-
Who is AORA?
• Australian Organics Recycling Association
The Australian Organics Recycling Association Limited (AORA)
works with stakeholders to facilitate the conditions through which
surplus organic material can be sustainably and cost-
effectively recycled; and to promote the beneficial use of
compost, soil conditioners and mulches in primary industries.
-
Oldest soils in the world
• Perth and a lot of Western Australia is an upraised Seabed
• Low water Holding capacity
• Poor nutrient levels and ability to hold on to them
• Soil Carbon continuing to be depleted
-
What is Compost?
• Blended Organic inputs – foodwaste, manures, greenwaste
etc.
• Carbon to Nitrogen Ratio
• Moisture content
• Temperature/Pasteurisation
• Generally a 3 month process
• Stability testing
-
Fit for purpose
• Composts can be designed to be fit for purpose
• A mulch is very different to a turf topdress
• Quality – Australian Standards, Organic Certification schemes
(BFA etc), Auditing
• A quality producer will happily take you on a site tour and
explain their process
-
Quality
• Poorly composted or uncomposted products can have massive
negative effects
• Pathogens, pests and disease
• Weeds
• Predictable results - Stabilisation
-
Benefits of using Recycled Organics
• Environmental – diversion from landfill
• Water Efficiency – compost holds water at the roots and mulch
reduces
evaporation and insulates the soil and roots
• Lower maintenance landscaping – reduce irrigation, weed and
disease control,
less nutrition
-
Compost and Climate Change
The Federal Government describes the Carbon Farming Initiative
as a scheme to help Australian land managers, forest growers, and
farmers to earn income from reducing emissions or storing carbon in
the landscape.
The agricultural and horticultural use of compost also supports
climate change mitigation on two fronts:
• Removal of atmospheric carbon through soil carbon
sequestration achieved directly through storage of compost carbon,
and indirectly through enhanced plant growth, which in turn
contributes also to increased soil carbon levels.
• Reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through reduced
use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides (and thus production of
these products) and through reduced irrigation.
• Compost will become a key component in Carbon Trading into the
future.
-
Where is the industry going?
• Its all about the Biology
• Amazing amount of work being undertaken worldwide researching
this
• A lot of the microbes are enablers
• Disease resistant soils
-
More information
• AORA www.aora.org.au
• Compost for Soils page – plenty of case studies
• [email protected]
• 0412378012
http://www.aora.org.au/mailto:[email protected]
-
Slide Title Here
Thank You
