Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
ORGANIC WASTE ODOUR ABSORBING POD
by Shawn S. Davis
1.0 - ABSTRACT
An organic waste odour absorbing pod containing a composition for the
absorption of odours
resulting from decomposing organic waste is disclosed. The composition
comprises dried carbon
and/or silica-based matter, either natural or synthetic. The carbon-based
materials consist of 35%
to 85% holocellulose and 8% to 30% lignin. The silica-based materials consist
of 40% to 80%
silica. The materials may be mechanically sized to allow for adequate airflow
and surface area
exposure to the organic waste liquids. The composition is enclosed within a
filter bag, where the
filter bag material allows for transportation of organic waste liquids across
the material membrane.
2.0 ¨ BACKGROUND
'Organic waste' can be described as anything that comes from plants or animals
that is
biodegradable. The term 'waste' implies that the organic matter from a plant
or animal was not
used for its intended purpose, or is 'leftover'. For example, after a chicken
is cooked and eaten,
the bones of the skeleton are leftover and cannot be ingested any further by
most humans. Thus,
the remaining bones have become organic waste, and will be disposed of.
Furthermore, organic
waste can include paper products, such as paper napkins or paper towels,
derived from plant
materials. Other examples of organic waste include vegetable scraps, fruit
scraps, cut grass,
coffee grounds, milk, and newspaper.
Organic waste that is produced by urban establishments, including households,
offices, libraries,
restaurants, and schools, can be used to produce compost. Compost is organic
waste that has
been decomposed by living microorganisms to be used as a fertilizer for soil.
These
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microorganisms gain energy from the carbon found in the organic waste, and use
the nitrogen in
the organic waste to grow and reproduce.
Thus, healthy compost has a carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio that aids these
microorganisms.
Furthermore, air plays a vital role in the breakdown by microorganisms of
carbon for their energy,
and lack of air can produce a rotten egg like smell that emanates from the
organic waste pile. For
proper decomposition of organic waste, air and its constituent elements, i.e.,
oxygen, nitrogen,
carbon dioxide, etc., must contact the organic waste. It is also necessary to
control moisture levels
in the compost. Too much moisture in the processes leading up to the final
compost product are
signs of an unbalanced, and thus an unhealthy, compost. Excess moisture is
also a key
contributor to harsh odours. It is necessary to control moisture levels
throughout the compost
creation process.
To reduce or eliminate such odours is desirable for many reasons. When organic
waste is left to
decompose in close proximity to human habitats i.e., offices, apartments,
houses, lobbies, etc.,
odours can create undesirable atmospheres that may limit normal human
activity. Furthermore,
the unpleasant odours can deter humans from partaking in the duty of
separating and removing
organic waste in the most efficient and environmentally friendly manner. Thus,
organic waste is
not separated and is disposed of with normal waste or garbage to the landfill,
bypassing
infrastructure and technology intended to dispose of organic waste separately.
This inefficient allocation of organic waste results in adverse environmental
and economic effects.
For instance, many communities have implemented organic waste disposal
programs, which
redirect organic waste from the landfill to facilities that specialize in the
recycling of organic waste.
Each member of such a community is given a method of which to dispose of their
organic waste.
If members do not partake in this program, there are two general adverse
effects: First, the
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resources allotted to the program are either not utilized or are under
utilized, resulting in an
inefficient allocation of the resources. Second, organic waste is disposed of
in traditional disposal
sites, which increase the size of these sites, and also forgoes organic
wastes' ability to be recycled
into compost, fertilizer, energy, feed stock, etc., resulting in
environmentally adverse impacts.
Information relevant to attempts to address these problems can be found in:
Canadian Patent
Numbers 2770305, 2234198, 2226022, 1218320, 2226022,
1260728, and 1222640. German Patent Number 19534874. Russian Patent Number
0002414444. Australian Patent Number 202247. World Patent Number 2002013949.
United
States Patent 10137215B2. However, each one of these references suffers from
one or more of
the following disadvantages:
There is a masking of smell, rather than a removal of the smell. This is
exhibited when inventions
utilize pleasant smelling fragrances without manipulating the chemical
reactions within the organic
waste that produce malodourous substances. This masking effect may remedy the
initial
malodourous substances produced when organic waste is first disposed of in a
receptacle near
humans, i.e., homes, apartments, offices, libraries, etc., however, when this
organic waste is
transported to secondary storage areas from the initial receptacle, the smell
is still prevalent.
