built in a shipping container and can annually process up to 180 tons of material. Advantages of In-Vessel system is that it is fully contained, relatively tamper proof, and processes waste materials very quickly while keeping the operation relatively odorless.
- Providing and supplying sufficient “brown matter” in the form of wood chips to be added to the food waste in the Earth Flow.
- Partnering with SEEDS Ecology & Education Centers to support City staff capacity to manage, monitor, and train others as requested in the processing systems. Also to facilitate the distribution of the processed product to City-authorized end-users. Finally, to support the development and implementation of related outreach and information campaigns.
- Partnering with one or more organics waste hauler to supply the food waste material, focusing on those that will service City residents and/or businesses.
“This project marks a significant advancement in the City’s efforts to enhance its existing composting operations and expand access to organic material pickups, particularly food waste, for both residents and businesses. The highlight of the initiative is the newly installed 20-yard in-vessel composting unit at the DPS facility, capable of processing nearly 150 tons of food waste annually. This fully enclosed system is ideal for urban environments, ensuring efficient, odor-controlled decomposition.”
-Colleen Paveglio, Communications Manager | City of Traverse City
“The team at Green Mountain has been very supportive getting our system set up and the right people trained! We are ecstatic about our Earth Flow in-vessel composter!” - Megan Alexander, Owner of Carter’s Compost
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