Bio--treatment of solid waste

Bio

Composting of Organic Wastes and

Production of Organic Fertilizers
Eng. Mohamed Khaire
Content

1. Introduction
2. Definition and Principles
3
3. Composting Methodology
4. Composting types and Techniques
5. Composting Application
6. Domestic composting
7. Compost in Jordan
 Type of Solid waste Biological
Transformation

Aerobic digestion in presence of oxygen and

nutrient to produce stable organic matter, CO2
CO2,
Heat H2
Heat, H2O,O NH3
NH3 and SO4
SO4

Anaerobic digestion in presence of water and

absence of oxygen to produce stable organic
matter , CO2
CO2, Heat, NH3
NH3,SO
,SO44 and methane
 What is A Compost
Composting is an aerobic biological
decomposition process where
microorganisms convert raw organic
materials relatively stable humus-
humus-like
material
 1.Process schematic

Input Material Composting Out Material

Organic Wastes Bacteria, COMPOST

• Animal manure Fungi, • Organic fertilizers
• Agricultural worms, • Mulch
waste & • Soil conditioner
• WWTP Excess oxygen • Landfill covers
Sludge
 Waste Component good for
compost
Organic Fraction of Municipal solid
waste such as paper, cardboard, food
waste, wood
Yard trimmings include leaves from trees
and shrubs, pine needles, grass, clippings,
tree bark, woody branches, roots,
Bio solids are the solid portion of waste
from municipal sewage treatment plants.
 What not to compost

a) Though often discouraged, composting

waste of humans and other carnivorous or
omnivorous animals (dogs, cats, pigs) is
possible but you must be very careful about
pathogens

b) Perennial weeds that are resistant to decay

such as Bermuda grass, mint, bindweed

c) Some diseased plants

 What not to compost

d) Meat and dairy (if worried about attracting

pests)

e) Large quantities of fats and oils can’t readily

b broken
be b k down
d by
b compost organisms i

f ) Leaves of eucalyptus, walnut, and other trees

with tannins or known all elochemicals,
conifers (acidic, slow). Small amounts of these
materials are okay.
Advantages of composting

Physical Advantages:
No Odor
Increasing the soil water holding capacity
means safe irrigation water
Increase the soil aeration and gases exchange
due to increasing the internal pours between
soil particles
 Chemical Advantages:
Creating suitable pH for plant growth
Stabilizing the volatile nitrogen of organic
waste into large protein particles
Reducing the need for chemical fertilizers
(Ground and surface water protection)
Slow releasing of nutrients to plants
Increasing the cationic exchange capacity
Increasing organic matter concentration rather
than nutrient value
 Biological Advantages
Eliminating weed seeds, fly egg
eggs and pathogens as a
result of hygenisation (> 55 °C)
Conserve the biological balance of soil
microorganisms
Fighting the plant diseases competition on the roots
and surrounded area (due to Pinicillium production
from the microorganism)
 Advantages of composting

Environmental Advantages
Environmental safe, No chemicals risks and
hazards
Reduce the animals and plants waste
Reduce the heavy metals adsorbed by plants
due to Joining it
Coarse compost reduces the soil erosion
 Advantages of composting

General Adv
Advantages:
Easy to handle, store, transport
Can be added at any time of the year
Dose not release heat so it protects the plants
Economic and agricultural value
Used inside and outside homes safely
 Factors affect the compost
productions
Aeration and presence of oxygen
Mixing Ratio of input materials
Moisture content
Heat Released from the degradation process
Microorganism
 Factors affect the compost productions

Aeration and oxygen presence

1. Aerobic bacteria require oxygen, respire CO2.
2. Anaerobic bacteria (problems).
3 Oxygen is often the limiting factor when
3.
compost temperature goes down after first
weeks.
4. At 10%–12% CO2, need to turn.
5. Turning pile reintroduces oxygen, stimulating
aerobic bacteria population.
 Mixing ratios of input materials
C/N ratio
- Moisture content

Range of C/N ratios and N,P,K for some animal manures

C/N N P K
-------- % -------
Diary 19 0.5 0.2 0.6
Sheep nd 1.4 0.5 1.2
Turkey 11 1.5 0.6 nd
Hens 11 1.6 0.5 0.4
Broiler 15 4.2 1.7 nd
 Factors affect the compost
productions
composition of the raw materials (porosity, size)
 Moisture

