HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-08-17 Compost facility
Lawrence Morris
Compost Facility
603 County Landfill Road
Port Townsend, WA 98368
360-385-7908
compost@cityofpt.us
Contact: Lawrence Morris, 385-7908
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
City of Port Townsend Compost FacilityReaches 100th Batch Milestone
We here at the City of Port Townsend compost facility have reached a milestone and thought it
would be a good time to share some interesting facts about what we have been doing for the past
24 years.
The facility was constructed back in 1992 and began operation in 1993. It was in 1994 that we sold our first batch of
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compost and we are currently selling our 100 batch of compost. We are quite happy with the fact that we have been able to
sell 100 batches of compost to the community members that have used our product for years and to the newest customer
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that we meet. To get to the 100 batch our previous batches have ranged from 200-300 cubic yards all the way to 1200-1500
cubic yards for a total of 75,169 cubic yards that we have produced and sold. In making that amount of compost we have
also brought in and processed 80,075 tons of yard debris that has come into us from the community.
It is our goal and mission here at the Compost Facility to take three waste streams (biosolids from the City’s
wastewater treatment facility, septage solids from the pumping of septic tanks in Jefferson County, and yard debris from the
community) and treat and recycle these resources back into a product that is a nutrient rich compost. The compost helps to
amend our soils so they give back to us the healthy plants, fruits, and vegetables that we see and enjoy in our community.
Before we are able to sell the compost, we are required by EPA (40 CFR Part 503), WA Department of Ecology (WAC 173-
308 and WAC 173-350-220), and Jefferson County Environmental Health Department to test each batch to ensure that it
meets all of the regulations and requirements for it to be classified as a Class A exceptional quality compost. These tests
include testing for Salmonella and heavy metals (including mercury and lead).
We would like to thank the customers who have come in and purchased those 75,000+ cubic yards of compost
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throughout the years which has allowed us to reach this 100 batch milestone and look forward to serving our community for
years to come