Composting of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) mixed with cattle manure

Abstract

Composting of Municipal solid waste (MSW) mixed with different proportion of cattle manure i.e. 1:1.5 (Trial 1), 1.5:1 (Trial 2) and 1:1 (trial 3) were compared in a rotary drum composter. It was observed that trial 2 produced higher quality compost with final total nitrogen (2.16%), final total phosphorus (3.24 g/kg), final TOC (17.04%) and final electrical conductivity (EC) (2.78 dS/m) within 20 days of composting. It showed a higher rise in temperature resulting higher degradation caused final COD (542 mg/L), BOD (290 mg/L) and final CO2 evolution (1.05 mg CO2/g volatile solids (VS)/day). While, trial 1 and trial 3 produced lower final total nitrogen and total phosphorus with higher amount of EC, NH4-N, BOD, COD and CO2 evolution indicating low quality product even after 20 days of composting. Therefore, results showed that characteristics of MSW mixed with different proportion of cattle manure significantly influence the compost quality and process dynamics in rotary drum composter.