1. Moisture needs of decomposers

2. Moisture content in compost pile should be
50%–60% (moist as a wrung-out sponge
a) Add water as pile is built. More water should
be put on layers in top half of pile.
pile
b) Excess moisture will cause compaction, loss of
air
c) Insufficient moisture will cause a pile to
decompose slowly, and cause to heat to goes up
d) Seasonal moisture considerations (e.g., tarping
in winter)
 Factors affect the Compost Production

Microorganism

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 Compost Classifications
The compost quality depends on the following:
moisture and nutrient concentration, pH

soluble salts, organic matter concentration,

C:N ratio, water-holding capacity, bulk density,
cation exchange capacity, particle size,
presence of weed seeds, and odor .
Compost Quality Guidelines Based on End Use
Potting Media
Top Dressing Soil Amendment
Characteristic Potting Grade Amendment
Grade Grade*
Grade*

Improvement of
agricultural soils,
Formulating restoration of
Growing medium
Recommended growing media for Primarily turf top disturbed soils,
without additional
Uses potted plants (pH dressing establishment and
blending
<7.2) maintenance of
landscape plants
(pH <7.2)

Dark brown to Dark brown to Dark brown to

Color Dark brown to
black black black
black

No objectionable No objectionable No objectionable

Odor Good, earthy
odor odor odor
smell

Particle size (in) <1/2 <1/4 <1/2

<1/2
 Compost Quality Guidelines Based on End Use

Potting Media
Top Dressing Soil Amendment
Characteristic Potting Grade Amendment
Grade Grade*
Grade*
Should be Should be Should be
pH
5.0-7.6 identified identified identified

Soluble salt content <2.5 <6.0 <5.0 <20.0

(mmhos/cm)

Not more than 5%

Not more than 1% Not more than 1%
Not more than 1% by dry weight of
by dry weight of by dry weight of
by dry weight of combined glass,
combined glass, combined glass,
Foreign Materials combined glass, plastic, other
plastic, other plastic, other
plastic, other foreign particles
foreign particles foreign particles
foreign particles
1/8 - 1/2 in 1/8 - 1/2 in
1/8 - 1/2 in

Respiration rate <200 <200 <200 <400 EPA

(mg/kg per hour)#
 Heavy metals Content
Maximum Concentration Heavy Metals
in mg/kg
13-10 Arsenic
3 Cadmium
200-50 Chromium
100-80 Copper
150 Lead
1-0.8 Mercury
62-50 Nickel
500-300 Zinc
 Composting Methodology
The method of composting will be based
on windrow technology
Sorting container

Mechanical treatment

Aeration raw
tment

Seiving

Balance
Control room

Storage & handling Final fermentation

The composting process
CURING
Composting Phases
Organic wastes under go several biological
processes as the following:
-Start phase
-Biodegradation phase - Final Phase
 C:N Ratio
Factors to consider when estimating C:N ratio
of different materials
i. Stage of growth/age of material
ii Storage/treatment
ii. S /
iii. Where grown, how fertilized
iv. With manures, grain-fed animals will have
higher N manure
Suggested mixture ratios of input materials
C/N mix from 25-30 %

Run Chicken Cow Manure horses Sawdust

Sawdust%
%
Manure % Manure
% %

I 70 25 5

II 65 20 10 5

III 95 5

IV 23 72 5
 Monitoring program and analysis
During the composting Test Frequency
processes, the Water content Daily
following test will be pH Daily
carried out to ensure
Temperature Daily
the proper functioning
of the biological Organic carbon Daily
process. The C/N Weekly
scheduled analysis is: Heavy metals Start and end
(Pb, Br, Ca, Ni)
Na, Ca, K, Mg Start and end
 Methods used in the composting process

Passive Composting or Cold composting

method:

