821 P8 266 Evaluating Pulp and Paper Sludge as a Substitute for Peat Moss in Container Media

Abstract

<jats:p>Pulp and paper sludge is a byproduct of paper production, yet this fibrous material may be suitable as an alternative amendment for peat moss in container media. Newsprint mill sludge was composted 6 weeks and cured before use. One-year-old seedlings of lilac <jats:italic>(Syringa vulgaris</jats:italic> L.) and amur maple <jats:italic>(Acer ginnala</jats:italic> Maxim.) as well as rooted cuttings o cistena plum <jats:italic>Prunus</jats:italic> × <jats:italic>cistena</jats:italic> Hansen) were planted in 3-liter pots that contained a barksand (2:1 by vol) mix, 25% or 50% peatamended media, or 25% or 50% sludge-amended media. After 14 weeks outdoors, shoot dry weight and changes in plant height were measured. All species planted in sludge-amended media grew as well as those potted in peat-amended media or the bark:sand mix. In fact, some species grew best in sludge-amended media. Lilac seedlings planted in 25% sludge produced almost double the amount of shoot dry weight and were 80% taller than plants in the bark:sand mix or 25% peat. Maple plants grown in 500% sludge produced over 100% or 3590 more shoot dry weight than those grown in 25% or 50% peat-amended media, respectively. Plum cuttings pottedin25910 sludge grew at least 53% taller than plants grown in either peat-amended medium. These results indicate that composted newsprint sludge can be used as a peat moss substitute in a container medium for the landscape plants tested.</jats:p>

Coconut Husk and Processing Effects on Chemical and Physical Properties of Coconut Coir Dust

“…Most research into the development of new substrate components has focused on the use of municipal or agricultural wastes. Materials such as paper sludge (Chong and Cline, 1993;Tripepi et al, 1996), coal bottom ash (Butler and Bearce, 1995), shredded rubber (Evans and Harkess, 1997), kenaf (Wang, 1994), cotton waste (Wang, 1991), and composted yard waste (Beeson, 1996) have been proposed as sub-determined by separating particles of 100-g samples with a CSC Scientific (Fairfax, Va.) rotary shaker for 10 min using screen sizes of 8.0 and 6.3 mm. Short fibers remaining in the coir were collected in these screens while pith tissue passed through.…”

The immobilization of heavy metals in biosolids using phosphate amendments—Comparison of EPA (6010 and 3051) and selective sequential extraction methods

“…1). In the case of EPA 6010 method, 50,8,40,58, and 20% of Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, and Ni were immobilized, respectively (Fig. 1).…”

“…The short-term [1] and long-term [2] use of biosolids as fertilizers can cause heavy metal accumulation in soils. Many studies have investigated the phytotoxic effect of heavy metals in soils amended with biosolids [2][3][4][5][6][7][8]. Although many studies have investigated the fertilizer value of biosolids [9][10][11][12][13], the heavy metal concentrations in biosolids may pose a significant risk to plants [14,15].…”

Recycled Paper as a Growth Substrate for Container Spirea Production

“…Several nontraditional organic and inorganic materials have been tested as container growth substrates, including coir (Meerow, 1994), spent mushroom compost (Chong et al, 1987), kenaf stem core (Wang, 1994), and ground automobile tires (Bowman et al, 1994;Jarvis et al, 1996). In similar studies, nonrecyclable waste papers, such as foodcontaminated papers, wax-coated corrugated cardboard (Chong, 1995;Cole and Newell, 1996;Raymond et al, 1999), and papermill wastes (Adamson and Maas, 1971;Chong and Cline, 1993;Lumis, 1976;Tripepi et al, 1996), have been tested. Interest in these substrates arises from concerns over current use of slowly renewable resources, such as peat, and the desire to recycle waste materials.…”