Military Compost Systems

Military bases are small or medium sized cities, with every source of organic waste typical of a community. As with all institutions, food scrap waste is a primary feedstock that can be source separated and composted along with landscape debris, mixed waste paper, manure from livestock facilities, and biosolids from local wastewater treatment plants.

In 2006, O2Compost conducted a waste audit and military compost pilot project for the Fort Lewis Army Base (now Joint Base Lewis McCord or JBLM) in Tacoma, Washington. Since that time, JBLM has diverted and processed nearly 85% of its organic waste. This one military compost system has saved over $800,000 per year of disposal fees and is now exemplifying a Best Management Practice for all branches of the military.