The effect of different forms of additive carbon in small-scale synthetic food waste composting: An empirical study in a high school cafeteria

6th Annual International Conference on Material Science and Engineering

Ma, Yuchuan^1

Virginia Episcopal School, 400 V E S Rd, Lynchburg

VA, United States^1

关键词: Control groups;    Empirical studies;    Food waste composting;    High carbons;    High school;    Total carbon;    Total nitrogen;    Whole process;   

Others  :  https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1757-899X/397/1/012106/pdf
DOI  :  10.1088/1757-899X/397/1/012106

来源: IOP

【 摘 要 】

Treatment of food waste has attracted widespread social attention. Home composting has been proved repeatedly to be a feasible practice to divert food waste from landfills and produce useful finished compost. The objective of this experiment is to find ways to improve the efficiency of such beneficial practice based on a school cafeteria setting and practical small-scale composting. Three additives, including activated carbon, biochar and wood ash are studied, and the efficiency and effectiveness of these three high carbon materials on small-scale synthetic food waste are compared by analyzation of 30-days sample reports and comparison of pile temperature during the whole process. Experimental results showed that all three additives improved composting efficiency, though their effects varied. The addition of wood ash resulted in the most organic matter, total carbon and total nitrogen among all four trials (including one control group without additive). Small scale synthetic food waste composting is indicated to be a practical and feasible approach. And with the help of wood ash addition, a more efficient mesophilic period is achieved.