Proportions Of Sawdust Research Articles

Biochemical changes, metal content, and spectroscopic analysis in sewage sludge composted with lignocellulosic residue using FTIR-MIR and FTIR-NIR.

The use of lignocellulosic residues, originating from sawdust, in composting sewage sludge for organic fertilizer production, is a practice of growing interest. However, few studies have explored the effect of the proportion of sawdust and sewage sludge raw materials on composting performance in the humification process. This study assessed the addition of sawdust in the sewage sludge composting process, regarding carbon content, presence of heavy metals, and humification of the organic compost. The experimental design employed was a randomized complete block design with five treatments featuring different proportions of organic residues to achieve C/N ratios between 30-1 (T1: 100% sewage sludge and 0% sawdust, T2: 86% sewage sludge and 14.0% sawdust, T3: 67% sewage sludge and 33% sawdust, T4: 55% sewage sludge and 45% sawdust, and T5: 46.5% sewage sludge and 53.5% sawdust) and five replications, totaling 25 experimental units. The addition of lignocellulosic residue in sewage sludge composting increased the levels of TOC and the C/N ratio, reduced the levels of pH, P, N, Na, Ba, and Cr, and did not interfere with the levels of K, Ca, Mg, S, CEC, labile carbon, and metals Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Ni, and Pb. The increase in the proportion of sawdust residue favored the degradation of aliphatic groups, increasing the presence of aromatic structures and reducing humification at the end of composting. The use of sawdust as a lignocellulosic residue in sewage sludge composting is a viable and efficient alternative to produce high-quality organomineral fertilizers.

The Potential of Mycofoam as a Biocomposite Material with Various Substrate and Mushroom Compositions

Mycofoam is a biocomposite composed of mycelial filaments that bind to the host substrate, which can replace polystyrene. This research aims to determine the most appropriate formulation of the growing medium and mushroom to be used in mycofoam products based on some parameters. Composition is one of the main factors for selecting the most appropriate mycofoam to replace polystyrene. On the other hand, the quality of mycofoam can be assessed through its strength and water resistance. The mushroom mycelium used in this study came from Pleurotus ostreatus and Lentinula edodes. Besides, the growing medium formulation comprises five different compositions, each containing different proportions of sawdust and bagasse. This research was composed of preparation of growing medium, spawn inoculation, molding, heating, testing, and data analysis. Based on the results, the combination of 100 percent sawdust and L. edodes was the most appropriate choice compared to other formulations based on strength and appearance. The results of the water absorption test showed that all mycofoam formulations were not resistant to water, bio-based coating can be used to overcome this problem.

Effects of sawdust and adhesive type on the properties of rice husk particleboards

This study set out to investigate the effects of adhesive type, rice husk and sawdust proportions on the properties of composite particleboards. Specimens of 200 × 200 × 24 mm were made by blending 500 g of rice husks with each adhesive type at a mass ratio of 1:1. The rest of the specimens of similar dimensions were prepared with addition of sawdust in the range of 10–40 wt%, while maintaining the ratio of biomass particles to adhesive at 1:1. Three commercial synthetic adhesives Fevicol (FV), Ponal (PA) and woodfix (WF) were used. The particle-adhesive mixtures were molded into a mat which was subsequently cold pressed at 10 MPa and left to dry in air. Density, water absorption (WA), linear expansion (LE), thickness swelling (TS), modulus of elasticity (MOE), modulus of rupture (MOR) and screw holding capacity of the specimens were evaluated. Adhesives were found to have over 42% solid content, with similar liquid constituents but in varying proportions. FTIR library search for the spectra of FV, PA and WF revealed correlations of 82.5%, 78.6% and 50.2%, respectively with polyvinyl-acetate. The developed boards had density 510–610 kg/m3, MOE 13–26 MPa, TS 9–31%, LE 3–7%. These properties suit them for furniture boards and sound proofing. The properties improved with increasing proportion of sawdust. FV and PA-bonded particleboards exhibited higher stability and strengths than WF-bonded particleboards due to higher concentrations of polyvinyl-acetate in the latter. Blending 40 wt% sawdust, 10 wt% rice husk with 50 wt% of either FV or PA showed better prospects.

