Equipment rental firm Ashtead Technology has been appointed as the exclusive distributor in the UK and Ireland for two innovative products that help waste managers improve composting efficiency; protect staff and site safety from waste fires; avoid odour complaints; protect the environment, and comply with the latest regulations.
Developed by waste and recycling firm Freeland Scientific, ‘CompostManager’ is a complete system for managing the composting process, and ‘smarTprobe’ is a temperature monitoring system for compost and other wastes where overheating and fire represent a potential hazard. Freeland Managing Director George Longmuir says: “This is an extremely exciting time for our business. CompostManager has been proven at over 85 sites around the world, and the smarTprobe system was launched for waste management licence holders seeking to demonstrate effective fire prevention plans. Both systems employ the Best Available Techniques (BAT) required by the Environment Agency.
“As a small company our focus has been on the development of technologies that precisely meet the needs of the waste management sector, so this new partnership with Ashtead Technology will raise our profile enormously and provide a broader spectrum of waste managers with access to products that will benefit their businesses immediately.”
CompostManager consists of a portable probe and measurement system that records the key factors affecting composting efficiency: temperature, moisture, oxygen and carbon dioxide. Representative batches are measured in situ with a test that takes about one minute to perform, and barcoding ensures traceability of data. Collected data is then transferred to a PC and uploaded to a website which provides suggested management instructions such as ‘Turn’, ‘Irrigate’ and ‘Leave Alone.’ This ensures that unnecessary turning is avoided and that composting is as efficient and fast as possible, whilst minimising the production of bio-aerosols and odours. As well as demonstrating effective management practice, the system also produces PAS100 reports.
The smarTprobe system consists of robust temperature probes that are inserted into piles of bulk materials that have the potential to catch fire. The probes communicate wirelessly with a central server which displays continuous readings via a secure, password-protected website. A colour-coded display enables users to check the temperature profiles of their waste piles at a glance, and the system automatically issues warnings before dangerous conditions arise.
UK fire and rescue services attend around 300 significant fires at waste sites every year, so the potential for the smarTprobe system is enormous if these fires are to be prevented.
Commenting on the business benefits for customers, Ashtead’s Ben Travis says: “The Freeland products employ best available techniques to provide traceable data, which demonstrates that a site is being managed properly and is in compliance with both fire safety and environmental regulations. This dramatically reduces risk, which will be of great interest to business owners and insurers. As a further benefit the systems also deliver operational efficiency, so we foresee enormous potential for these products.”
