Rich Flammer: Composting Extraordinaire and Friend of SOIL
Rich Flammer and Saddoudly Lambert (Waste Treatment Manager) in Mouchinette
Recently, SOIL had the pleasure of working with Rich Flammer in Haiti—a friend of SOIL, recently inaugurated SOIL Advisory Board member, and owner of the San-Diego based compost consulting firm Hidden Resources. Rich came to train our composting team on identifying issues in the composting process using simple, sensory-based tools, as well as prepare our operations for greater efficiency and output as we ramp up our EkoLakay service coverage to new neighborhoods throughout Cap-Haïtien.
We find his way of explaining the wonderful world of microbes to be quite fascinating and hope you enjoy some of these key insights from his visit as much as we enjoyed having him at the SOIL office.
Can you elaborate on the specific training sessions you conducted with the team at Mouchinette and how it was received?
The team was great! And they’re doing an awesome job creating beautiful compost! My training sessions were met with enthusiasm, responsiveness and carefully considered. We worked on optimizing monitoring, testing and processing protocols, which needed a bit of fine-tuning, but nothing beyond that.
The objectives were to ensure pathogen reduction, maximize the use of composting equipment (while being mindful of and minimizing maintenance and repair requirements), reducing physical contaminants (film plastic, textiles, etc.) in the active substrate and finished compost, and minimizing residence of processed material.
We also discussed the importance of odor monitoring as an indication of windrow health and recipe mix suitability, and in-house analysis, as feasible, for feedstock (the initial ‘raw’ substance that we want to transform, such as human waste mixed with sugar cane husk) and active substrate (this is when the feedstock is in the process of becoming finished compost, but not quite there yet). Currently, only the finished product (compost) is subject to lab testing.
Needless to say, all went well and we accomplished a lot!
Your training emphasized simple, sensory-based techniques like assessing compost moisture through touch and smell. How do these tactile methods enhance the team's ability to manage compost effectively?
Composting is a biological process, and in many ways quite simple. We optimize all conditions for the benefit of the microbes doing the work, and I often equate this in talks to children and young adults as similar to caring for a cat, dog or pet. They need air, water, nutritious food and are healthiest in specific temperature ranges. We take care of pets largely by feel rather than science, knowing when they need food or water, aren’t feeling well because of uncomfortable temperatures, or sometimes just smell “off.”
In the animal world malodors are an indication of poor health, disease and even death. The same holds true for the microbial communities we manage in compost piles. So arguably the most important monitoring implement in composting is your nose. We can tell a lot about the health of a pile by the odors present.
My training was geared towards SOIL compost managers being attuned to odors being generated, and learning to identify various compounds, characters and intensities, much like a sommelier must develop in grading wine.
Lab tests and science are important of course, but the large sample size that windrows offer present a more accurate picture of what’s going on for things like moisture, bulk density, contamination, etc. That’s where human touch and analysis come in and provide the best indication of the health of the substrate and if adjustments need to occur.
In your experience, how do these hands-on techniques compare to more technology-driven approaches in compost assessment?
The composting process hasn’t changed in hundreds of years. Almost all advancements have come in the mechanical/technical realm. They are mostly focused on maximizing capacity and throughput of facilities, minimizing operational time related to both monitoring and processing, and in some states meeting more strict regulatory requirements such as VOC emissions. Lots of these systems work well, but they are increasingly expensive and there’s a pitfall when we lean too much on technology. It’s still a biological process that we can manage relatively easily with minimal technical or computerized help.
The more complex a system, the more operators tend to depend on it, and when it breaks down or fails, they often don’t have or have lost the hands-on skills required for good practical decisions. I’ll forever be a proponent of simple, low-cost approaches to composting where facility operators fully understand the essence of the process and get their hands dirty maintaining it.
What aspects of SOIL's waste treatment operation do you find most interesting?
The coordination and hard work of SOIL staff, particularly managing the collection and processing of so much material from so many homes. I understand that there are challenges, which exist in all such programs, but what I saw was a well-oiled machine and I was so impressed with the staff I met and observed working in their various functions.
What are some of your impressions of Cap-Haitien?
The Citadel and Palace were spectacular, and I really appreciate the SOIL staff taking me there. I would have liked to spend some more time in Cap-Haitien, particularly the markets, but we had a pretty full work agenda and just drove through. The people of Cap-Haitien impressed me the most. We left the apartment every day at 6:30am, and the streets were already full and the town bustling with hard-working people starting their day, driving to work, opening their shops, kids going to school, etc. It was inspiring and great to see. I also really enjoyed the food!
SOIL often invites partners to come and visit the composting site to see the work being done by our team. What would you say to others to encourage them to make the trip?
If you’re already involved with SOIL, you understand how well the organization is managed and operates. But seeing it firsthand is truly a treat, and entirely inspiring. I don’t think you’ll ever fully understand just how impressive this operation and SOIL’s program is without visiting the island and meeting the people who make it tick.
Any recommendations for individuals who are interested in at-home and community composting and want to learn more? Books, podcasts, readings?
There’s a great organization in Washington called the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. They have a wealth of information and are an incredible resource. StopWaste has many great online resources as well. There’s a book called “Teaming with Microbes” by Jeff Lowenfels and Wayne Lewis that’s really good for anyone wanting to learn more about the microbial process.
What are some questions you’d pose to readers to get them to think about how composting affects their daily life?
The biggest pastime in the United States is gardening, and yet most people tend to focus more on caring for their plants than for the soil. But the simple fact is this: you can’t have a great garden without first having healthy soil.
Many of the soil amendments we buy at garden centers come from food scraps, manure, and leaves — in other words, recycled nutrients. Every time people buy these bags of compost, they are actively participating in the process of nutrient recycling without realizing it.
It’s also important to remember that composting, gardening and farming began together, about 10,000 years ago in the Neolithic age. These practices emerged side by side — one wouldn’t exist without the other. That’s why I encourage people to think of composting as an agricultural process; because everyone understands gardening and farming, but few people understand what composting is and how invaluable the end product is to healthy soil and our food system.
Anything else you would like to share?
Don’t walk through the chlorine foot baths in Skechers! Mine fell apart and SOIL was kind enough to find me a pair of replacement sneakers after Nick got tired of me wearing his.
Kidding aside, I can’t truly express just how impressed I am with the entire SOIL operation and staff. Everyone’s doing such an outstanding job! I really enjoyed working with everyone and they treated me with kindness, warmth and respect. Being there working with everyone was an amazing experience I’ll never forgot.
Thank you again, Rich, for your solidarity with the Haitian people and your comrardery with SOIL. We find ourselves inspired by your enthusiasm for transforming waste into resources and moved by the kindness and professionalism of your approach. We’re deeply grateful for the expertise you bring, and that it has allowed us to improve our methods of composting and build up the skillsets of our spectacular team.
We hope to see you back in Cap-Haïtien soon!