Project Details
Description
The closure of the Municipal landfill in Turrialba provides an opportunity, from a sustainability perspective, since it could represent the use of 20.5 tons of organic solid waste generated in this Canton’s household sector. If this waste is not properly treated, it will contribute to increased greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, bad odours, leachate generation, and the attraction of different vectors, causing, in addition to visual pollution, a potential public health problem throughout the canton. Faced with this situation, one way to properly treat this waste is composting. Home composting is a simple and efficient practice that can significantly impact waste management and the circular economy. With the right education and institutional support, home composting can become a key tool for promoting sustainability and improving the environmental quality of Turrialba.
This project aims to transform household organic waste from the canton of Turrialba into high-quality compost through an efficient and sustainable process, evaluating the environmental, chemical, and biological benefits, and optimizing the composting process to reduce waste load and continue on the path of circularity. Methodologically, the competencies of the group of participants will be evaluated to identify barriers and establish measures to overcome them, thereby promoting sustainable practices at home that position home composting as an accessible and beneficial practice for the environment and the community, including the agriculture subsector. Through an experimental design, the physical, chemical, and biological parameters that influence the home composting process will be evaluated to achieve the shortest retention times in the mesophilic, thermophilic, and maturation phases, ensuring that the material obtained is safe and beneficial for plants. At the same time, the quality of the compost and its effect on a short-cycle crop will be analyzed to ensure it demonstrates high nutritional value and serves as an alternative to chemical fertilizers to improve soil fertility and structure.
The project is of interest and differs from other experiences in three main aspects. On the one hand, since the researchers are part of the Technical Team of the National Composting Plan, they know that there is almost no experimentation with domestic composting conducted specifically in homes, taking the analysis to a TRL beyond the laboratory. On the other hand, it means starting to create inputs for a possible composting technical standard, which does not exist in Costa Rica now. Finally, in conjunction with the Municipality of Turrialba, it will contribute to the appropriation of composting techniques, will promote economic savings by treating the organic fraction of waste in situ, the extension of the useful life of landfills nationwide, and the reduction of GHG emissions. Consequently, its circular approach could have an impact on reducing the demand for synthetic fertilizers and regenerating soils.
In addition, results will have a positive impact on the efforts and goals of public policy instruments, including the National Plan for Integrated Waste Management, the National Decarbonization Plan, the National Composting Plan, and the National Bioeconomy Strategy.
This project aims to transform household organic waste from the canton of Turrialba into high-quality compost through an efficient and sustainable process, evaluating the environmental, chemical, and biological benefits, and optimizing the composting process to reduce waste load and continue on the path of circularity. Methodologically, the competencies of the group of participants will be evaluated to identify barriers and establish measures to overcome them, thereby promoting sustainable practices at home that position home composting as an accessible and beneficial practice for the environment and the community, including the agriculture subsector. Through an experimental design, the physical, chemical, and biological parameters that influence the home composting process will be evaluated to achieve the shortest retention times in the mesophilic, thermophilic, and maturation phases, ensuring that the material obtained is safe and beneficial for plants. At the same time, the quality of the compost and its effect on a short-cycle crop will be analyzed to ensure it demonstrates high nutritional value and serves as an alternative to chemical fertilizers to improve soil fertility and structure.
The project is of interest and differs from other experiences in three main aspects. On the one hand, since the researchers are part of the Technical Team of the National Composting Plan, they know that there is almost no experimentation with domestic composting conducted specifically in homes, taking the analysis to a TRL beyond the laboratory. On the other hand, it means starting to create inputs for a possible composting technical standard, which does not exist in Costa Rica now. Finally, in conjunction with the Municipality of Turrialba, it will contribute to the appropriation of composting techniques, will promote economic savings by treating the organic fraction of waste in situ, the extension of the useful life of landfills nationwide, and the reduction of GHG emissions. Consequently, its circular approach could have an impact on reducing the demand for synthetic fertilizers and regenerating soils.
In addition, results will have a positive impact on the efforts and goals of public policy instruments, including the National Plan for Integrated Waste Management, the National Decarbonization Plan, the National Composting Plan, and the National Bioeconomy Strategy.
General Objective
Transformar residuos orgánicos domiciliarios del cantón de Turrialba, en compost de calidad que sea eficiente y sostenible, evaluando los beneficios ambientales, químicos y biológicos, optimizando el proceso de compostaje que disminuya la carga de residuos destinados a disposición final en el marco de la ruta de la circularidad cantonal
Research Lines
Ambiente
| Short title | Turri-organic waste |
|---|---|
| Status | Not started |
Keywords
- Bioeconomy
- circularity
- competences
- organic fraction
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