One instance of this could occur in an apartment building where organic waste
must be
transported from individual apartment units to a collective disposal area to
wait for removal to a
treatment facility. Organic waste will continue to decompose and produce
unpleasant odours.
Another problem associated with one or more of these references is the
inability to economically
translate the embodiments to various receptacles that hold organic waste.
Various receptacles
are used in the storage and transportation of organic waste from initial
disposal to final recycling,
each with different dimensions and or functionalities. The possible difference
in receptacles
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present a problem for previous inventions that can not form to the dimensions
or functionalities of
these receptacles, thus hindering the ability to reduce malodours from the
organic waste.
Another problem associated with one or more of these references is the lack of
aeration provided
to the core of the organic waste pile. In other words, lack of air is present
in areas in the middle
of the organic waste pile, thus producing malodours. It is not enough to
simply provide aeration
to the top of an organic waste pile because lack of aeration in the lower
levels of the organic waste
pile are sites where malodours will be produced. Furthermore, additives to the
organic waste heap
may cause clumping or congestion, which can also reduce airflow to parts of
the organic waste
pile.
Another problem is the lack of a filter bag to enclose the composition that
absorbs odours. A lack
of this filter bag does not allow for ease of application by a person applying
the composition to a
bin.
For the forging reasons, there is a need for a carbon-based odour absorbent
for organic waste
that works with the natural chemistry of the waste, provides efficient air
flow to the waste, and is
economically viable to produce and use in today's
society.
3.0 ¨ SUMMARY
The present invention is directed to an organic waste odour absorbing pod that
satisfies these
needs (needs identified in the Background section). The organic waste odour
absorbing pod
comprises one or more materials that are derived from dried carbon and/or
silica-based matter
that is produced by natural or synthetic means. The matter itself may be
mechanically sized to
allow for adequate airflow and surface area exposure when added to the organic
waste. It is not
necessary to mechanically size the matter if it is already of optimal size
after harvest or production.
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It is also optional to add natural or synthetic scents to the matter to
further reduce harsh odours
originating from the organic waste. The composition is enclosed within a
filter bag that allows for
transportation of organic waste liquids across the filter bag material.
4.0 ¨ DESCRIPTION
In the Summary above and in the Description, and the claims below, and in the
accompanying
drawings, reference is made to particular features of the invention. It is to
be understood that the
disclosure of the invention in this specification includes all possible
combinations of such
particular features. For example, where a particular feature is disclosed in
the context of a
particular aspect or embodiment of the invention, or a particular claim, that
feature can also be
used, to the extent possible, in combination with and/or in the context of
other particular aspects
and embodiments of the invention, and in the invention generally.
The term "comprises" and grammatical equivalents thereof are used herein to
mean that other
components, ingredients, materials, etc. are optionally present. For example,
an article
"comprising" (or "which comprises") components A, B, and C can consist of
(i.e., contain only,)
components A, B, and C, or can contain not only components A, B, and C but
also one or more
other components.
The usage of `(5)' after a root word used herein means that one or more of the
root word may be
used. For example, 'nail(s)' means that there could be one nail present, two
nails present, or ten
nails present.
The term "at least" followed by a number is used herein to denote the start of
a range beginning
with that number, which may be a range having an upper limit or no upper
limit, depending on the
variable being defined. For example, "at least 1" means 1 or more than 1. The
term "at most"
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followed by a number is used herein to denote the end of a range ending with
that number, which
may be a range having 1 or 0 as its lower limit, or a range having no lower
limit, depending upon
the variable be defined. For example, "at most 4" means 4 or less than 4, and
"at most 40%"
means 40% or less than 40%. When, in this specification, a range is given as
"(a first number) to
(a second number)", this means a range whose lower limit is the first number
and whose upper
limit is the second number. For example, 25 to 100 mm means a range whose
lower limit is 25
mm, and whose upper limit is 100 mm.
Listed here are definitions to be used for clarification:
= "Organic waste" is a type of waste that comes from plants or animals, and
is broken down
in a reasonable time, into its base compounds.
= 'Organic waste liquid' is the liquid that is composed of organic
material. For example, the
liquids that are expelled from decomposing organic waste, or it could be
liquids that are
organic, for example coffee or sweet soda.
