Client Needs

Sobucyzna, Poland needed to compost municipal solid waste (MSW) in order to reduce the volume of organic material going to their landfill per European Union directives to reduce greenhouse gases and reduce the likelihood of ground water contamination. They needed an in-vessel technology with the following:

• Would be completely enclosed
• Would achieve the reduction in volatile solids required by EU regulations 
• Could be CE certified for safety
• Would facilitate a high level remote technical support from the designer/manufacturer via web access

ECS Solution

In 2013 ECS and our Polish partner, WCI-Natcol, won the contract to design and supply the process technology for an in-vessel composting facility in Sobucyzna Poland. Start-up began in September 2014 and the facility was put into full operation in December 2014.  
 
The ECS in-vessel tunnel system was selected as the compost process solution for Sobuczyna.  The Sobuczyna composting facility is co-located at the City of Czestochowa landfill, along with a MRF for processing recyclables.  The Sobuczyna facility is designed to compost 40,000 tons per year of organic heavy MSW.  The composted product is called “Stabilzat” (Stabilized MSW Compost) and is used for Alternate Daily Cover at their landfill.

The in-vessel tunnel is a system designed to provide a high level of process control in order to reliably reduce odors and rapidly stabilize the biomass during the initial 17-28 days of primary composting. A single stream of MSW enters the facility where recyclables are removed (by pickers), and is then passed through a 0-80 mm screen. Fines from the screen are sent to the in-vessel tunnel system that is comprised of 18 vessels with a capacity of about 250 cubic yards each. The vessels are loaded/unloaded with front-end loaders.
 
One of the key features of this system include the latest generation of ECS tunnel doors. These 4m x 4m doors are constructed from custom tooled fiberglass insulated panels that are very strong, lightweight and flat. The ship two parts, assemble at site in a simple jig, and are easy for operators to manage with a hydraulic door lifting carriage that is manually positioned side-to-side. 
 
This municipal scale compost system help facilitate good process conditions and low odor composting.