Attaining the quality of ready-made compost in the composting of green waste by using different composting approaches. The sorting and processing complex run by "Meliorators-J" receives biological waste consisting of green waste. This waste is composted. The company is striving to attain the quality of ready-made compost in the composting of green waste by using different composting approaches.
Approach no. 1
In order to encourage the composting process, the green waste is piled into ricks. The size of the ricks is: width – approximately 4 m, height – 3 m, length – 25 m. Every two weeks the backhoe or frontal loader mixes up the ricks in order to ensure an even composting process.
Approach no. 2
The green waste is composted in the windrows. The size of the windrows is: width – approximately 1 m, height – 0.5 m, length – 25 m. Every two weeks the windrow mixer, Bahus, mixes up the row in order to ensure an even composting process. It is important to avoid glass or similar material in the green waste flow because the mixer breaks the glass into small pieces and these small pieces of glass are not always sieved out.
Approach no. 3
The green waste is composted in the aerated reactor. The volume of the reactor is 25 m³. The reactor is filled with green waste, mostly with leaves and grass. The reactor is fed regularly with air flow in order to encourage the composting process. The finished compost is discharged from the reactor.
The common procedures for all the approaches are the following: during the composting process, regular measurements of temperature and moisture of the material are taken. If the ricks, windrows or the reactor are too dry, water is applied, thereby stimulating the composting process. Furthermore, the quality of the material is analysed. Depending on the quality of the composted material, the sieving of the material can start after approximately two months of composting. The sieving takes place using various types of sieve. The sieved composted material is stored in separate heaps dependent on the quality of the composted and sieved material. The finished compost is sold to customers, mostly for the purposes of landscaping or for the improvement of territories.
Outcome
Improvement of waste management system: The production of compost from green waste is ~8,300 m€/year. The most optimal conditions for composting of green municipal waste in large heaps have been elaborated on the basis of analysis carried out within the pilot project.
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