Title: Confirming decentralised composting as a definite option in urban waste management

Authors: Manfred Fehr

Addresses: The Federal University at Uberlandia, P.O. Box 811, 38400974 Uberlandia, Brazil

Abstract: As unrestricted landfilling of Municipal Solid Waste is being progressively abandoned, separation and processing of biodegradable material is becoming a basic component of urban waste management. The principal processing technology available is composting in its two basic forms and applications, namely centralised and decentralised composting. The centralised scheme targets biological stabilisation prior to landfilling. The decentralised scheme targets the preparation of a useful product. Experimental results obtained by the author are presented and discussed that confirm decentralised composting as a definite future option in urban waste management. Educational and technical aspects of the corresponding management problem are described.

Keywords: biodegradable waste; centralised composting; decentralised composting; environmental education; environmental management; landfill diversion; municipal solid waste; waste management; urban waste; biological stabilisation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJETM.2007.015145

International Journal of Environmental Technology and Management, 2007 Vol.7 No.3/4, pp.274 - 285

Published online: 18 Sep 2007 *

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