FAQs

They are affordability, availability and ease of use
Roll-off dumpsters are easy to find, easy to use and affordable:
Current waste management best practices mean dumpsters are available in every community, rural or urban, in the developed world. Competing waste haulers have these available at low rental rates and they are likewise available, both used or new, for affordable purchase prices. Their mobility means they can be placed in different locations on the property, their quantities can be increased, decreased or even eliminated at any time and they come in different sizes as the manure or waste volume rises and falls. They are very scalable and they are uniform in length and width for one design of aeration system. Not being a permanent structure means no building permits are required to take advantage of the Dungster composting method. They are nearly indestructable ... a tractor's weight inside a dumpster is no issue. While compost is a valued commodity its value is not so high that wastefully expensive methods can be used to manufacture compost. And, if composting is done mostly for regulatory compliance, the lowest cost acceptable method is desired.

No. The Dungster aeration system can be used on any surface or in any building or containment system for the waste/organics. A paved surface or simply on level earth can be used. If used in an alternative way, without a dumpster's footprint, the pipe lengths and diameters may need to be revised. Ask Dungster for assistance. Compromises such as the quality of the finished compost and a less eco-friendly process are to be expected outside the dumpster vessel.

Remember a composter is a bio-reactor. These reactors work best if the variables are well controlled. The cubic dimensions of a roll-off dumpster are all controlled, the X & Y "footprint" is fixed and Z-axis (vertical) is one of three set dimensions (20, 30 and 40-yard dumpsters).

Not ordinarily
In fact the EPA writes that "Compost can be used to remediate soils contaminated by hazardous waste in a cost effective manner. Compost can provide cost savings over conventional soil, water and air pollution remediation technologies, where applicable. Compost enhances water retention in soils. Compost provides carbon sequestration." See resources section.

Compost, like any dusty bulk commodity can cause health issues if inhaled and most specifically for persons with compromised health conditions. Gloves and a mask are the only personal protective equipment necessary.

The blower is the only moving part of the entire system. The blower's duty cycle (on-time vs off-time) is less than 5% on-time. It will cost less than $25/month per composter.

Wood chips are recommended to be added on either side of the aeration pipes to enhance air distribution. These might have to be purchased and could be a consumable expense. In percentage terms they are immaterial and are very inexpensive if they are purchased. However, the wood chips also become an integral portion of the finished compost and as such, if compost is sold, the chips become a portion of the product sales value. The chips are helpful during the curing phase of the composting process as a coursing agent.

Compared to the "turned pile method" of composting the Dungster method is a fraction of the daily workload. A turned pile should be turned several times a day as the oxygen introduced by turning is depleted within a couple hours time. This means, with turned piles, a) many "turns" of the pile are required and still b) the time to complete composting is multiples of the 30 days time Dungster is actively composting.

Look at this way, if most manure piles are handled twice (once from stall to pile "out back" and again from the pile "out-back" to another final deposition) then the "best" Dungster process requires no more labor.

The "best" Dungster process would be to have two dumpsters on-hand; one actively composting and another being filled every day with daily stall cleaning waste. When the active one is done composting (30 days after turning it on) the two dumpsters flip-flop roles (active composting and daily filling). Naturally larger operations might need more than two dumpsters on-hand. If two dumpsters cannot be accommodated in terms of either space or finances, one dumpster can be used albeit with manure handled one more time (from the stall to the usual pile "out-back" awaiting to the sole Dungster composter to be "done" and emptied).

While removing the finished compost from the dumpster with a tractor's front bucket is usual practice, another, and a time saving practice, is to have a waste hauler use their truck to pick-up the entire dumpster and dump the finished batch in one step. Naturally this is either paid for or done "as a favor" when the hauler is on-site or nearby for another reason (the periodic waste removal from the property or a neighbor's property). A good relationship with a waste hauler (who wants to retain your business) means a 15-minute favor, once a month, is usually easy to arrange. This can be consideration to rent dumpsters rather than buy them. A rental relationship can lead to these "favors" being routinely accommodated. Aside from saving labor, other benefits of this bulk emptying step arises such as the opportunity to relocate the entire volume with ease.

Yes, Dungsters composters should be covered, for several reasons.

Covers promote moisture stability by preventing the sun from drying the volume and precipitation from adding moisture. As mentioned before, a composter is a bio-reactor. These reactors work best if the variables are well controlled.

Environmentally a cover is also a good practice so to avoid during times of heavy precipitation the vessel generating leachate.

Finally, covers discourage the uninformed person from throwing waste into the dumpster thinking it is a conventional dumpster for routine waste removal.

Any cover will do, even a tarp, and Dungster can assist the operator in selecting a suitable cover. There are several 3rd party covers available. They do not need to be "sealed" but they do need to be secured and able with-stand windy conditions.

