Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #197752
Title: COMPOSTING WASTE FOUNDRY SAND WITH LEAVES TO AMEND ADVERSE PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

Author
item DE KOFF, JASON
item LEE, BRAD
item Dungan, Robert - Rob

Submitted to: World Congress of Soil Science
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/15/2006
Publication Date: 7/15/2006
Citation: De Koff, J.P., Lee, B.D., Dungan, R.S. 2006. Composting waste foundry sand with leaves to amend adverse physical properties [abstract]. World Congress of Soil Science. [CD-ROM] 143-6.

Interpretive Summary: .

Technical Abstract: Indiana ranks second in the nation in waste foundry sand production with one million tons annually disposed in landfills. As available landfill space and profit margins steadily decrease, it becomes more important to find ways of diverting waste foundry sand away from landfills and identify beneficial uses of this material. This study is part of a larger project that focuses on using waste foundry sand as a soil amendment in urban and rural agricultural applications. The use of Na-bentonite in green sand binders was found to cause high strength in sands when moistened and dried which would be problematic for use in soil. Waste green sand from an Indiana iron foundry containing Na-bentonite was composted with leaves at various proportions of leaves:sand to help ameliorate high strength problems.