Composting food wastes. What is a bulking agent?

by Bart
(USA)

Hello, We want to start composting the food wastes we are currently sending to the landfill. We have not decided on what kind of in-vessel composter we are going to purchase. What exactly is a bulking agent? Why do we need to have it? We are a restaurant and we have a couple container emptied about twice a week.

The term "bulking agents" when referring to composting is a term generally used by those who use forced air bagging systems to process compost. It typically refers to a landscape or wood waste product that has been shredded or ground up. It is then mixed with food waste that has been shredded and then stuffed in huge bags, like a giant sausage. A more apt term is "feedstock" In the composting industry it is recognized that when you have organic waste and you want to compost it, you must have a balanced blend of Nitrogen source (N) and of Carbon source (C) For food wastes which are a high "N" source, you would use a recycled landscape or wood product that is shredded to the appropriate size. The two get mixed together and then loaded into your in-vessel composter. It is important to note that the final mix readied for composting can vary greatly. There are many "recipes" or ratios that are used depending on what is most readily available
Some possible sources for feedstock are landscape waste recyclers, wood working shops, and sawmills.

Great Question, Bart. Let us know how you are progressing.
Best Regards,
Jack.