Composting in the county is about experience some improvements.
The Balls Ford Road Compost Facility project in Bristow is ongoing.
In December 2018, work on the project started. According to a release from Prince William County, it’s slated to be finished in spring 2020.
Yard waste, meat, dairy, vegetative food and liquids are going to be processed at the facility.
Only food from grocery stores, restaurants and schools are going to be accepted at first.
“We want to ensure the citizens are properly educated on how, what and when concerning the disposal of their food waste,” Prince William County Solid Waste Division Engineer Bernie Osilka said in a release. “Once we have our procedures set, we’ll be able to accept material from the public.”
The waste management service will sort out between 80,000 and 100,000 tons of waste each year. It currently processes 50,000 tons.
In addition to handling more waste, the facility will reduce the amount of time spent composting it.
Through biofilters and concrete bunkers, the process is expected to decrease from almost a year to 120 days, Prince William County Solid Waste Division Engineer Bernie Osilka explained.
Of the waste that ends up in the landfill, 14 percent is from food. When the Balls Ford Road Compost Facility is completed, an anaerobic system will be used to reduce the percentage.
“We’re going to be able to take tons and tons of food waste and make gas, a liquid digestate and compost material from the anaerobic digesters. It helps provide a product in-house,” Osilka said. “The big thing though is it’s eliminating material going into the landfill.”
