EVALUATION OF SOURCE SEPARATED ORGANICS AFTER INOCULATION WITH EFFECTIVE MICROORGANISMS AND THE EFFECT ON COMPOST QUALITY.

Abstract

A large volume of source-separated organics (SSO) are generated around the world and there are limited management strategies to reduce their effect on the environment. The volume of compost can be reduced through applications to agricultural soils after achieving a cured and stabilized product, however this is often a lengthy process. Composting time can be reduced by using specialized organisms called effective microorganisms (EM). The current project examines the effect of two commercially available EM products on different compost materials. This is achieved in two studies: study one aims at examining the role of EM toward reducing the time of composting for five different compost materials. The second study examines role of EM toward reducing the time composting for fresh green waste and barley straw. Results from both the studies showed that EM products were only marginally successful in reducing the time of compost.