This list of items (and the purpose for each item) will satisfy most requirements. Most items are available locally or are already on the property.

A reasonably level area for each dumpster with open ground on the door end roughly 40 feet in length. This permits space for the aeration system withdraw and traffic space for emptying the dumpster.
Three railroad ties per dumpster. These are placed under the dumpster so they do not sit directly on soil. There is a functional use as well shown in the operators manual supplied with the kits. Don't forget this requirement!
A tractor with a front bucket and/or manure fork attachment. This is for loading and unloading the dumpster.
115-volt, 20-amp electrical service. This is for the blower and its control. Note, no "extension cord" is included with the Dungster kits since no two sites are the same, plan accordingly.
A cover of some sort, a tarp as the minimum. As mentioned above as a best practice.
A composting thermometer at least 3 feet in length. The resulting temperature readings will guide the user in adjusting the on/off duty cycle of the blower for the best composting. The operators manual supplied with the Dungster kits will provide advice on the initial blower settings and how to adjust the on/off timing of the blower as the temperature readings change.

Yes.
However these are usually a different (and shorter) length therefore using a shorter aeration system. Such aeration kits are not usually stocked and will be on a longer delivery time.

Decide whether the blower end, with the vertical manifold, will be on the door end or opposite the door end. Wheelbarrow loading might determine this position, see below.

Wheelbarrow loading might determine this position, see below. Place the aeration pipes, by gravity alone, on the bottom surface with their air holes pointing DOWNWARD at about 5 and 7 o’clock. Tap the pipe ends so the joints engage one with the next. The assembly should be slightly shorter than the length of the dumpster. The pipes should have 40 some inches between them and an equal space to the side walls. The vertical manifold determines this exact width. The pipes should run mostly parallel.Place the vertical manifold into position BEFORE adding wood chips, this sets the final width between the aeration pipes. Adjust the parallelism of the pipes and their distance to the walls.  This does not need to be precise, +/- one or two inches either way is fine.

Place 2 to 4 inches of wood chips in the bottom beside the aeration pipes, more thickness of chips against the pipes and less away from the pipes.

FILLING WITH MANURE and BEDDING:

IMPORTANT: Check Moisture Content of each added volume.

Composting is tolerant of errors but not this error. The materials added must be moist, it should not be DRY! The moisture should that of a wrung-out sponge, wet to touch but not swimming in water. Any water will do, not necessarily clean water. For example, it is okay to use yesterday’s stall buckets being refreshed with new water. Use the leftover old water in the composter volume to add moisture. Or rain caught in a rain barrow is also fine. If water is running out stop adding it, it is wet enough.

Wheelbarrow method:  With this method the vertical manifold is usually at the NON-DOOR end, this so daily chores to add manure and bedding does not pass by a vertical manifold at the door.

Using a plank ramp from the ground to the inside surface of the dumpster holding wood chips wheel the material to the far end over the chips. Do not dump at the near end! Walk/wheel over the loose wood chips to the far end and tip up the wheelbarrow spreading the load left and right to the walls. Let the manure and bedding slope upward from the door end to the opposite end. The added manure and bedding can be your “ramp” so to fill as high as possible. Loose wood planks can be place on this “ramp” for more sure footing, only ensure not to bury the planks, pull them back as it is filling up. Be sure to fill across the entire width from wall-to-wall. The moisture content mentioned above should be uniform in width and depth. After filling most of the dumpster the ramp will become too steep and the wheelbarrow method must be abandoned. Close the door end, being sure the extraction cables are not pinched in the door. If available, fill the remaining empty volume using a tractor’s front bucket. NEVER drive a tractor into the dumpster with aerations pipes, the aeration pipes will be crushed and ruined! Apply a cover and plug the blower into the control to begin composting.

Tractor method: (With this method the vertical manifold can be at either end).

The same moisture precaution applies.

See the animation on www.dungstercomposting.com  Assure the wood chips are spread between the aeration pipes, heavier at the pipes and thinner in between. Close the door end, being sure the extraction cables are not pinched in the door. Working from the long axis of the dumpster on the outside, tip the tractor’s bucket over the edge of the dumpster filling the volume to near the top. Level the volume within an inch or 2 of the top edges. If available, add a layer of compost from a prior batch to the top surface as a “blanket” and “Bio-layer.”  Apply a cover and plug the blower into the control to begin composting.

IMPORTANT: Check Moisture Content of each added volume.
Composting is tolerant of errors but not this error. The materials added must be moist, it should not be DRY! The moisture should that of a wrung-out sponge, wet to touch but not swimming in water. Any water will do, not necessarily clean water. For example, it is okay to use yesterday’s stall buckets being refreshed with new water. Use the leftover old water in the composter volume to add moisture. Or rain caught in a rain barrow is also fine. If water is running out stop adding it, it is wet enough.