Technical and Economic Aspects of Utilizing Wool Composts in Horticultural Markets

Abstract

Composts produced from a mixture of wool processing by-products and other components (e.g., wood-shavings, cotton-gin trash, biosolids, etc.) have a high content of major nutrients (NPK), high water holding capacity, and low levels of soluble salts, and they have slightly acidic to neutral pH. These composts were successfully used to grow ornamentals in a greenhouse, to establish turfgrass from seeds, and to produce sod on plastic. The market research showed that, in Georgia, the turfgrass industry and retail garden centers would be the largest and most profitable markets for wool-based composts and potting mixes, respectively. Cost-volume-profit analysis (CVP) indicated that production and sale of about 15,000 tons of the compost product would be a break-even point in units for the composting side of a hypothetical business. Since composting is also a waste management operation, revenues from accepting waste (tipping fees) can improve business profitability and, therefore, lower the break-even point.