Effect of Compost‐, Sand‐, or Gypsum‐amended Waste Foundry Sands on Turfgrass Yield and Nutrient Content

Abstract

To prevent the 7 to 11 million metric tons of waste foundry sand (WFS) produced annually in the USA from entering landfi lls, current research is focused on the reuse of WFSs as soil amendments. Th e eff ects of diff erent WFS-containing amendments on turfgrass growth and nutrient content were tested by planting perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and tall fescue (Schedonorus phoenix (Scop.) Holub) in diff erent blends containing WFS. Blends of WFS were created with compost or acid-washed sand (AWS) at varying percent by volume with WFS or by amendment with gypsum (9.6 g gypsum kg -1 WFS). Measurements of soil strength, shoot and root dry weight, plant surface coverage, and micronutrients (Al, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, B, Na) and macronutrients (N, P, K, S, Ca, Mg) were performed for each blend and compared with pure WFS and with a commercial potting media control. Results showed that strength was not a factor for any of the parameters studied, but the K/Na base saturation ratio of WFS:compost mixes was highly correlated with total shoot dry weight for perennial ryegrass (r = 0.995) and tall fescue (r = 0.94). Th is was further substantiated because total shoot dry weight was also correlated with shoot K/Na concentration of perennial ryegrass (r = 0.99) and tall fescue (r = 0.95). A compost blend containing 40% WFS was determined to be the optimal amendment for the reuse of WFS because it incorporated the greatest possible amount of WFS without major reduction in turfgrass growth.

Organic carbon and nitrogen stocks in a clay loam soil 10 years after a single compost application

“…Organic amendments are most frequently applied to agricultural soil as sources of crop nutrient (e.g., Gavrilov and Fedorov 1954;Garcia et al 1991;Giusquiani et al 1995;Doran et al 2003;Yang et al 2004;Golabi et al 2007;Tambone et al 2007;Koff et al 2010), but they can also improve soil physical quality, cation exchange capacity, and stabilize soil pH (Reynolds et al 2003;Soda et al 2006;Gil et al 2008;Abdel-Rahman 2009). For example, Reynolds et al (2003) showed that several organic and non-organic conditioners (greenhouse rockwool waste, yard waste compost, pig manure compost) could improve the physical quality of a degraded clay loam soil, although no single conditioner could improve all physical quality parameters.…”

Use of Standardized Procedures to Evaluate Metal Leaching from Waste Foundry Sands

“…Because sands represent the largest volume of waste generated, their disposal in controlled landfills can be an economic burden to foundries. As a result, this has prompted research into their beneficial use in agricultural and geotechnical applications (Guney et al, 2006; Dayton et al, 2010; de Koff et al, 2010).…”

Biochar incorporation increased nitrogen and carbon retention in a waste-derived soil

“…Such soils are generally appropriate for urban development and landscape management (green areas), and as high value substrates (Koolen and Rossignol 1998). Their uses include manufacture of topsoils for urban grasslands (Haraldsen et al 2014), addition of waste sand as a soil amendment (de Koff et al 2010), and as materials for the horticulture, agriculture, amenity and restoration markets (Jones et al 2009).…”