Converting household waste into a resource for food production and soil rejuvenation: opportunities and threats
2001
Aganon, C.P. | Romero, E.S. | Mercado, A. (Central Luzon State Univ., Munoz, Nueva Ecija (Philippines)) Burleigh, J.R. | Chin-Hua Ma
The burgeoning population in the Philippine cities threatens environmental sustainability from waste accumulation and food scarcity. To abate the condition waste management should be linked. This is the model being developed by the Central Luzon State Univ. in collaboration with the Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center [Taiwan], Technische Universitat Munchen [Germany] and the Local Government of Marilao, Bulacan [Philippines]. A collection and processing scheme was adopted to turn biodegradable household waste into a valuable resource-compost. Household waste (HW) is composed of kitchen refuse, backyard litter, and weeds. Studies conducted at CLSU, and at San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija - a peri-urban vegetable area- showed that the household waste reduced our dependence on inorganic fertilziers. Trials conducted on four farms showed that pechay with household waste as a replacement for half of the required inorganic fertilizer did not suffer yield reduction. Yield of pechay from plots treated with 3.5 t/ha composted HW plus half the recommended rate (1/2 RR) of inorganic fertilizer and yield from plots treated with the full recommended rate of inorganic fertilizer were not significantly different. Similar results were obtained for tomato grown under rain shelter. A residual effect from composted HW was noted on kangkong seeded after successive applications to six preceding crops. Yields from plots treated previously with HW alone or with 1/2 HW + /2 RR were significantly greater than yield from unfertilized plots. The utilization of HW as a fertilizer may be compromised by the presence of lead. Analysis of the individual components of household waste compost from Marilao, Bulacan showed that some components contain lead, probably because of their tendency to accumulate lead
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