| Criterion: | Loader: | Aeromaster Turner |
| Cycle | The composting cycle may be completed over a period of 6 to 18 months using a loader. | The composting cycle can be completed over a period of 8-10 weeks with an Aeromaster compost turner. |
| Design | Loader is designed for lifting, moving and dumping. | Compost turner is designed for composting, thus mixing, blending, aerating, and watering. |
| Aeration | Aeration is difficult to achieve, even with slow dumping, due to material hanging together while dropping to the ground. A fast dump prevents O2/CO2exchange. | With Aeromaster turner, oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange is achieved through all feedstocks in an even and consistent manner throughout the windrow. |
| Blending | Feedstocks cannot be thoroughly blended and mixed with other feedstocks with a loader; this limits the interaction of carbon & nitrogen atoms. | With compost turner, feedstocks are evenly blended and mixed with other feedstocks, maximizing interaction of carbon & nitrogen atoms. |
| Watering | Water is typically applied to the outside of a windrow, therefore moisturization is unequal and an optimum microbial environment is only achieved in portions of a row. | Water is applied to each particle as the feedstocks are tossed above the compost turner’s drum; therefore moisturization is equal throughout the row, providing an optimal microbial environment. |
| Movement | Feedstocks may be in the same portion of a row week after week. | With a compost turner, outside feedstocks are turned to the inside, while inside materials moved to the outside. |
| Inoculants | Loader has no capability to disburse inoculant evenly throughout a row is available. | With an Aeromaster compost turner you can add proven beneficial microbes evenly throughout the row. |
| Frequency | With loader, turning is infrequent due to the length of time required to turn. | Compost turner can be used frequently, because turning can be achieved in only 25 percent of loader time. |
| Cycle | The composting cycle is completed over a period of 6 to 18 months using a loader. |
The composting cycle can be completed over a period of 8-10 weeks with an Aeromaster turner. |
| Space | Space required is maximized due to the slow process. Piles are frequently built high (contributing to anaerobic conditions) because of space limitations. | Space required is minimized because materials can be removed, marketed, and applied to the soil. |
| Uniformity | Because all areas of a row are not treated uniformly, a homogenous blend with consistent quality is difficult to achieve. |
Because all of a row is treated uniformly, even breakdown and buildup into humus is achieved. |
