Compost

Composting is probably the oldest form of recycling. It is the best way to "act locally". To do it, all you need is a small amount of yard space. Local agricultural extension agencies across the country have been promoting composting to teach people how to use food wastes, trimmings, and even some small amounts of paper to cut down on what is going into landfills.

Additions of compost to soil and mulching with it will hold in moisture, requiring less watering, keep weeds down, and provide a home to worms and microbes.

The homeowner has a variety of choices. You should try a few and pick what works best for you. Below we have some suggestions that incorporate EM•1^®. Remember, Let EM•1^® Do The Work! Adding the Effective Microorganisms™ will ensure control of pathogens, odors, and accelerate the breakdown of materials by several months. The EM•1^® Bokashi method is very quick and preserves the much-wanted nitrogen of green materials because it controls the heat process.

Applications

Aerobic Method:
The turners and tumblers you see everywhere for composting are designed to allow air into the materials you wish to compost. Compost, by definition is the aerobic breakdown of organic matter. It is a rotting process. During this process, you turn the contraption often and will have to add water to keep the materials moist. Adding EM•1^® to a compost pile helps increase the air flow into the pile, increasing the aerobic populations in the pile. This means you can get more air transfer in a pile with less turning...or less work!

Three bin food waste composting with EM in the Netherlands.

Add 10 ounces of EM•1^® for every cubic foot of material.

Static Pile (Anaerobic Method):
This is usually for larger items like sticks and leaves that will take a longer time to break down than grass and food scraps. These piles are usually left for about a year and may be turned once or twice during that time.

Add about 10 ounces of EM•1^® for every cubic foot of material.

EM•1^® Bokashi Method (Semi-anaerobic):
This is a quick fermentation method that is centuries old. Organic (carbon: leaves, grass, wood chips, etc.) materials are collected and piled. Be sure to include some fresh manures (cow, chicken, pig, rabbit, etc.) at a ratio of 1 carbon: 20 parts manure.

As the materials are piled, water with a solution of EM•1^®, molasses, and water (1:1:100). The moisture content of the pile should be about 35-40% moisture.

Once this is achieved, cover the pile with a tarp and weight down with rocks and/ or boards. Fermentation will take about two weeks. The longer you let it sit, the better.

After the fermentation cycle is complete, the materials are ready to incorporate into the soil. You will likely see white mold on the pile. This is a beneficial mold and is a sign of success. Depending on what was used (food scraps, etc.) you will not want to mulch with this material as it will attract animals. If it is made only with plant material, you can mix it with compost or bark mulch to mulch with.

For larger piles of a cubic yard, the application rate of EM•1^® Microbial Inoculant Lawn & Garden is about 1-1.5 gallons per cubic yard (ton), diluted into the water use to reach proper moisture for composting.

Testimonial

I have been using EM•1^® products for about 3 years now, and have introduced many others to the fantastic product. I consider it to be "yogurt-for-the-planet" as it corrects the bacterial flora of whatever it is used on, and is amazing as a compost starter. So, to summarize, I use it for cleaning and gardening. It is fully advocated by the New Zealand government on their agricultural website, and they are at the cutting edge of environmentalism. Thanks for supplying such a useful product.

Dan

Fairfax, CA

Ingredients in EM•1®

ACTIVE INGREDIENTS:
Microorganisms: 1 million colony forming units/cc (units/ml), 1%: Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactobacillus delbrueckii, Bacillus subtilis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Rhodopseudomonas palustris.

INACTIVE INGREDIENTS:
96% Water and 3% Molasses

OMRI Listing

MSDS

EM•1^® (Effective Microorganisms™) Microbial Inoculant

PREPARED: 09/01/06

PRODUCT NAME: EM•1^® Microbial Inoculant

PRODUCED BY:
EMRO USA, Inc. dba EMRO USA Effective Microorganisms
2440 N. Coyote Drive Suite 126
Tucson, AZ 85745
Phone: (520) 792-3143 Fax: (928) 563-1037>

SECTION I - PRODUCT IDENTIFICATION
GENERAL OR GENERIC NAME: Liquid Microbial Inoculant
HAZARD RATING:
HEALTH - 0 Normal Material
FIRE - 0 Will not burn
REACTIVITY - 0 Stable

SECTION II - HAZARDOUS INGREDIENTS
If present, carcinogens and chemicals subject to reporting are identified in this section:

INGREDIENTS %(By Volume) Note

No hazardous ingredients present; not hazardous to humans, animals or plants.

SECTION III - PHYSICAL DATA
BOILING POINT: >100 °C
SPECIFIC GRAVITY: 1.2 (25°c)
VAPOR PRESSURE: N/D
SOLUBILITY IN WATER: Complete
VAPOR DENSITY: Air = 1
MELTING POINT: N/A
% VOLATILE BY VOLUME: 0
EVAPORATION RATE: Equal to water
APPERANCE AND ODOR: Brown liquid; mild
pH OF SOLUTION: 3.5

SECTION IV - FIRE AND EXPLOSION INFORMATION
FLASH POINT: N/A
EXPLOSION LIMIT: 0
EXTINGUISHING: N/A
FIRE FIGHTING PROCEDURES: N/A
SPECIAL FIRE & EXPLOSION HAZARDS: None
HAZARDOUS DECOMPOSITION BYPRODUCTS: None

SECTION V - HEALTH HAZARD DATA
HEALTH HAZARDS: None
CARCINOGENICITY: Non-carcinogenic
EFFECTS OF CHRONIC OVEREXPOSURE: None
PERMISSIBLE EXPOSURE LEVEL: None; see Section II
PRIMARY ROUTES OF ENTRY: Skin contact, Eye contact, Ingestion, Inhalation
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF EXPOSURE:
SKIN - None
EYES - May cause eye irritation
INHALATION - None
INGESTION - May cause gas

FIRST AID:
IF ON SKIN - None
IF ON EYES - Flush with fresh water
IF INHALED - None
IF INGESTED - Drink fresh water

SECTION VI - REACTIVITY DATA
INCOMPATIBILITY: None
HAZARDOUS POLYMERIZATION: Will not occur
HAZARDOUS DECOMPOSITION OR BYPRODUCTS: None; biodegradable
STABILITY: Stable, not effected by freezing. No toxic fumes.

SECTION VII - SPILL OR LEAK PROCEDURES
IN CASE OF LEAK OR SPILL: Mop up with fresh water, sewer disposal
WASTE DISPOSAL METHOD: Sewer disposal
HANDLING AND STORING PRECAUTIONS: Store at room temperature
OTHER PRECAUTIONS: Not recommended for human consumption

SECTION VIII - PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT TO BE USED
RESPIRATORY PROTECTION: None
VENTILATION: None
PROTECTIVE GLOVES: Optional
EYE PROTECTION: Safety glasses recommended
PROTECTIVE CLOTHING: None
WORK PRACTICES: Clean up spills immediately; floor will be slick