Abstract: An improved material and process for decontaminating an organic chemical spill and animal waste is made by: partially composting plant material; adding spent mushroom compost; mixing some of the partially composted plant material with the dry plant material; inoculating the mixture with a small amount a petroleum hydrocarbon; adding iron sulfate, ammonium nitrate, or a mixture of iron sulfate and ammonium nitrate; adding water; and adding a clump preventing material. A nutrient may also be added to this mixture. The final product is mixed with the spilled organic chemical and allowed to incubate for a suitable time at ambient temperature. A similar material may be used as a pet litter.

Abstract: An improved material and process for decontaminating an organic chemical spill and animal waste is made by: partially composting plant material; adding spent mushroom compost; mixing some of the partially composted plant material with the dry plant material; inoculating the mixture with a small amount a petroleum hydrocarbon; adding iron sulfate, ammonium nitrate, or a mixture of iron sulfate and ammonium nitrate; adding water; and adding a clump preventing material. A nutrient may also be added to this mixture. The final product is mixed with the spilled organic chemical and allowed to incubate for a suitable time at ambient temperature. A similar material may be used as a pet litter.

Abstract: The present invention is an improved process for absorbing and decontaminating an organic chemical spill comprising the steps of: partially composting plant material; mixing approximately 80% of the partially composted plant material with approximately 20% of dry plant material; inoculating the mixture with about 50 to 100 parts per million by weight of an organic chemical to form an absorbent; mixing the absorbent with about 20% to 40% by volume of spilled organic chemical; adding water; and allowing the mixture to incubate for a suitable time at ambient temperature until the organic chemical spill is neutralized. The plant material may be cotton gin trash or alfalfa hay; or cotton, legumes, alfalfa, tomatoes or their mixtures. The mixture of absorbent and spilled organic chemical may allowed to incubate in a perforated drum with a lid.

Abstract: The present invention is an improved bioremediation process comprising the steps of: (a) inoculating cotton gin trash or an equivalent plant material with soil from a contaminated site; (b) composting the inoculated cotton gin trash; (c) mixing the contaminated soil at a ratio of about 1:1 to about 1:5 by volume with the composted, inoculated cotton gin trash and certain chemical accelerators; and (d) allowing the mixture to incubate for a suitable time at ambient temperature until the contaminated soil is cleansed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the protection of the environment, particularly the soil and ground water, by biological degradation of unwanted chemical and biological entities often finding their way into soils. The process of the present invention utilizes the well known methods of the art of composting but specifically selects the raw plant materials to be composted from plant groups having carbon:nitrogen ratios of approximately 10:1 to 30:1 of carbon and nitrogen content. Examples of said special plant material being from members of the plant family Leguminosae, and specifically Gossypium hirsutum (cotton). By means of certain modifications of the art of composting said special plant materials, disclosed herein, generate a special humic substrate which supports an indigenous microflora and fauna capable of degrading a number of unwanted substances harmful to man, animals and plants; examples being certain petroleum hydrocarbons, halogenated hydrocarbon pesticides and soil borne plant pathogens.

Abstract: Improved agricultural technology has increased yields of cereal crops to a level wherein the crop residues left on the land are of such volume as to interfere with the following crop. Historically, these residues have been incinerated and the practice continues to this day, polluting the air, causing health problems, destroying valuable natural plant foods and soil humus. It is the nature of cereal crop residues to degrade slowly because of their low nitrogen content and complex polysaccharide chemical moieties. This application teaches that by crushing and shredding the crop residue and applying a liquid nutrient enrichment medium for the growth of the native soil microflora decay can be accelerated.