A li i
Application:
If you don't need a lot of compost, aren't in a
hurry, or don't have access to a lot of raw
material
 Passive Composting
Place the compost bin in a convenient
location, Since material will be added to the
passive compost pile frequently, make sure it's
easily accessible.
accessible
add the ingredients as you get them while
keeping in mind that the pile should be about
50%
50 % "greens" and 50
50%
% "browns
Add water to keep the moisture
Avoid adding any seeds and do not add
material from possibly diseased plants.
Methods used in the composting process
Passively Aerated Windrows.
Windrows.
Methods used in the composting process

Windrow Composting
Piling the compost
Ready Pile
Windrow Composting pile
Machine used in wind draw composting to turn the
compost upside down
Compost turning
Methods used in the composting process

Composting using machine

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Typical time Required for composting
 Monitoring and Recording the Composting

1. Monitor temperature with compost

thermometer
a) Take temperature daily for first month and
after turning; then weekly
b) Temperature
T should
h ld be
b taken
k at severall points
i
in the pile and averaged
c) Thermometer should be inserted 18 inches to
2 feet into pile
d) Hold thermometer by probe while inserting
and removing (head can break)
 Monitoring and Recording the Composting

2. Record temperature and observations on

record-a-keeping sheet
a) Track pile through decomposition
process, creating heat curve graph as
you go
b) Use heat curve graph to assess pile
performance, indicate when to turn
After Completion of the aerobic
digestion Process
The fully digested wastes are distributed in a piles or
raws to dry

Leaving the piles for 4 weeks without turning or

adding water

Sieving and screaming the products

Packaging and marketing

Assessing Compost Maturity & Stability
1. Parent material should be largely
indistinguishable, texture should be crumbly
2. Temperature has cooled down to ambient
temperature
3
3. Signs of macro life (e.g.,
(e g redworms,
redworms
sowbugs, springtails), though may not be
present in large-scale operations
4. Dark brown to blackish-brown color
5. Earthy smell (no ammonium or anaerobic odor)
6. Feels “greasy” or slick when squeezed
between fingers
 Assessing Compost Maturity and
Stability
7. Maturity vs. stability: A set of 7 quantitative
indicators are used to define the maturity and
stability of compost
• pH: 6.5 to 8.0
• Sulfides: zero to only trace
• Ammonia = <0.05 ppm
• Ammonium: 0.2 to 3.0 ppm
• Nitrites: <1.0 ppm
• Nitrates: <300 ppm
• CO2: <1%
Final Product
Application
pp of Treated Compost
p
Distribution inside the farm
Processing after Distribution
 Home Composting
Home composting is one of the most cost-
cost-
effective organic materials management
strategies because it eliminates the costs of
collection and processing
O
Organici waste suitable
i bl for
f home
h
composting includes:
grass clippings, hay, straw, sawdust, wood
chips, kitchen waste (e.g., fruit and
vegetable peels and rinds, tea bags, coffee
grounds, eggshells), leaves
Stand the barrel on
ground or panel
Fill it with domestic
organic waste,
waste yard…
yard
Turning the waste
with a rod twice a
week
1-2 L of water added
weekly
Final compost can be
reach after 12
12--24
weeks
Containers used in home
composting
 Potential Disadvantages of
composting
a) Cost and time: Many farmers and
gardeners don’t make their own compost
because of the labor and expense
b)) Space
p needed for composting
p g can take
up available production land
c) Odor or other impacts on neighbors can
create challenges in urban/suburban areas
d) Regulations: Regulations on leachate
and testing if commercial composter or
certified
Compost in Jordan
Facts and Statistic

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Livestock in Jordan
Agriculture in Jordan valley and
the market potential
Type of plant Area in Amount of manure Market
dunams* per dunams in m3 Potential (m
(m33)

V t bl in
Vegetables i 13,,854
13 4 55,,416
55
greenhouses

Vegetables in open area 180,

180,577 2 .5 451,
451,443

Orchards 97,,026
97 1 97,,026
97

Total 291,
291,457 603,
603,885
Agricultural growths in rest of Jordan
and market potential

Type of plant Area in Amount manure Market

dunams* needed Potential
per dunams in m3 (m33)
(m
Vegetables in 5,976 3 17,,928
17
greenhouses

Vegetables in open 207,

207,111 2 414,
414,222
area
Orchards 355,
355,600 1 355,
355,600

Total 658,
658,687 787,
787,750
Market distribution within jordan
according to the area
Thank You