RECYCLING BIODEGRADABLE WASTE USING COMPOSTING TECHNIQUE

Buba Apagu Ankidawa and Emmanuel Nwodo

Department of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering

Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola, Nigeria

Email Address – ankidawa03@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

The objective of this research was to recycle household biodegradable waste using composting as a technique. Mixtures of organic materials which are components of biodegradable wastes were recycled by decomposing them under a controlled environmental condition. The initial moisturecontent of each of the materials make up the compost mixture was computed and classified as wet and dry materials, and the average moisture content for both wet and dry materials was computed. The dry materials were weighed as they were collected and were found to weigh 18kg with an average moisture content of 34.9% and a chosen moisture goal of 50%. Other results obtained showed that the weight and average moisture content of wet materials were 64.7kg and 54.2% respectively. The compost mixture was scaled down to half its quantity for easy turning. With an optimal environmental condition of moisture content (50%), adequate proportion of both the dry and wet material to meet the required Carbon/Nitrogen (C/N) ratio, and an appropriate volume of air in the pore spaces of the compost pile and microbial decomposition was initiated. At the end of the decomposition, a stabilized organic matter which can be used as fertilizer supplement by horticulturists, landscapers, orchardists, Farmers etc, was obtained.

Key Words:  Biodegradable waste, Composting, Organic materials, Aeration, Environment condition, Moisture content.