= "Compost" is organic waste that has been thoroughly decomposed and
recycled as a soil
amendment.
= "Waste" is organic matter from a plant or animal that is not used for its
intended purpose,
or is 'leftover'.
= "Receptacle" is an object or space used to contain something.
= "Combination" is various components described working together, usually
in reference to
one or more components.
= "Plant" is a multi---celled organism of the kingdom Plantae.
= "Kingdom" is a taxonomic rank.
= "Holocellulose" is the total polysaccharide fraction of wood or straw and
the like that is
made up of cellulose and all of the hemicelluloses and that is obtained by
removing the
extractives and the lignin from the original natural material.
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= 'Filter bag' is an enclosure made out of natural fibers to allow for
composting. The material
of the filter bag allows for transport of organic waste liquids to be
transported across the
filter bag material.
= 'Pod' consists of the composition enclosed within the filter bag.
The organic waste odour absorbing composition comprises one or more materials
that interact to
reduce odours that originate from organic waste as it continues to decompose.
The matter that
makes up the material(s) comprises dried carbon and/or dried silica-based
matter from natural or
synthetic sources. It is necessary that the composition comprise dried
material(s) as this will
promote moisture absorption.
The composition is able to reduce the odours that are emitted from organic
waste. This is achieved
essentially by balancing the carbon to nitrogen content, when the composition
is added to the
organic waste. The carbon content found within the composition mixes with the
high nitrogen
content of the organic waste, providing the energy to microorganisms to
decompose the organic
waste and the composition itself. Thus, transferring the optimal amount of
carbon to these
microorganisms is vital in reducing odours resulting from excess nitrogen that
results from a lack
of carbon.
The composition may also be derived from natural or synthetic material(s),
meaning that the
material(s) can come from natural occurring matter or be produced
synthetically. An example of
a natural occurring matter to be used as a material in the composition could
be clay removed from
clay deposits found on the earth.
Another example could be the remains of crops, in particular, the dried stalks
or leaves of the
crop. An example of synthetically produced matter to be used as a material in
the composition
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could be a crystalline powder that is primarily carbon and/or silica based
that is produced in via
synthetic means.
Ideally, the carbon---based material(s) will contain between 35% to 85%
holocellulose and
between 8% to 30% lignin content (as a percent by dry weight) to promote quick
breakdown of
the material(s) when added to the nitrogen¨rich organic waste. Testing the
content of
holocellulose and lignin can be achieved by many known in the related art
scientific methods. In
particular, one could determine the contents of lignin via spectrophotometric
determination.
Holocellulose content can be determined using the sodium chlorite micromethod.
For example,
research has shown that the trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) is comprised
of 19% lignin
and 78% holocellulose. Furthermore, any type of plant material that is chosen
should removed of
all possible infestations of insects or external agents that can cause
contamination to end product.
Ideally, the silica---based materials will contain approximately 40% to 80%
silica. This can be
measured via infrared spectroscopy.
The chosen matter to make up one or more materials in the organic waste odour
absorbing
composition may need to be sized mechanically if it is not already of the
optimal dimensions after
harvest or production. This mechanical sizing can occur via chopping, cutting,
3D printing, etc.
The optimal sizing of the materials will depend on the type of organic waste
and the size of the
receptacle in which the organic waste is stored. Furthermore, either if one or
more materials is
chosen, different sizing of the material or materials may be necessary to
provide adequate
airflow and surface area exposure. For example, within the combination of
plant materials used
in the composition, A + B: A can be finely ground up into a dust like material
that exposes a large
amount of surface area. B can be less ground, producing less surface area, yet
its larger frame
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allows for more space in between B type chunks and other particles, and thus
more space for
aeration.
Ideally, for an organic waste receptacle measuring approximately 729 cubic
inches, the materials
used in the composition should measure from small particles at least 0.002mm
to 10mm
(according to ISO 14688---1) to larger pieces that can range in size from
approximately 2mm by
2mm by 2mm (Length by Width by Height) to approximately 15mm by 15mm by 15mm.
It should
be noted that these ranges do not mean that the pieces must be squares, but
can include varying
dimensions of length, width, and height. For example, the above ranges for
pieces can include
pieces that are 3mm by 8mm by 10mm.
