Recycling bio-waste by small-scale composting

Abstract

Bio-waste is a biodegradable organic waste composed by garden and park cuttings, and food and kitchen residues from households and catering establishments. Composting is an effective biological process for its treatment and recycling, converting this organic waste into an organic amendment. In this research, some small-scale composting reactors have been design using recycled materials. Also, the biological process has been studied by monitoring the temperature, mass and volume evolution of the composting substrate during two months. Thermophilic temperature (50ºC) and a significant reduction of mass (17%) and volume (50%) of the bio-waste mixture was found during the process. The main conclusion was that small-scale composting reactors can be effectively used for the bio-waste treatment.