Cornell Waste Management Institute
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The Cornell Waste Management Institute (CWMI) was established in 1987. CWMI addresses the environmental and social issues associated with waste management by focusing University resources and capabilities on this pressing economic, environmental and political issue. Through research, outreach and teaching activities, CWMI staff and affiliated researchers and educators work to develop technical solutions to waste management problems and to address broader issues of waste generation and composition, waste reduction, risk management, environmental equity and public decision-making. The focus for such work is on multidisciplinary projects that integrate research and outreach.
For more information, go to the Cornell Waste Management Institute Home Page.
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Item Home Composting Slide ShowBonhotal, Jean (Cornell Waste Management Institute, 2023)Item Fish/Shellfish Waste CompostingCornell Waste Management Institute (2017)There's nothing worse than a pile of dead fish. Except maybe a pile of the leftover parts of dead fish: heads, tails, internal organs, and all that. Disposing of this waste can be a problem for anyone who cleans and processes fish, from big commercial food processors to small sport-fishing operations. This article gives information on composting fish/shellfish wasteItem Food Scrap Composting ProjectCornell Waste Management Institute (1998)The goal of the 1998 Cornell Waste Management Institute project (Composting Food Wastes: Education and Technical Assistance for Businesses and Institutions) was to increase the capacity to compost the tremendous amount of food scraps produced in New York State. To this end, several things were accomplished through this project. Educational materials were developed and disseminated in a user-friendly form, a workshop was conducted, and pilot projects initiated. Through this project, institutions and businesses learned to divert and compost food scraps.Item Municipal Solid Waste Composting Fact Sheets 1-7Cornell Waste Management Institute (1996)A set of seven fact sheets and a glossary for composting Municipal Solid Waste (MSW). Written by various authors for Cornell Waste Management Institute ©1996 1. Physical Processing 2. Biological Processing 3. Contaminants 4. Heavy Metals 5. Risk Assessment 6. Policy and Regulation 7. Quality AssuranceItem The Science and Engineering of CompostingCornell Waste Management Institute (1996)Composting can be pursued at many different levels, from the gardener who likes to produce "black gold" to the operator of a multi-acre commercial composting facility. Some of the topics in the Science and Engineering section may be far too technical to be relevant to casual composters. On the other hand, some may be intriguing. You might, for example, wish to learn more about the invertebrates or the microorganisms that create compost. You might be curious about the temperature curve produced by compost as it goes through its cycle of heating and cooling. Or you might like to learn how to measure the pH or moisture content of your compost. You might even want to try calculating desirable proportions for the materials you wish to compost. We invite you to explore these pages to whatever level your curiosity takes you, realizing that compost is a rich topic for scientific research and discovery as well as a practical method of recycling organic matter and reducing solid waste.Item Municipal Yard Waste Composting - Operator's Fact Sheets Series #1-10 IntroductionRichard, Tom (1996-01-08)These 10 fact sheets cover the most important aspects of operating a municipal yard waste composting facility: Compost process, Compost ingredients, Water, Oxygen, Temperature, Building windrows, Turning windrows,Chipping woody wastes, Health and safety precautions, TroubleshootingItem On-farm Composting Handbook Appendix ACornell Waste Management Institute (Northeast Regional Agricultural Engineering Service - Cornell University, 1992)Item Cornell Composting - Composting in SchoolsCornell Waste Management Institute (1996)Composting in Schools is a special section for students and teachers using composing in the classroom. It includes sections on Why Composting?, Teacher's Page, Lab Activities, Composting Health Considerations, Ideas for Student Research Products, Compost Quiz (with answers), Composting Indoors, Composting Outdoors, Weird and Unusual Composting, Frequently Asked Questions and a Glossary.Item Sustainable Waste Management in Mongolia, DornodBonhotal, Jean (2019-08)Jean Bonhotal was invited to Mongolia to work with officials there in order to mine resources from Dornod aimags waste stream and add value to those products. The following is a summary of the work she did there through the Fulbright Specialist Program.Item Develop Manufactured Topsoil Mixes to Support the Growth of Pollinator-Friendly Vegetation in Roadside SettingsBonhotal, Jean (2019-10)Concerns about declining pollinator populations in North America have increased interest in investigating and promoting habitat that can support pollinators. Research has shown that the maintenance of native wildflowers on roadsides is beneficial to pollinators; roadsides with native plants have been found to support many species of both bees and butterflies. Roadsides form one of the most extensive networks of linear habitats. They extend across a variety of landscapes, providing opportunities to increase pollinator habitat, offering forage for food and breeding or nesting opportunities, and aiding in the dispersal of pollinators by linking fragmented habitats. The restoration and management of roadside habitat can benefit a broad suite of pollinators. CWMI is working with NYSDOT (New York State Department of Transportation) with funding by UTRC and FHWA through NYSDOT to help develop appropriate soil mixes to encourage native wildflower growth resulting in pollinator-friendly vegetation. This presentation describes the project.