Odour emissions during yard waste composting: Effect of turning frequency

In Flanders, yard waste (270 000 tons year−1) is collected separately and treated in 15 open-air composting plants. Although the method is widely used, few systematic scientific studies have been done on factors controllable by the compost operator who processes yard trimmings. These factors include turning frequency and its effect on odour generation. To obtain a clearer view on the point of turning frequency and odour production, a monitoring campaign was set up at three yard waste composting plants with different turning frequencies (plant A: every 6 weeks, plant B: every week and plant C: every 8 weeks).