Publications

This study seeks to assess the quality of co-composted shredded Municipal Solid Wastes (MSW) with fisherywastes, banana mulch wastes and aerobically composted slaughterhouse wastes. They are most common inSouthern Lebanon and are likely candidates to investigate the carbon and nitrogen amendments to the MSW. Theoverriding goal of this study is to make the co-composting method as practical as possible for ordinary people toreproduce it in natural field settings by using a low cost technology and a good quality fertilizer. At a lowmaintenance cost, three initial trials were executed in this study to optimize the composting process of thesewaste ingredients. The objective of the first two trials was to evaluate composting processes in two differentbioreactors and using the two different mix ratios of co-composted waste material. However the third trial`sobjective was to develop and validate the composting process of 4 different waste mix combinations by usingcommercially available plastic barrels as self-heating bioreactors. The evaluations are focused on process indicesduring composting and chemical indices of carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio of the final compost. A mathematicaloptimization model is presented. Components of the composting are estimated in order to satisfy C/N ratio in therange between 20 and 30. The chosen ideal weight of the composting is 25 kg. Output data of optimizationmodel, C/N ratio as a main parameter as well as secondary parameters components of composting are tabulated.A multiple regression analysis is performed to relate the main parameter to the secondary parameters. Finally,this study suggests that specific weights for fish and banana mulch wastes can be considered suitable for efficientcomposting with organic fraction of MSW. If implemented successfully at individual household or largermunicipality level, it will contribute to the minimization of wastes.