Client Needs

The City of Los Angeles, in compliance with California’s AB 1826, increased the food waste diversion requirements for haulers operating within its jurisdiction. In response Agromin needed a composting technology vendor to:

• Design a moderately sized compost facility for processing a combination of yard waste and food waste;
• Provide air emission, water usage and other calculations in support of their permitting process;
• Provide and support an Aerated Static Pile composting system located near neighbors, an airport, and within a tight timeframe.

ECS Solution

ECS worked with the Agromin team to provide facility layout, mechanical and electrical design, and engineering support for permitting. The compost process follows best management practices and is a bio-layer covered aerated static pile (CASP) in a mass-bed configuration with: negative only aeration system, CompTroller™ automated control and monitoring, pipe-on-grade aeration distribution and biofiltration.

The negative aeration system and fan are made from stainless steel. The CompTroller™ and other electrical components are pre-tested and pre-assembled at the ECS manufacturing facility in Seattle. There are 11 – 20’ x 70’ compost zones each containing ~460 yd³.

ECS began equipment fabrication in July; construction/installation began in September; and start up and training was completed in early December 2017. The Agromin Chino project is an excellent example of designing and supplying appropriate technology for the specific feedstocks and site constraints found at the Chino facility.