Bio-conversion of organic waste using composting technologies - a review
by V. Sudharsan Varma; Ajay S. Kalamdhad
International Journal of Environmental Technology and Management (IJETM), Vol. 17, No. 6, 2014

Abstract: Composting is nowadays evolving as a highly technical process for processing organic waste separately replacing landfilling along with municipal solid waste. Vegetable waste with high organic content can be composted to produce nutrient rich material that can work as soil conditioner instead of dumping in open landfills. Various studies reveal that due to high organic content of vegetable waste it increases leachability, thereby contaminating the groundwater and increasing greenhouse gas emissions on open dumping. Since the nitrogen and carbon rich materials are layered in an optimal balanced composition in composting, microbes decompose the material faster to produce high quality compost with nutrient value. Vegetable waste rich in organic nitrogen can be easily mineralised by compost microorganisms to form NH₄ and NO₃, thereby successfully incorporating them in the compost. Depending on the source of organic waste, composting methodology can be selected for the efficient degradation and better compost quality. In the present study, it has been reviewed about the composting methodologies practiced for organic waste providing the optimised parameters for improving the processes.

Online publication date: Wed, 14-Jan-2015

The full text of this article is only available to individual subscribers or to users at subscribing institutions.

 
Existing subscribers:
Go to Inderscience Online Journals to access the Full Text of this article.

Pay per view:
If you are not a subscriber and you just want to read the full contents of this article, buy online access here.

Complimentary Subscribers, Editors or Members of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Environmental Technology and Management (IJETM):
Login with your Inderscience username and password:

Username:        Password:          Forgotten your password?

Want to subscribe?
A subscription gives you complete access to all articles in the current issue, as well as to all articles in the previous three years (where applicable). See our Orders page to subscribe.

If you still need assistance, please email subs@inderscience.com