ecchelmet Converting horticulture waste into organic manure
At WET IC’s Bhagirathi WTP project, leaves, stems, bushes, and pantry waste are being removed and converted into organic manure for a clean and healthy environment by using composting to manage the waste and produce compost that can be used in crop production.
Biodegradable materials like crop waste, kitchen waste, garden waste, cow waste, and seeds are decomposed; seeds treated with this waste decomposer show 98% early and uniform germination, and it also protects the emerging seedlings. Other advantages include using the waste decomposer with foliar spray to effectively control all types of bacterial, fungal, and viral diseases in various crops, which eliminates up to 90% use of all types of pesticides / fungicides / insecticides as it controls both root and shoot diseases.
The slow release of nitrogen from the food waste composts is ideally suited for urban landscapes where there is moderate, consistent rate of plant growth.
How to create waste decomposer?
- Take 2 kg of jaggery and mix it in a plastic drum containing 200 litres of water
- Take 1 bottle of waste decomposer and pour all its contents into a plastic drum containing the jaggery solution
- Mix it properly with a wooden stick for uniform distribution of the waste decomposer in the drum
- Cover the drum with paper, cloth, or cardboard and shake it once or twice every day
The composting process is the aerobic windrow system, and the compost is produced in about 8 weeks. In the process, the food and garden waste are mixed in 1:1:2 ratio on dry weight basis to obtain optimal C:N ratio.
To process the compost further and reduce its bulkiness to be sustainable, a dumb area has been created in the plant site. The compost, soil, and leachates are analysed for carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and other select parameters. Pre-planting soil analysis was carried out for the test and control soil, and the organic fertilizer produced was used to grow plantain as a test crop.
