Thursday, November 8, 2007 - 9:30 AM
342-5

Amelioration of Waste Foundry Sand with Compost.

Jason De Koff, Purdue University, 3907 Ledyard Street, West Lafayette, IN 47906, Brad Lee, 915 W State St., Purdue University, Purdue University, Agronomy Department, West Lafayette, IN 47907, and Robert Dungan, USDA-ARS, USDA-ARS-EMBUL, 10300 Baltimore Ave, bldg 306, room 113, Beltsville, MD 20705.

            Waste foundry sand is disposed in landfills at a rate of 8-13 million tons each year in the U.S.  Finding an alternative to its disposal through recycling could help reduce landfill space and save the foundry industry $100-250 million in annual costs associated with transportation and landfill fees.  One means of recycling is by incorporating it into a soil amendment so that it can be used in both urban and agricultural applications.  One obstacle to its use in the soil is observed high strength properties, similar to a hardsetting soil, which could create adverse effects upon plant root and shoot growth.  This study looked at composting waste foundry sand at different proportions with organic materials as a means of both ameliorating high strength problems and creating a value-added product.  The efficiency of this process was evaluated on the composted mixes by strength tests as well as emergence and plant growth rates of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea).

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