• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Composting Our Waste

Posted on: Sunday, 9 October 2005, 21:00 CDT

COMPOSTING is the controlled process of decomposing organic matter.

Food scraps, grass clippings and plant material can be composted. When composted, they turn into a dark odourless substance known as humus which is rich in nutrients needed by growing plants. Instead of chemical fertilisers, humus can be used on lawns, farms and gardens.

As a substitute for topsoil, compost is being used to restore lands after construction and strip mining. In sanitary landfills, it is used to cover layers of compacted garbage and to cap the landfills when they are closed.

Compost is also used in parks, fields, golf courses and commercial forests.

Bacteria and fungi decompose the organic matter. They require moisture and lots of air. As they feed on the organic matter, heat is generated and the compost becomes hot. This helps to kill the disease-causing bacteria that may be present in the material. Once the decomposers deplete the food supply, heat generation slows down and the pile cools.

It is not difficult to compost at home. One common method is the windrow. Waste is accumulated in a long pile several inches or feet high. The wastes are regularly turned so as to expose the material to air.

Alternatively, a rectangular pen can be made with woven wire. Waste material is heaped on top of it and turned regularly.

Composting can also be done in large steel drums with holes in it. After being partially filled with waste, the drum is simply rolled for aeration.

Any type of organic material can be composted. Some organic wastes decompose too slowly to be included in the average compost pile.

A common problem in composting is the presence of toxic materials. Pesticides break down during composting and so does not pose problems. Heavy metals are not suitable and should be removed before composting. So are chemical substances. Meat, bones or fatty foods should not be mixed with compost material. Plastics is taboo for composting.

To many of us, composting is a pile of leaves and clippings in our backyard, which is an easy and convenient way to recycle our own waste. A good example of larger-scale composting would be the sanitary landfill.

Composting is also done commercially. Many plant nursery operators compost waste (tanah hitam) for sale to their customers.

Source: Sunday Mail; Kuala Lumpur

More News in this Category