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Composting

Composting is the controlled biological decomposition of organic materials through aerobic microorganisms that increases the temperature and destroys pathogens and weeds. It converts materials like food waste and yard trimmings into nutrient-rich humus through a process of mineralization. Successful composting requires balancing factors like carbon-nitrogen ratios, oxygen levels, temperature, moisture and material composition to sustain microbial activity and fully degrade organic matter into a stable end product. Composting is used as a form of waste recycling and management in agriculture, for municipal organic wastes, and by households.

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58 views

Composting

Composting is the controlled biological decomposition of organic materials through aerobic microorganisms that increases the temperature and destroys pathogens and weeds. It converts materials like food waste and yard trimmings into nutrient-rich humus through a process of mineralization. Successful composting requires balancing factors like carbon-nitrogen ratios, oxygen levels, temperature, moisture and material composition to sustain microbial activity and fully degrade organic matter into a stable end product. Composting is used as a form of waste recycling and management in agriculture, for municipal organic wastes, and by households.

Uploaded by

ecotechconsultants
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Composting
Composting is the controlled biological decomposition and pasteurization of organic materials
under aerobic conditions— it involves the action of mesophilic microorganisms followed by
thermophilic microorganisms that thrive under increased (more than 50 °C) temperature
conditions and if correctly managed, can destroy disease-causing organisms, even weed seeds.
Biodegradable organic matter is mineralized while carbon dioxide (CO2), water and heat are
liberated, and the residual organic components are stabilized mainly to humic acids. There are
various ways of composting—aerobic static piles (non-interventionary), aerobic windrows
(interventionary), using worms (vermicomposting, which is in fact a different type of process
that does not involve the thermophilic stages), etc. The choice of the method is usually based on
the objective. There are many different technologies named after the origin of the process among
windrows and static systems, such as Rutgers Strategy, Indore process or Camby process.

Composting is a way of achieving the natural microbial humification process that converts the
material into another form—the main conversion taking place being that of carbon and nitrogen
compounds. The process of composting, which is an aerobic process, creates heat and converts
solid wastes into compost that can be used as a fertilizer. More scientifically, in bioremediation
technologies (sometimes known as microbiological engineering) the natural ability of certain
organisms to degrade organic chemicals is used to contain contamination. The desired end results
of the active bioremediation processes are carbon dioxide, water and cell biomass; and the
process is termed composting. The process of composting is mostly biological in nature,
achieved by the actions of different organisms. Composting involves the interactions of different
organisms at various levels of the food chain in the different nutrient cycles in the substrate being
degraded. The various organisms involved in the process consume the waste materials and other
organisms that are lower in the food chain at different rates, and a basic understanding of their
biology is necessary to design a composting system and its mode of operation.

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A compostable material is a material which undergoes physical, chemical, thermal and/or


biological degradation in a composting facility such that it enters into and is physically
indistinguishable from the finished compost and which ultimately mineralizes (biodegrades to
carbon dioxide, water and biomass as new microorganisms) at a rate like that of known
compostable materials in solid waste such as paper and yard waste. A compost compatible
material is a material that disintegrates and becomes indistinguishable from the final compost,
and is either biodegradable or inert in the environment. A removable material is a material that
can be removed (not to be composted) by existing technologies in municipal solid waste (MSW)
composting (such as plastic, stone, glass, etc.)

For the compost process to be successful, it requires a "recipe" be followed to sustain the desired
biological activity. The amount or ratio of carbon and nitrogen in the original material is highly
important as a good balance is required for the process to proceed. Oxygen is a major factor
controlling the composting process. For solid wastes, aeration and adequate supply of oxygen is
important; for liquid wastes, dissolved oxygen level is important. Composting, being an aerobic
microbial process, demands a continuous and good supply of oxygen for the microbes and other
organisms such as worms, beetles and nematodes. There are other important factors that can
make or break the process such as temperature, moisture content, removal of heat and moisture,
material composition, etc.

Generally, there are four indicators considered for process performance and product quality,
namely, volatile solids, respiration rate, germination tests and pathogen indicators. Composting
as an engineered process is not set up to fully decompose all degradable organic materials, but to
degrade putrescibles that would otherwise cause odors by anaerobic degradation.

Composting has been used as one form of waste recycling—generally in the agricultural sector
and for the biodegradable part of municipal solid waste (MSW). Composting may also be used to
convert industrial waste, particularly in industries with substantial biological waste materials
such as food and paper processing. Composting is perhaps best-known as a household or on-farm
activity where food and yard or farm wastes (such as bedding straw from barns or field stubble)
are transformed into benign organic material through the composting process.

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