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Production of compost from greenhouse waste residues.

Bachlitzanaki Dafni

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Summary

In this study, it was investigated the process of composting in open systems made of piles. The study focused on the production of soil amendments (compost) from greenhouse waste and the in-vestigation of optimal composting conditions of two waste streams (tomato and green mix). Initially the plant residues were shredded and stacked into piles in a conical shape. Natural aeration was achieved through periodic turning of the material with a loader, inducing fermentation for 95 days followed by maturation for one month. Various composting factors were studied to reveal the opti-mal decomposition conditions. Factors examined included the composition of the initial material, turning frequency, particle size, and pile height. The decomposition efficiency was as assessed by monitoring parameters like temperature, moisture, and other physicochemical analyses. Comparison was also conducted for similar windrows, differing by one composting factor. Subsequently, the quality of the soil amendments was evaluated through germination tests and plant cultivation (let-tuce). The highest germination index was identified in the pile composed of tomato waste having 3m pile height and moderate turning frequency. In the plant cultivation, the highest performance was observed in the pile with green mix waste, having 3 m pile height and moderate turning fre-quency. Specifically, it resulted in a 65% increase in plant mass and a 40% increase in root system length compared to control cultivation. This study provides critical operational conditions for aero-bic composting to enhance the quality of the produced compost.

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