Ideally, for an organic waste receptacle measuring approximately 2 cubic
yards, the materials
used in the composition should measure from small particles approximately
0.002mm to 10mm
(according to ISO 14688---1) to larger pieces that can range in size from
approximately 2mm by
2mm by 2mm (Length by Width by Height) to approximately 300mm by 300mm by
300mm. It
should be noted that these ranges do not mean that the pieces must be squares,
but can include
varying dimensions of length, width, and height. For example, the above ranges
for pieces can
include pieces that are 3mm by 70mm by 250mm.
The minimum and maximum particle and piece sizes should be chosen based on the
size of the
receptacle.
The chosen matter can then be sprayed with natural or synthetic scents derived
from various
species of plants. For example, one can derive scents from the oils of a cedar
tree, or from a
eucalyptus plant, and then may dilute the oils and spray them or soak them
into the chosen matter
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for the composition. Such scenting can further promote the odour reducing
qualities of the
composition.
The organic waste odour absorbing composition is enclosed within a filter bag.
The size of this
filter bag can have a dimension ranging from by 1cm by 0.25cm (Length by Width
by Height) to
250 cm by 250 cm by 100 cm. The size of the filter bag, and hence the amount
of composition
within the filter bag, is correlated to the size of the organic waste
receptacle and the amount of
organic waste that is disposed of in the receptacle. The filter bag can be
sealed via heat, glue,
rope, or folds. The filter bag may be composed of natural fibers as to be
biodegradable/compostable. The filter bag should also have a pore size that
allows for organic
waste liquids to pass through to the composition. The amount of composition
should fill the filter
bag to an adequate amount for effectiveness of absorbing liquids, while
allowing the filter bag to
be properly sealed.
The organic waste odour absorbing pod can first be placed on the bottom of a
receptacle before
any organic waste is added. This will allow absorption of liquids that
gravitate to the bottom of the
receptacle. The size of pod added to the bottom of the receptacle depends on
the amount of
organic waste disposed, moisture content of the organic waste, and the size of
the receptacle. As
organic waste is added, it is optional that another pod be added at select
intervals, once again
dependent on the amount of organic waste and its moisture content. The optimal
ratio of the
composition to organic waste will reduce the most amount of odour. Through
minimal trial and
error, users of the composition can determine what amount of composition is
optimal for the
organic waste they produce and recycle.
The pod can also be used with a receptacle that utilizes bags to hold the
organic waste, thus
making cleaning of the receptacle easier. The pod is placed in the receptacle,
under the bag.
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Organic waste that is added to the bag and causes tears in the bag may result
in moisture leaking
to down into the composition. The composition absorbs this excess moisture,
reducing cleaning
frequencies and odours.
5.0 - EXAMPLES
Example 1: This example shows a formulation of the composition. Two materials
are used to
make the final composition, a single plant material, Cannabis Sativa L., with
a holocellulose
content of 78% and a lignin content of 18% (% by dry weight), and clay, with a
silica content of
approximately 70%. The plant is dried, and the inner stalk is separated from
the outer fibers and
chipped down via a motorized chipper. The average size of the resulting
particles are 15 cubic
millimeters. The clay has a particle size of 0.005 millimeters according to
the ISO 14688---1. The
clay did not need to be mechanically sized, as this is its natural form. Both
materials are mixed
together and a light cedarwood scent is added by mixing cedarwood essential
oils with materials.
The composition is placed within a filter bag that is 10cm by 15cm by 2cm
(length by width by
height).
Example 2: This example shows how the material is used at a commercial
establishment. Two
pods, each 30cm by 30cm by 2cm (length by width by height), is added to a
clean organic waste
receptacle, a 2 cubic yard dumpster. Throughout the week of business, tenants
place their organic
waste into the dumpster, on top of the composition. Janitors also add more
pods throughout the
week to further reduce the smell of the decomposing organic waste. The
dumpster is then emptied
by the waste management contractor. After it is emptied, more pods are added
to prepare for the
organic waste for next week.
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While the invention has been specifically described in connection with certain
specific
embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that this is by way of
illustration and not of limitation,
and the scope of the appended claims should be construed as broadly as the
prior art will permit.
The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed
concurrently with
this specification and which are open to public inspection with this
specification, and the contents
of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference
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