Top: Black Earth Compost’s newest facility is on top of a closed landfill. Photo courtesy Black Earth Compost

Black Earth Compost, a Massachusetts-based food waste collection and composting company, opened its Northshore Regional Composting Facility in Manchester-by-the-Sea (MA) in summer 2024. This facility replaced Black Earth’s site in Manchester, where it operated since 2017. The 1.6 acre enclosed aerated static pile facility sits on top of a closed landfill. It has capacity to compost up to 90 tons/week of food waste, says Andrew Brousseau, co-owner. “The fabric-covered building houses the primary, and smelliest, stages of composting. Food waste is tipped and mixed with amendment in the front part of the building, which is under negative aeration, with air pulled into a biofilter next to the building for treatment. Next, the material is put into aerated bays on the backside of the building. Active composting in the bays is done under positive aeration. Curing is done outside.”

An innovation at the facility is a sort line that is being installed outside the back end of the building to remove contaminants. Black Earth Compost accepts certified compostable packaging, which disintegrates during active composting. “Incoming feedstocks, which are heavy in compostables, are not shredded or ground prior to mixing with yard trimmings,” explains Brousseau. “After active composting, the food and the compostable packaging are gone, so it is easy to see and pick out the trash. This approach to contaminant management has been an evolution for us. It made sense to get the trash out before it gets fragmented by the front-end loader when turning the curing piles, and when the food and compostables are gone. So far, it seems to be working.” The sorting line isn’t operating yet, so compost is conveyed out of the building and onto the ground where the picking takes place.