Composition and Chemical Characteristics of the Main Compostable Organic Wastes

Abstract

In order to produce high quality composts it is necessary to start from selected organic wastes, non polluted by heavy metals and with limited inerts and unwanted materials. The source separation of municipal solid wastes and especially the separate collection of wastes from specific categories of producers, can help to supply good quality waste material s that can be composted together with yard wastes to advantage. This poster reports the most important results of a wide range of experiments, carried in Piedmont (Northern Italy), on separate collection of organics from specific categories of producers such as restaurants, canteens, and vegetable markets, foodstuff stores, and so on. Chemical characteristics and composition of these wastes were compared with those of mixed municipal wastes selected after collection.