CAN/BNQ 0413-220/2016

This part presents a respirometric method used to determine the respiration rate of compost, which was adapted from a method developed by the Centre de recherche industrielle du Québec (CRIQ). It was presented under the title Mise au point d’une méthode respirométrique pour l’évaluation de la stabilité des composts at the fourth annual meeting of the Composting Council of Canada held on June 13-14, 1994, in Toronto. The method uses a respirometer to determine the amount of oxygen consumed by the metabolic activity of aerobic micro-organisms in a compost sample over a specific period of time, which permits an estimate of the biological activity of the compost. As the biological activity of compost diminishes as the composting process nears completion, the respiration rate decreases and may be used to provide an indication of compost maturity.