Composting Bioreactor

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In this activity (page 19 of the PDF) learners will create a soda bottle bioreactor by exploring the science of composting, comparing variables such as reactor design, moisture content, and nutrient ratios of mixtures to be composted. This was created as a post-visit activity for a workshop about garbage and recycling, but is also makes an excellent stand-alone activity.

Quick Guide

Preparation Time:
10 to 30 minutes
Learning Time:
1 to 12 months
Estimated Materials Cost:
$10 - $20 per student
Age Range:
Ages 8 - 14
Resource Type:
Activity
Language:
English

Materials List (per student)

  • Two 2-liter or 3-liter soda bottles
  • One smaller container, about 5-cm high, that fits inside the soda bottle
  • One Styrofoam plate or tray
  • Drill or nail for making holes (For Teacher Use Only)
  • Duct tape or clear packing tape
  • Utility Knife (For Teacher Use Only)
  • Insulation materials such as sheets of fiberglass or foam rubber, or Styrofoam peanuts
  • Fine-meshed screen or fabric large enough to cover top of soda bottle and air holes in bottom half
  • Thermometer that will fit into the top of the soda bottle and be long enough to reach down into the center of the compost
  • Chopped vegetable scraps such as lettuce leaves, carrot or potato peelings, and apple cores, or garden wastes such as weeds or grass clippings
  • Bulking agent such as wood shavings or 1-2 cm pieces of paper egg cartons, cardboard, or wood
  • Optional: Hollow tubing to provide ventilation

Keywords

Subjects

  • Engineering and Technology
    • Engineering
      • Environmental Engineering
    • Technology
      • Agriculture and Biotechnology
  • Life Sciences
    • Ecology
      • Human Impact

Informal Categories

  • Food and Cooking
  • Nature and Environment

Audience

To use this activity, learners need to:

  • see
  • read
  • touch

Learning styles supported:

  • Uses STEM to solve real-world problems
  • Involves hands-on or lab activities

Other

Includes alignment to state and/or national standards:

This resource is part of:

Access Rights:

  • Free access

By:

  • Cornell Waste Management Institute

Rights:

  • All rights reserved, COSI Columbus, 2009