Proportion of Sawdust as Carbon Sources in Rabbit Manure Compost for Increasing the Growth of Pennisetum purpureum cv Mott

The right proportion of carbon in high N organic matter source in composting process will result good decomposition process. In this study, rabbit manure was composted with different portion of sawdust, and then the chemical properties were evaluated. The compost then applied to determine the growth response of dwarf elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum cv. Mott) in terms of plant height, number of leaves, root and shoot dry matter, shoot and shoot ratio, and N content in shoot. The results showed that compost consisted of rabbit manure + sawdust with the ratio of 3:1 and 1:1 had good chemical properties (pH around 7.56 - 7.94, C/N ratio 17 – 19, C- organic 19 – 24%, Nitrogen 0.84 – 1.31%, Phosphor 0.43 – 0.82%, and Potassium 0.27– 0.37%) as well as sole rabbit manure compost. Applying compost to Mott grass resulted a good growth response which reflected in plant height (78.29 - 83.46 cm/plant), leaves number (53.50 - 57.92 blades), shoot dry matter (39.69 – 54.56 g DM/plant), root dry matter (16.50 – 18.16 g DM/plant), shoot : root ratios (2.52 - 3.20), and shoot N content (37.14 - 48.55 g DM/plant). The study concluded that compost rabbit manure + sawdust with ratio of 3:1 resulted the same growth response with sole rabbit manure compost.

Combustion characteristics of spherical particles mixed with coal slime and sawdust

ABSTRACT In the presence of N2/O2, a mixed sample of ShanXi Lvliang Lin Xian coal slime and sawdust was burned in a continuously weighed vertical tube furnace to study the influence of temperature and the sawdust mixing ratio on the combustion characteristics of the mixed sample. In addition, the sintering characteristics of the sample were investigated. An O2 and N2 ratio of 21%:79%, temperatures of 800°C, 850°C, 900°C, 950°C, and 1000°C, and sawdust mixed ratios of 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% were used. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) analyses were performed on the combustion samples with a furnace at temperatures of 800°C, 900°C, and 1000°C for a mixing ratio of 20%. The results show that increasing the furnace temperature or increasing the proportion of sawdust accelerates the combustion of the mixed sample and shortens the ignition delay and burnout time. The combustion process of the dry mixed sample can be divided into four parts: sawdust volatile combustion, coal slime volatile combustion, sawdust fixed carbon combustion, and coal mud fixed carbon combustion. The test results show that at 800°C, the ash sample with a sawdust ratio of 20% was not sintered, while at 900°C and 1000°C, the ash samples with sawdust ratios of 20% were sintered.

Assessment of “Musa spp” Fibre Inclusion on the Strength and Sorption Properties of Cement Bonded Particle Board

The increase in demand for wood for various purposes has put serious pressure on Nigeria’s forest with its attendant fall in the supply of solid wood for construction purposes. As an alternative, non-woody material like banana stem fibre is being investigated for the production of Cement Bonded Particle Board (CBPB). The sorption and strength properties of CBPB from Musa spp fibre were assessed. The board samples were formed using cement to materials mixing ration of 2:1 and 3:1 and blending proportions of sawdust and banana fibre using ordinary Portland cement as a binder. Physical and Mechanical properties of boards produced from stem using were investigated. The influence of blending proportion (B.P) and mixing ratio (MR) on Density, Water Absorption (WA), Thickness Swelling (TS), Linear Expansion, Modulus of Rupture (MOR), and Modulus of Elasticity (MOE) were determined. The results of sorption properties showed that for immersion at 24, 48, and 72 hours, WA, TS, and LE decreased with an increase in mixing ratio. MOE mean values ranged between 293.65 and 2367.01 N/mm2 for 2:1 and 250.99 and 2009.28 N/mm2 for 3:1 while MOR values ranged between 2.55 and 7.592 N/mm2 for 2:1 and ranged from 0.55 to 1.40 N/mm2 for 3:1 respectively. The result proved that banana fibre is suitable for the production of panel products with enhanced strength properties.

