The Rotary Club of Numurkah visited the Western Composting Technology facility on Monday 7th November.
Chairman Terry Brennan introduced Ken Martin site manager of Western Composting Technology.

Ken welcomed Rotarians to the site.

Councils need to look at alternatives to landfill with EPA setting high dollar value on tips, and the fact 1 tonne of waste generates 5 tonnes of gas.

The site was chosen away from residential area, and was built with European technology but using local tradesmen.

The plant is audited every year with an external audit every four years.

The organic waste material is mainly from kerbside collections from Shepparton, Moira, Wangaratta, Strathbogie, and Benalla Shires.

Abattoirs, law enforcement agencies, food processors and orchards waste is also processed at plant.

Trucks on arrival are weighed, identified, then dump load.

Load is then de-contaminated to remove non-organic waste. Contaminated waste is weighed and data sent to councils, before being compacted and sent to landfill.

35% of labour time at plant spent on de-contamination.

Organic waste is then moved to a tunnel for processing. The tunnel technology allows the controlling of temperature, moisture and oxygen levels and is a completely closed system, which minimises odour.

Maintained at 55 degrees for at least 3-5 days to start the compositing process.

Material then put into maturation rows and aerated to refine the product.

End product of compost sold for $16 cubic metre.