Conclusions |
Micro-composting or micro-scale processing of organic fraction of municipal solid wastes (and its components separately) have become attractive or necessary in many locations where there is poor access to a SWM involving source segregation as well as a daily collection and transport of fermentable components of MSW. There are locations within urban areas where single components of OFMSW can be collected in appreciable quantities to evolve micro-treatment processes. In this manner, bagasse (from sugarcane juice vendors), paddy straw, leaf litter and paper wastes can be subject tomicrocomposting using an aerobic process. However, fruit wastes and leaf litter permit anaerobic digestion to biogas and compost. This latter option can easily prevent spread of insect vectors and makes the effort sanitary and safe. Most tree species contributing to leaf litter are found to have the potential to be converted to biogas. However, methods need to be improved firstly in their collection and storage without suffering extensive decomposition and second to convert such a floating mass in conventional biogas reactors. Leaf litter that has been collected intermittently decompose slowly and show lower biological methane potential and biogas plant using them needs to be operated at higher feed rates. During micro-composting fruit wastes produce a large quantity of leachate and corresponding COD/BOD that attract insect vectors. Alternatives such as leachate conversion etc. need to be developed. An effective alternative is to use anaerobic digestion and convert it to biogas.
