THE PROCESS

WHAT IS COMPOSTING?

Composting is "organized rotting" where nutrients and moisture is returned to the soil. Rotting is accomplished by microbes, fungi and other organisms 'digesting' the decaying material and converting it into a soil-rich conditioner or compost. If correctly done, compost is free from unpleasant odors, manageable and can be stored for long periods for later use.

Many composters have discussed the importance of special inocula (bacterial activators), supposedly containing several pure strains of laboratory organisms or other biological factors essential to decompose organic matter and fix nitrogen, They call them "enzymes," "hormones," "preserved living organisms," "activated factors," "biocatalyst," etc. In fact, several commercial composting processes are built around the use of some special inoculum, often known only to its discoverer and proponent, who claims it to be fundamental to the successful operation of the process. The need for inocula have always been debatable, and most composting studies have strongly indicated that they are unnecessary. The terms "biocatalyst" and "activated factors" are applied to various biological materials which are supposed to activate and accelerate decomposition and stabilization of organic material.

Environmental impacts of composting

Use of compost as a soil conditioner, a fertilizer, or a growth medium has, of course, significant environmental benefits. In addition to returning nutrients to the soil and thus permitting the reduction of artificial fertilizers, compost is waste that does not have to be landfilled. When it is used as daily cover at landfills, it replaces other materials that would otherwise be used for that purpose.

Catalysts and Innocula

Catalysts purport to degrade odorous compounds, usually via biologically generated enzymes. A catalyst facilitates a reaction without itself being permanently changed by the reaction, and thus each enzyme can act on many molecules of an odorous compound before it is eventually degraded. Enzymatic catalysts are normally applied either on the surface of a compost pile or in the airspace above it. Many composters have discussed the importance of special inocula (bacterial activators), supposedly containing several pure strains of laboratory organisms or other biological factors essential to decompose organic matter and fix nitrogen, They call them "enzymes," "hormones," "preserved living organisms," "activated factors," "biocatalyst," etc. In fact, several commercial composting processes are built around the use of some special inoculum, often known only to its discoverer and proponent, who claims it to be fundamental to the successful operation of the process. The terms "biocatalyst" and "activated factors" are applied to various biological materials which are supposed to activate and accelerate decomposition and stabilization of organic material.

THE PROCESS:

• Preparation of Dumping Pit
  
• Unloading of garbage
  
• Spraying of germicidal
  
• Mixing with coco dust
  
• Loading into Hooper
  
• Trommel to loosen solid waste
  
• Conveyor where separation is made
  
• Hammer milling
  
• Loading on composter drum
  
• Mixing with lactobacilli enzyme
  
• Unloading of compost
  
• Sun drying of compost
  
• Screening and bagging
  

During the year, the Honorable City Mayor, thru Executive Order L-95-2002 dated July 31, 2002, created the Solid Waste Management Board, pursuant to Section 12 of RA 9003, composed of the following:

Vice-Chairman :
City General Services Officer

Member :
Chairman, Committee on Health & Sanitation of the
Sangguniang Panlungsod

Member :
President, Liga ng Mga Barangay of his representative

Member :
Chairperson of the Sangguniang Kabataan Federation or his representative and, Representative(s) from the NGO concerned with the protection of air and water quality, the Recycling Industries, the Manufacturing or Packaging Industry, and from each concerned government agency with relevant technical and marketing expertise.