Biomass and Textile Waste Composting Coupled with CO2 Capture

WOODS, ETHAN; QIU, YAOJING; RONDON VERRIO, VANESA; BERLIN, PERRY; CLAUSER, NICOLÁS M.; SAGUES, JOE

Alexandria

Simposio; 46th annual Symposium on Biomaterials, Fuels, and Chemicals; 2024

SBFC

In the field of biomass carbon removal and storage (BiCRS) technologies, carbon from biomass is biologically or chemically converted to a form of carbon that can be stored for long time periods. While the field is growing rapidly, one particular biomass conversion pathway has been overlooked: composting. Composting is a natural process wherein aerobic microbes break down waste products such as food, yard waste, and manure, to produce a nutrient rich soil amendment. While it is an inherently sustainable use of biomass waste, an overlooked aspect of composting is the emissions produced during the waste conversion process. For the first time we have composted a mixture of biomass and textile waste while optimizing the process to maximize carbon dioxide produced for subsequent capture and sequestration. We have been able to produce carbon dioxide concentrations ranging from 18% to 95% and have modelled microbial communities to determine those most effective at deconstructing biomass in composting conditions. Through technoeconomic modeling of our proposed composting process, we have identified a viable path to capturing carbon dioxide from compost at a competitive price ($85/ton CO2). Composting has the potential to become a billion-ton carbon capture pathway while sustainably returning nutrients to soils and eliminating waste products typically destined for landfills.