COMMUNITY LEVEL COMPOSTING OF MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE

RISE-AT Waste Management Factsheet 2
Community Level Composting of Municipal Solid Waste
1.5
1.7
2.0
Figure 4: The Finished Pile
This system involves extra work in building the aeration tunnels but can benefit from a
reduced composting time.
Building The Pile:- The sorted, chopped waste should be piled up but should not be
compacted as this will remove oxygen from the mixture. Water needs to be added to
ensure that the waste is sufficiently wet and that the moisture is evenly distributed. One
method of ensuring this is to add water after each layer of waste, about 30cm thick, has
been added to the pile. The water content should be 45-50% by weight of the pile.
To check the water content of the waste, pick up a handful of the material and squeeze.
It should feel damp and be sufficiently wet that one or two drops of water are produced.
STEP 2 - HOW TO MONITOR THE PILE
The waste in the windrows needs to be turned regularly to ensure sufficient air is mixed
with the material. This will keep any odors produced to a minimum. If there is a lack of
oxygen in the pile it will begin to smell of bad eggs. Regular turning will also increase the
decomposition rate of the waste.
The temperature of the pile can be monitored and this will determine when it should be
turned. The method for doing this is described below
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