Rapid production of organic fertilizer from degradable waste by thermochemical processing

Purpose Chemical decomposition was studied as apotential method for the rapid conversion of waste toorganic fertilizer.Methods Chemicals were screened, and process parameterswere optimized. The physicochemical properties,phytotoxicity, and manurial efficiency of the product wereassessed. A prototype machine was fabricated for theoperation.Results Chemical treatment of ground fresh waste withHCl (0.25 N, 50 ml kg-1) for 30 min followed by KOH(0.5 N,100 ml kg-1) for 30 min at 100 C, and ambientpressure yielded a product that could be used in place ofconventional organic manure. Only 8–14 h were requiredto complete the entire process. No by-product or leachatewas produced. The quality of the product was comparableto that of conventional composts, except for the absence ofmicroorganisms. The fortified organic fertilizer enhancedthe yield of vegetables in pot trials. The process and theprototype machine were found beneficial by a publicevaluation.Conclusions The new thermochemical waste processingmethod provides a quick and sustainable solution forhygienic waste disposal and the production of organicfertilizer.