Process design and scale-up study for the production of polyol-based biopolymers from sawdust

Sawdust is a by-product of the forestry industry which can be used as raw material for the production of added-value bio-based chemicals, leading to the development of a circular economy based on this organic resource. One of the most promising approaches for the reuse of sawdust is the production of polyols, which in turn can be used as raw material for the production of biopolymers. In this work, this process is analyzed to develop a sustainable alternative for the processing of forestry waste, obtaining biodegradable polymers than can be re-incorporated into the production cycle. A conceptual design and scale up of the process for the production of polyols out of sawdust and glycerol is developed based on experimental data. The process has been designed following the premise of being as environmentally sustainable as possible, but using simple equipment feasible to be deployed and operated by the timber facilities. Therefore, sawdust is used as raw material and energy source. The process is modeled using an equation based approach to perform a techno-economic analysis of it. The proportions of sawdust devoted to polyol production and thermal energy generation and power consumption are determined, as well as capital and operating expenses. In addition, a scale-up study to determine the effect of the economies of scale on the economic performance of the process proposed is carried out, as well as a sensitivity analysis in order to assess the influence of the raw materials price on the production cost. The results show that, for usual market prices of glycerol and starch, the production cost ranges from 0.10 to 0.66 USD per kilogram of biopolymer produced.

PROPAGACIÓN VEGETATIVA DE Pinus patula SCHIEDE ex SCHLTDL. et CHAM. EN DIFERENTES SUSTRATOS

Pinus patula Schiede ex Schldl. et Cham. es una especie endémica de México utilizada en plantaciones forestales comerciales en Sudamérica y Sudáfrica. La propagación masiva de materiales mejorados de esta especie, a través de estacas enraizadas, permite aumentar su productividad y homogeneizar sus productos. Se compararon cinco sustratos a base de aserrín fresco y corteza de pino en diferentes proporciones (1:9, 3:7, 5:5, 7:3 y 9:1 v:v) para evaluar el enraizamiento de estacas de esta especie forestal. Se utilizó un diseño experimental de bloques completos al azar con cuatro repeticiones; la unidad experimental estuvo conformada por 25 estacas. Se analizaron las principales características físicas y químicas de los sustratos tales como porosidad total, porosidad de aireación, retención de humedad, densidad aparente, pH, conductividad eléctrica y capacidad de intercambio catiónico al inicio y al final del experimento. Las variables evaluadas fueron la supervivencia, enraizamiento, presencia de callo, número y longitud de raíces primarias y presencia de raíces secundarias a las 20 semanas de establecido el experimento. El sustrato con la mayor proporción de aserrín (9:1) presentó el porcentaje de enraizamiento de las estacas más elevado (77 %), en comparación con el testigo (1:9), donde se obtuvo 42 %. Se observó alta correlación (0.97, 0.97, 0.90) del enraizado con el porcentaje de aserrín, densidad aparente y pH, respectivamente. La mezcla de aserrín y corteza de pino (9:1) presentó características físicas y químicas apropiadas para la formulación de sustratos útiles para propagar P. patula mediante el enraizado de estacas.

Prediction Model of Wooden Logs Cutting Patterns and Its Efficiency in Practice

This article deals with the testing of a methodology for creating log cutting patterns. Under this methodology, programs were developed to optimize the log yield. Testing was conducted by comparing the values of the proportions of the individual products resulting from an implementation of the proposed cutting pattern of a specific log with the calculated values of these proportions of products using the tested methodology. For this test, nine pieces of logs (three pieces of oak, three pieces of beech and three pieces of spruce) were chosen, and then the proposed cutting pattern was applied on each log and the proportions of the resulting products were determined gravimetrically. The result of the statistical comparison is as follows: The prediction model that has been tested meets the basic requirement of insensitivity to the tree species. This means that the model tested does not create differences in the results based on the type of wood. In the case of timber, the model statistically significantly underestimates its proportion by 3.7%. The model underestimates the proportion of residues by 0.14%, but is not statistically significant. This model statistically significantly underestimates the proportion of sawdust by 2.25%. By evaluating the results obtained, we can conclude that the prediction model is a good basis for optimizing log yields. In its further development, it has to be supplemented with a log curvature parameter and for the most accurate yield optimization, in terms of the product quality, it must be connected with new scanning technologies as well. These will supplement the prediction model with information about internal and external wood defects and these defects will be taken into account then.

