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SUSTAINABLE CONVERSION OF HOUSEHOLD FOOD WASTE INTO NUTRIENT-RICH COMPOST: AN ANAEROBIC COMPOSTING CASE STUDY
More than 50% of municipal solid waste (MSW) generated in Asian developing countries consists of organic matter, yet municipalities currently recover less than 1% of this potential resource through composting due to poor source segregation. This study demonstrates a practical and economically viable household-scale food waste composting system using anaerobic decomposition methods. Over a 15-day feeding period followed by 5-6 weeks maturation, we processed 1,327.5 g of kitchen waste, 393.75 g of dry leaf material, and 2,981.25 g of soil, achieving a final compost yield of 4,690 g (approximately 50% mass reduction). The resulting compost exhibited appropriate carbon-nitrogen (C:N) ratio (25:1 to 35:1), moisture content (50- 60%), and complete decomposition of feedstock materials. The composted product demonstrated significant plant growth stimulation when applied to horticultural plants. This low-cost approach (170 Indian Rupees capital investment) represents a scalable alternative to conventional waste management, requiring minimal space and maintenance while reducing landfill burden. Our findings support household-level adoption of anaerobic food waste composting as a practical strategy for sustainable urban waste management and soil amendment production in resourcelimited settings.
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