Description
To achieve this goal, strict guidelines and controls must be followed. This includes the proper selection of the feedstocks, regular turning of the piles for aeration and proper guidance of the decomposition process. Therefore, several parameters such as temperature, oxygen levels, CO2 levels, pH value, sulfide, nitrite, nitrate and ammonium must be continuously monitored, and if necessary, adjusted. Due to its physical characteristics, the Toptex® compost protection cover is an important tool in this optimal composting process.
Toptex® possesses over a decade of experience in agriculture related applications world-wide. Toptex® compost protection covers have proven themselves in composting sites around the world, and belong to today’s state of the art regarding modern composting technology. Many windrow turners are now serially equipped with specific fleece rolling devices to meet their clients demand for a perfect integration of the Toptex® fabric into the composting process.
Experienced users even started to implement the Toptex® protection fabric to cover their most valuable product: the mature compost. This is not only an economic solution, but also very easy to handle. The cover fabric allows the exchange of gases, protects against moisture, keeps the compost dry and in a crumble structure, just as it is supposed to be. It furthermore efficiently protects the mature compost against the growth of all kinds of weeds that might otherwise start to seed into the compost.
But Toptex® can not only be used to cover mature compost, but also for raw manure. Scientific studies show that nutrient losses can be reduced significantly with Toptex® protection fabric at hand. Several Government guidelines and best management practices recommend the covering of stacked outdoors manure with Toptex® composting fabric.
The Toptex® protection fabric for composting cover protection is made from green, continuous polypropylene filament in 200 g/m2 (5.9 oz/yd2) and available in the following sizes:
-4 x 50 m (4.4 x 55)
-5 x 50 m (5.5 x 55)
-6 x 50 m (6.6 x 55)
The main benefits of Toptex® at a glance
Since Toptex® is a gas-permeable fleece fabric composted of continuous polypropylene filaments, it is environmentally compatible (certified). The fabric can be recycled and is chemically stable against acid and alkali (pH 2-13). Toptex® is furthermore biologically stable against microbial decan and leachate, while also being freeze and thaw tolerate. Toptex® composting fabric is also UV resitant due to its special stabilization and will normally have a lifespan of 3-5 years under European climate conditions, however, if it is protected from UV raditiation when not in use, the life span can be extended.
The main benefits of Toptex® fabric can be therefore characterized as maintaining optimal moisture conditions, since Toptex® diverts rainfalls away from the composting and safely protects the resources from drying by sun or wind.
Toptex® furthermore ensures a proper aerobic decomposition. As the Toptex® protection fabric allows the necessary gas exchange and thereby ensures an even more optimal temperature throughout the outher layers of the composting piles. Toptex® also minimizes leachate and nutrient losses as it diverts the rainfalls simply away from the windrows and therefore decreases the potential of leachate.
Another important aspect for implementing Toptex® into the composting process is the reduction of odour emissions. As Toptex® supports an optimum an-aerobe decomposition process, it thereby also reduces the odour emissions to a minimum.
