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- Frequently Asked Questions of Composting Machine
What is Wet waste / Organic waste?
Organic waste is material that is biodegradable and comes from nature, either a plant or an animal. Organic waste is usually broken down by other organisms over time and may also be referred to as wet waste. Examples of organic waste include green waste, food waste, food-soiled paper, non-hazardous wood waste, green waste, and landscape and pruning waste.
What is Dry Waste?
Dry waste is typically defined as any waste which will not rot or disintegrate over time. Dry waste can also be described as inorganic or non-biodegradable waste given its lack of food products.
Examples – Paper, plastics, metal, glass, rubber, thermocol, Styrofoam, fabric, leather, rexine, wood – anything that can be kept for an extended period without decomposing.
- Why is waste segregation at the source important? Why should I segregate the waste?
- Segregation is important for:
- – For public health and health issues of the persons handling the waste /Ragpickers.
- – To Reduce the waste going to landfills / To reduce the landfills.
- – To reduce pollution to the air and water.
- – To Avoid contamination of dry waste due to wet waste to lower the cost of recycling and reuse.
- How should I segregate the waste? How to do waste segregation?
Keep separate containers for dry and wet waste in the kitchen
Keep plastic from the kitchen clean and dry and drop it into the dry waste bin. Keep glass /plastic containers rinsed of food matter.
What is the process of composting?
Composting is the biological decomposition of organic waste such as food or plant material by bacteria, fungi, worms, and other organisms under controlled aerobic (occurring in the presence of oxygen) conditions. This process recycles various organic materials otherwise regarded as waste products and produces a soil conditioner (the compost).
- Finished compost is dark and crumbly in texture and mostly broken down with a pleasant earth-like smell.
What cannot go into the machine?
Any non-biodegradable material like Paper, plastics, metal, glass, rubber, thermocol, Styrofoam, fabric, leather, rexine, etc.
- What is the difference between anaerobic and Aerobic composting?
AEROBIC COMPOSTING:
Aerobic composting is the decomposition of organic matter using microorganisms that require oxygen. As aerobic digestion takes place the by-products are heat, water, and carbon dioxide (CO2). Additionally, CO2 is only 1/20th as harmful to the environment as methane (the main by-product of anaerobic degradation)
The heat produced in aerobic composting is sufficient to kill harmful bacteria and pathogens as these organisms are not adapted to these environmental conditions. It also helps support the growth of beneficial bacteria species including psychrophilic, mesophilic, and thermophilic bacteria which thrive at higher temperature levels.
From start to finish, the in-vessel aerobic composting process takes only 8-10 days. No leachate is produced as any surplus moisture is extracted.
ANAEROBIC COMPOSTING:
Anaerobic composting is decomposition that occurs using microorganisms that do not require oxygen to survive. In an anaerobic system, the majority of the chemical energy contained within the starting material is released as methane. The process is characterized by very strong odours and only a small amount of heat is generated meaning decomposition takes much longer and doesn’t reach sufficient temperatures to safely kill plant pathogens, weeds, and seeds. To overcome these limitations external (artificial) heat is normally added. As the material is broken down by anaerobic digestion, it creates a sludge-like material that is even more difficult to break down. This material, digestate, typically requires aerobic composting to complete the stabilization process.
– Encourages the production of beneficial bacteria and fungi that break down organic matter to create humus, a rich nutrient-filled material.
– Organic waste is generated from the things we take out from the soil, so it is morally correct to give it back to the soil.
- What are benefits of composting?
- Benefits of Composting:
- – Enriches soil, helping retain moisture and suppress plant diseases and pests.
- – Reduces the need for chemical fertilizers.
- – Reduces methane emissions from landfills and lowers your carbon footprint.
- What is the quantity of compost produced per day?
- Approximately, 10% to 30% of the organic waste input is converted to compost.
Is shredder important?
Yes. Shredding is one of the important steps in the composting process. Shredding helps in volume reduction and hastens the biological decomposition process. Shredder breaks the waste into small particles i.e., increase in surface area for bacteria to act on. Small particles accelerate the composting process by significantly reducing the heat requirement for dehydration. The compost is much finer and good quality due to the Shredder.
Also, additional segregation of soft wet waste and Hard wet waste need not be required in the system without a shredder.
What can go into the machines?
All types of biodegradable material including tender coconuts, watermelon shells, corn bases, nonveg bones, etc.
What if any non-biodegradable material goes inside the machine?
We should avoid the entry of non-biodegradable material. Polythene or plastic paper may get wrapped around the shredder blades, mixing arms and shafts. Hard metal parts may block the blades.
- What are the stages of the composting process? What happens in the composting process?
Under ideal conditions, composting proceeds through three major phases:
An initial, mesophilic phase, in which the decomposition is carried out under moderate temperatures by mesophilic microorganisms. Heat is a natural byproduct of this initial process and temperatures quickly rise to over 40°C.
As the temperature rises, a second, thermophilic phase starts, in which the decomposition is carried out by various thermophilic bacteria under high temperatures. The higher temperatures are more conducive to breaking down proteins, fats, and complex carbohydrates.
Techniques such as aeration and turning over the compost help to keep temperatures below about 65°C, as well as provide additional oxygen and new sources for the thermophilic microorganisms to break down.
As the supply of high-energy compounds dwindles, the temperature starts to decrease, and the mesophiles once again predominate in the maturation phase and finish breaking down the remaining organic matter into usable humus.
Can bones be decomposed in the machine?
Scientifically, bones take years to decompose. Due to the inbuilt shredder, the bones are broken into small pieces increasing surface area but cannot be fully decomposed.
Does the coconut shell decompose in the machine?
As it is a hard material, it takes a long time to decompose, so it cannot be decomposed in the machine within 10-12 days.
- What can I do with the compost?
- The compost can be used in one of the following ways: