DAQ-2025-000196

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Survey Questions for Composting Facilities

The EPA has designated the portions of Salt Lake, Davis, Tooele, Weber and Utah Counties as
“nonattainment” areas under the Clean Air Act, due to high levels of ozone pollution. Utah’s
Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has been tasked with creating ways to reduce ozone
pollution in this area. One of the many projects that DEQ is considering is optimizing compost
management, which will reduce ozone and other emissions.
This project is important for improving Utah’s air quality, human health, and in complying with federal
law. Please take a moment to fill out this survey so that the DEQ can better understand how composting
facilities affect Utah’s air quality. The information provided will allow the DEQ to get a better
understanding of local composting processes and actual emissions within these two counties. Thank you
for your time and participation.
Please return the completed survey to Tasnuva Islam at the DEQ [e-mail].
If you have any questions regarding the survey, call [phone] or email [e-mail].

Your Contact Information:

Name: Date:
Company Name:
Address:
Email: Phone:

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1) How much raw material/feedstock does the facility receive over the course of a year? (in wet
ton)

2) What is the composition, and weight, of your feedstock over the course of a year? Please fill in
the table below. If the feedstock is variable, please identify how it changes.

In the given example, a facility receives a mix of 15% Green Waste and 85% Food Waste in the
months of January to May. In the months of June to December, this changes to 70% Green
Waste and 30% Food waste.

Example:
Waste Type Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Green
Waste (%)
15 15 15 15 15 70 70 70 70 70 70 70
Food Waste
(%)
85 85 85 85 85 30 30 30 30 30 30 30
Manure (%) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Woodchips
(%)
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Other (%) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total %
(should add
up to 100)
100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

Your Facility:
Waste Type Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Green
Waste (%)

Food Waste
(%)

Manure (%)
Woodchips
(%)

Other (%)

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Total %
(should add
up to 100)

3) Which materials does this facility refuse to accept for composting, if any (e.g., treated wood,
hazardous waste)?

4) What is your standard compost pile configuration, in feet?

Width: _________ Length_________ Height: __________
Spacing Between Piles: ___________

5) How many piles does your facility typically have?

o _____________________________________________________________

6) Where are your compost piles located (Check all that apply)?
o Inside, or within an enclosed space (for example barrels)
o Outside but covered
o Outside uncovered
o Other: _______________________________________________________

7) If your piles are covered, what are they covered with (Check all that apply)?
o Plastic Tarps
o Finished compost
o Mulch or woodchips
o Other: _______________________________________________________

8) How are your piles aerated (Check all that apply)?
o Passive (Natural airflows with chimneys)
o Active aeration
□ Negative forced aeration
□ Positive forced aeration
□ Turned windrow
o Other: _______________________________________________________

9) If active aeration is used, please provide the aeration rate or the number of times the pile is
turned.

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o Rate of aeration for forced systems (lbs. air per minute): ______________________

o Number of pile turns per unit time (ex: every 5 days/ biweekly) : ________________

10) Are there any additional techniques, controls, or processes that are used in this facility that you
can describe here? (e.g.j biofilters or aerated static piles):

______________________________________________________________________

11) How often are compost moisture levels measured?

______________________________________________________________________

12) How often are compost oxygen levels measured?

______________________________________________________________________

13) How often is compost temperature measured?

______________________________________________________________________

14) How are these measurements collected?

______________________________________________________________________

15) Are there any other measurements collected (such as emissions), and how often are they
measured?

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
16) Please provide the typical duration (days) and measurements (range of measurement) of each
phase of composting at your facility, as well as any measurement information about each phase.

Composting Phases

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Feedstock Piles Actively Composting
Piles Curing Piles
Duration (days)
Carbon/Nitrogen Ratio
Moisture Content (%)
Internal Pile
Temperature (˚F)

17) What is done with excess material when capacity has been exceeded? Is overflow stored
somewhere, or offloaded?

______________________________________________________________________

18) Does the facility have a fire prevention plan? Have there been any fire incidents at this facility?

______________________________________________________________________