MSU Compost It’s Good “Stuff”

They are selling my what?!?!?

MooPoo, yes we sell it and it is actually really great "stuff". As one of the premier agricultural schools in country MSU currently produces approximately 10,000 cubic yards of compost annually and has been doing so since 2005. Our facility has three indoor 120 foot bays where manure is mixed and turned until heating requirements of 132 degrees Fahrenheit is achieved. The temperature remains 132 degrees for a minimum of 72 hours. It is then turned three times a week which helps to reduce weed seeds and pathogens. It meets MDOT criteria and U.S. EPA part 503 temperature criteria for pathogen kill. It also exceeds generally accepted weed seed kill criteria, and germination tests on prior batches show 0% germination of any weed seeds.

Here are just some of the potential benefits of using compost

• Improves soil structure
• Improves nutrient holding capacity
• Reduces soil compaction and crusting
• Increases ease of cultivation
• Improves root growth and yields
• Improves water infiltration and drought tolerance
• Protects plants from disease
• Increases microbial and earthworm populations

We offer a couple of different products to fit your needs whether you are a large farm or just someone with a backyard garden.

We have uncured compost that is available for $6 a cubic yard with a minimum order of 20 yards.

We also have cured compost for $20 a cubic yard that is available here at the MSU Surplus Store.

Reuse Everyday Items to Build a Solar Oven

Check out this story on how to build a solar oven with 2 cardboard boxes, black paint, foil, and a sheet of acrylic.

Solar Oven

Construction Progress - Part XX

Construction at the MSU Surplus Store and Recycling Center continues as some of the detail items are starting to show up inside and outside the new facility. On the outside, the screen wall separating the MSU Surplus Store and MSU Recycling has been completed with the addition of the wire mesh for green plants to grow on. This should create a great looking and helpful visual screen for the processing side of MSU Recycling. On the inside, the biggest change is the newly poured floors in the MSU Recycling processing area, so now all floors have been installed throughout the building. In the other areas we have paint going up on many of the walls. The MSU Surplus Store's sales floor and the MSU Storage area there is now paint going up on its internal masonry walls. The internal offices also now have paint up on many of the walls as we come closer and closer to our late summer early fall completion date.

Remember to keep checking back for more updates! Also don't forget that we have a compilation of all of the constructions photos available. We would also like to thank Irish Construction Company who has been very gracious in allowing us access and keeping us up to date with the progress of construction.

Previous Updates

• Construction Progress: Part I
• Construction Progress: Part II
• Construction Progress: Part III
• Construction Progress: Part IV
• Construction Progress: Part V
• Construction Progress: Part VI
• Construction Progress: Part VII
• Construction Progress: Part VIII
• Construction Progress: Part IX
• Construction Progress: Part X
• Construction Progress: Part XI
• Construction Progress: Part XII
• Construction Progress: Part XIII
• Construction Progress: Part XIV
• Construction Progress: Part XV
• Construction Progress: Part XVI
• Construction Progress: Part XVII
• Construction Progress: Part XVIII
• Construction Progress: Part XIX

Furniture Reuse

In addition to electronics recycling we have many customers who contact us looking for us to take furniture or other items that they no longer need. While we currently do not accept donations from the public there are places in the local area that do take these items. The city of East Lansing has a great list of local agencies that accept donations. Also be sure to check out your local area for reuse events, there people from the local community can bring items they no longer need and also take items that may have a need for.

Home e-Waste Recycling

Many of our customers call or e-mail asking about e-waste recycling for personal computers. The MSU Surplus Store maintains a very large e-waste recycling program for items purchased by the University. We are currently planning on accepting e-waste for fee from students, faculty and staff when we move into our new facility. In the mean time, here is a nice resource put together buy Wired magazine that provides several tips for the reuse and recycling of computers, phones and other "gadgets": Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Your Old Gadgets

Wired must be on an e-waste kick. Here's a great gallery of pictures: Where Gadgets Go to Die: Facility Strips, Rips and Recycles