Combination of food waste with sugarcane bagasse/ash in the production and use of organic compost

• Grant number: 16/24194-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 01, 2017
• End date: December 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Sanitary Engineering - Environmental Sanitation
• Principal Investigator: Maria Cristina Rizk
• Grantee: Beatriz Silva Oliveira
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia (FCT). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Presidente Prudente. Presidente Prudente , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Restaurants and other activities in the food industry produce large amounts of organic waste, which can be recycled as organic compost. However, organic waste requires the addition of materials that mainly adjust the moisture and C/N ratio of food waste during its composting treatment, such as sugarcane bagasse and ash. Thus, the aim of this study is to evaluate the composting process of the organic waste of University Restaurant fo FCT/UNESP combined with agroindustrial wastes from sugarcane. The composting will follow the aerated piles method with manual mixing. The piles will be conducted with different mixtures of waste. The monitored parameters will be temperature, pH, humidity, organic matter, ash, organic carbon, Kjeldahl nitrogen and C/N ratio. In order to verify the potentiality of the compost, the parameters will be compared with the values established by Normative Instruction n. 25/2009 of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply. The compost will be used in bean cultivation. The efficiency of the compost will be analyzed according to the crop productivity. In this way, it is expected a suitable destination to the studied wastes, reducing its volume and transforming into organic compost with potential for agricultural using, which could contribute to closing the life cycle of the food production chain, since the remains of food generated in restaurants can be used as fertilizer for the production of novel foods. (AU)