Application of activated carbon impregnated composite ceramic filters in cassava mill effluent treatment: prospects and limitations

Disposal of poorly managed cassava mill effluent often results in serious environmental degradation. A low-cost treatment option was developed to alleviate this rising concern prevalent among third world processors. Frustum-shaped ceramic filters produced by mixing different proportions of sawdust and activated carbon with equal amounts of clay, kaolin and sherds powder and sintered at 850°C was assessed in this study. The results indicated pollutant removal efficiency ranging from 6.5 to 98.1% with the best removal efficiency obtained for chemical oxygen demand (COD) [97.9 - 98.1%] closely followed by biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) [71.24 - 77.14%] while (24.13 - 30.72%) and (6.5 - 71.7%) were obtained for turbidity and hydrogen cyanide respectively. The filter with 12.8% of sawdust, 5.1% of activated carbon, 7.13% of kaolin, 3.6% of sherds powder and 71.3% of clay gave the best removal efficiency. A maximum flow rate of 0.0035 L/H (LPH) was recorded with a corresponding time of first drop of 216 minutes. The high removal efficiency observed for some parameters, locally available construction materials and wastewater reuse options makes this a viable option for cassava mill effluent treatment, however, further study is required to optimize this technique to meet wastewater permissible limits.

Study the Effect of Sawdust Content and Temperature on Fundamental Properties of Plaster Mortars

Sawdust waste material is a by-product of manufacturing furniture and other wood products. It poses a major problem for the environment if no action is considered to get rid of it. For this reason, this research presents a new modality for recycling sawdust west material as a partial replacement of a plaster of Paris (POP). Six composite mortars prepared from different sawdust ratios 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 % by wt. of POP were used to investigate the physical and mechanical properties of these mortars. The effect of different temperature levels (100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 Cₒ) on the properties of these composite mortars was also investigated. The results show that the optimal proportion of sawdust in the mortar was 10 %, where the compressive strength increased by about 51.47 % compared to the reference mix (without sawdust) at 50 Cₒ. Additionally, there was a development in the modulus of rupture (MOR) for composite mixtures. The 6% sawdust content exhibited a 28.33 % increase in MOR. It was also found that sawdust reduced the density of the samples. Raising the temperature to 200 Cₒ and beyond affects the mechanical properties negatively.

MECHANICAL, THERMAL AND DURABLE PERFORMANCE OF WASTES SAWDUST AS COARSE AGGREGATE REPLACEMENT IN CONVENTIONAL CONCRETE

Wood yields a number of by-products and Sawdust is as useful as others. Sawdust is regarded as a waste material and is effectively utilised as sawdust concrete in the construction of buildings. It is capable to be utilised as light-weight concrete and holds the quality of long duration heat transfer. In this study, three different ratios (1:1, 1:2 and 1:3) volume mix proportions of cement to sawdust were adopted to make sawdust concrete. At varied intervals of 7, 28 and 56 days of air curing, thermal and mechanical properties like workability, density, elastic modulus, strength and heat transfer were probed of mentioned sawdust concrete proportions. The resistance to elevated temperatures was also evaluated after 28 days of age; weight loss, residual compressive strength, surface texture and ultrasonic pulse velocity were considered in evaluation process. The findings showed that increase in sawdust volume affected to decrease the workability, strength and elevated temperatures resistance. However, the concrete having higher proportion of sawdust performed competently and well in terms of thermal conductivity. Moreover, a decrease in the heat transfer of sawdust was also observed. Examining the all-embracing mechanical and physical properties, sawdust can be effectively utilised in the construction of buildings.

Влияние содержания древесного дисперсного наполнителя на долговечность композиционных материалов

Introduction. Usage of the biocomposites is a vital component of the environment protection policy. According to the classification of the petrochemical polymers, biopolymers can be divided into thermal and plastic heat-strengthening ones. The former can be modified for reheating, and the latter cannot - due to the calcium carbonate solidification. Thermal bioplastics are developed mainly for the packaging industry, and they can be used as a binder in the biocomposite materials. Materials and Methods. Sawdust wood fibers are selected as an additive to produce reinforced rubber plastics (polyester fiber) for this study. The work objective is to determine the optimum ratio of the sawdust volume and size. In the course of the experiments, various sawdust mixtures are tested through varying the combination of their size, volume and applied loads. Research Results. The obtained results show a growth of the composite material deformation when increasing the proportion of sawdust of any volumes studied under the pressure testing, as well as a decrease in strength and tensile strain when increasing the proportion of sawdust of medium and low volumes. The strength and elongation of the composite grows with increasing the sawdust fraction volume for more than 120 mm 3 . Stresses increase when the size of wood sawdust is 20 mm 3 and mixing ratio is 25%, therewith the material elasticity decreases. Discussion and Conclusions. In bending tests, the reduction in strength and increase in tension strain when mixing a sample with sawdust of 5 mm 3 , gain in strength and elongation at increasing their volume up to 25 mm 3 , and then the reduction of strength and tension strain at increasing their volume to 120 mm 3 are observed.

