Large Scale Heap Composting - Aerobic method, It is efficient, effective, sustainable
Voice over: Dr Shanthi Tummala, member SWMRT
Video: Vasuki Iyengar, member SWMRT
In this video, we demonstrate heap method of aerobic composting. The advantage of heap composting is that more kitchen waste can be processed in the same area as compared to tank method. We need a covered area or shed with cross ventilation as this is aerobic composting. Strong Concrete floor is a must to avoid rat and mouse entry from bottom and a roof to avoid rain. Side walls should be one foot cement and the rest 9 feet mesh wall which allows air circulation and avoids entry of rodents. Each heap can be 4 to 5 feet width x maximum 3 feet height and length can be 10 feet or even more depending on shed length. A good water connection, electricity connection is a must. Electricity is for a chopper and a shredder machine. The concrete floor has slope on either side so that the excess leachate will go into a canal on either side of the wall. Always include 8 to 10 large vermicomposting tanks so that semi composted material can be fed to earthworms. Vermi compost will fetch better value than aerobic compost. Feed semi compost to earthworms to create vermi compost.
The secret to success is well segregated kitchen waste. Secondary segregation is tedious and time consuming. It is important to plan the infrastructure to allow easy movement of smaller vehicle, JCB or robocat
During household kitchen waste collection, it is very important to collect all the dry leaves, garden cuttings too. Collect all the market waste along with house hold kitchen waste. An efficient chopper with good electricity connection at the entrance helps in chopping a mixture of kitchen waste and dry leaves. Heaps of chopped kitchen waste and dry leaves have to be turned twice a week to aerate and maintain moisture. It takes 45 days for each heap to become semi compost. Another 45 days to become fully mature compost. We keep merging heaps as it matures and here we can see moist, full mature black gold, that smells like soil
Let us see the composting process
There can be two types of chopper. Medium speed rotating jaw type or high speed blade with a conveyor belt attached
When the particle size is smaller, microbes will have more area to work on and composting will be faster. Chopper mixes dry leaves and kitchen waste very well and also results in fluffy, well aerated compost pile that breathes well. A conveyor belt improves speed of work. It helps evenly distribute the load. A trolley will help move the shredded material to create a heap of 4ft width x 2.5ft height x 15 feet length. Another type of chopper uses high speed blade. Faster speed can help complete the work in short duration. A good set of tools and plastic tubs helps manage this activity. Rakes, tubs, jute sacks to cover the heaps. Having 2 to 4 workers to work in parallel to process 3000kgs of kitchen waste efficiently and in about 4 to 6 hours. Prepare cow dung slurry or waste decomposer liquid or microbes powder or microbial cocopeat. Create a heap of crushed material, 5 ft in width x 3 ft height and length can be 10 feet or more. Sprinkle diluted native cow dung slurry, it has good microbes that can accelerate composting. You can also use microbes powder or cocopeat. Cover it with jute sacks and kept it moist. Allow high heat, thermophillic stage to complete and low temperature mesophillic stage to set in.
Turn the heap manually or using a machine to maintain moisture and aerate the compost pile. Sprinkle water if required to keep the compost pile moist, not wet, nor dry. After 45 days, either combine heaps or shift the material into vermi composting tanks for earthworms to work on.
Harvest mature or vermi compost or beautiful black gold. Finally, this compost should reach farmer's agricultural field to grow safe food.
Farmers have option to take semi composted material at lower price and mature it further at their farm and use. Farmer can buy mature compost or vermi compost in their own vehicle, using their own sacks to reduce cost. In either case, we suggest farmers to create a heap of the compost purchased and further cure it for a month and use it. Farmers can also enrich this compost with cow dung or horse dung manure, biofertilizers and oil seed cake powders. By feeding compost to soil, we complete an important circle, what came from soil, goes back to soil as that is where it belongs. Fully mature compost helps build healthy soil which can retain moisture, it can help us grow safe food. We thank Municipal Corporation of Siddipet for their support and vision in setting up this wonderful program
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