Immobilization of the white-rot fungus Anthracophyllum discolor to degrade the herbicide atrazine.

Herbicides cause environmental concerns because they are toxic and accumulate in the environment, food products and water supplies. There is a need to develop safe, efficient and economical methods to remove them from the environment, often by biodegradation. Atrazine is such herbicide. White-rot fungi have the ability to degrade herbicides of potential utility. This study formulated a novel pelletized support to immobilize the white-rot fungus Anthracophyllum discolor to improve its capability to degrade the atrazine using a biopurification system (BS). Different proportions of sawdust, starch, corn meal and flaxseed were used to generate three pelletized supports (F1, F2 and F3). In addition, immobilization with coated and uncoated pelletized supports (CPS and UPS, respectively) was assessed. UPS-F1 was determined as the most effective system as it provided high level of manganese peroxidase activity and fungal viability. The half-life (t1/2) of atrazine decreased from 14 to 6 days for the control and inoculated samples respectively. Inoculation with immobilized A. discolor produced an increase in the fungal taxa assessed by DGGE and on phenoloxidase activity determined. The treatment improves atrazine degradation and reduces migration to surface and groundwater.

Kinetics of thermolysis of vacuum tower bottoms mixed with pine sawdust

Basic features of thermal degradation of mixtures of vacuum tower bottoms with pine sawdust have been studied by dynamic thermogravimetry. The kinetic parameters of the process have been determined using the integral model-free Ozawa–Flynn–Wall method. The enthalpies and ethropies of activation of the thermal degradation of the vacuum residue, the sawdust, and their mixtures have been calculated on the basis of the transition state theory. It has been shown that pine sawdust and its degradation products have an activity to enhance the kinetic parameters and the rate of thermal degradation of vacuum tower bottoms. It has been found that the E value of thermolysis of the heavy petroleum residue substantially decreases with an increase in the proportion of sawdust in the vacuuum resid to 225.0 kJ/mol for the mixture containing 18.0 wt % pine sawdust at a degree of conversion of the mixture of 0.8.

Comparison of the Composting Performance of Four Different Sewage Sludge Amendments

ABSTRACT.High moisture content of sewage sludge is a major constraint in composting, and therefore sewage sludge needs to be mixed with bulking agents that have a high water absorption ratio and better structural stability. In this study, dewatered sludge has been mixed with four different bulking agents in terms of physicochemical properties, with a 1:1 (v/v) proportion of sawdust (SW), hazelnut husk (HH), corn straw (CS), or pine litter (PL), and the composting performances of bulking agents were investigated by considering temperature rise, CO2, H2S evolution, organic matter (OM) removal, C/N ratio, and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) removal. Three of the mixtures, namely, HH, PL, and SW, provided better initial composting conditions, ensuring an appropriate water–air balance within the compost matrix. CS was not able to supply sufficient porosity due to the smaller water absorption ratio and higher degradation rate, which induced anaerobic conditions. Among the mixtures, a higher and faster temperature rise (max 56.5°C) and CO2 release was provided by HH, while OM removal (53%) and DOC degradation were higher with the CS mixture, despite the low temperature rise and low peak value of CO2 release. Relatively low degradable carbonaceous contents of SW delayed all the composting indicators measured in the study. HH significantly enhanced bioreactions and accelerated the stability of sludge compost by providing both structural stability and a readily available carbon source, significantly shortening the composting time.

Effect of sawdust addition and composting of feedstock on renewable energy and biochar production from pyrolysis of anaerobically digested pig manure

Pyrolysis experiments were conducted on the separated solid fraction of anaerobically digested pig manure (SADPM). The aim of these experiments was to investigate the influence of (1) sawdust addition and (2) composting the feedstock, on the products of pyrolysis and on the net energy yield from the pyrolysis process. Mixtures of SADPM and sawdust were made to give the following treatments; manure only, 4:1(w/w) and 3:2(w/w). These mixtures were pyrolized at 600 °C both before and after aerobic composting. The yields of the biochar, bio-liquid and gas were influenced by the addition of sawdust to the SADPM and by composting of the feedstock. With the addition of sawdust, biochar and gas higher heating values (HHV) increased, while bio-liquid HHV decreased. More than 70% of the original energy in the feedstock remained in the biochar, bio-liquid and gas after pyrolysis, increasing as the proportion of sawdust increased. The HHV of the biochar decreased, while the HHV of the bio-liquid increased, after the feedstocks were composted. The energy balance showed that increasing the rate of sawdust addition to SADPM resulted in an increased net energy yield. The addition of a composting stage increased the net energy yield for the manure only feedstock only. However, with increasing sawdust addition, composting of the feedstock reduced the net energy yield.

Application of Recycle Material in Construction Industry a Method of Sustainable Development

The compressive strength of cement pastes is paly important role in concrete characteristics and structure stability. Many researchers have been involved in enhancing and introducing new composite material. In this research work, it is aimed to use natural minerals present in sawdust powder for improving compressive strength of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) pastes. The micro properties, crystalline structural and hydration of OPC paste have been investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). The results indicated blending of 4% of sawdust powder in OPC paste is improved compressive strength of OPC paste considerably after 28 and 56 days. It has good agreement with previous research work is reported in [6]. The research can be continued by proposed other proportion of sawdust blended in OPC paste.

Characteristics of Gases From Co-Pyrolysis of Sawdust and Tires

The composition and characteristics of permanent gases that evolve during co-pyrolysis of sawdust and waste tires were observed. Gas composition was determined by gas chromatography, whereas gas characteristics were studied by pyrolysis–Fourier transform infrared (Py-FTIR) spectroscopy. Results show that as co-pyrolysis temperature and the proportion of sawdust in the mixture of biomass and waste tires increase, the gas yield increases, but the relationship between the addition of sawdust and gas yield is nonlinear. A synthetic effect exists among the co-pyrolysis gases. When the mass ratio of sawdust to tires is 1:2, and pyrolysis temperature is 600°C at a flow rate of 90 ml min−1, gas yield reaches 30.3 wt%. The mass fraction accounted for by ignited gases (such as CO, H2, CH4, C3H8, C3H6, and C2H4) is nearly 46% with a gross calorific value (GCV) of 17.9 MJ Nm−3, indicating that the gases may act as fuel gas. As a desulfurizer, ZnO removes 92% of H2S in the gaseous products. The content of H2S is below 10 × 10−9 g g−1 when ZnO is used during co-pyrolysis. Py-FTIR analysis shows that gases containing saturated C–H bonds (such as CH4 and C3H8) evolve first, followed by CO2, CO, and water vapor, and finally, vinyl-containing gases such as C3H6. It confirms that gases produced by co-pyrolysis of biomass and tires are completely utilized as resources while they are disposed. This has a great significance for sustainable supply of energy.

Effect of sawdust addition on composting of separated raw and anaerobically digested pig manure

Manures need the addition of carbon-rich bulking agents to conserve N during composting, which increases the cost of the composting process. The recommended proportion of manure/sawdust, based on a carbon (C):nitrogen (N) ratio, is approximately 3:2. Two composting experiments were conducted to determine the impact of varying the proportion of sawdust to either separated raw, or separated anaerobically digested pig manures. To determine stability and maturity of the final compost, oxygen uptake rate (OUR) and germination index (GI) tests were conducted. For both experiments, three treatments were employed: manure-only (Treatment A), manure/sawdust mixed 4:1, fresh weight (Treatment B), and manure/sawdust mixed 3:2, fresh weight (Treatment C). The mixtures were composted in tumblers for 56 days with regular turning. The composting material was tested over the study duration for temperature, pH, water content, organic matter, C:N ratio and bulk density. For both Treatments B and C, the GI indicated low levels of phytotoxicity, and OUR values were lower than the recommended Irish threshold of 13 mmol O2 kg OM−1 h−1, indicating that a high quality compost was produced. The proportion of sawdust to separated manure used can be reduced to make a cost saving, while still producing a stable end-product: 60% less sawdust is required to compost at a manure-to-sawdust ratio of 4:1 compared to the previously recommended ratio of 3:2.