Abstract
In the last 20 years, the demand for coffee production has increased detrimentally, heightening the need for production, which is currently driving the increase in land cultivation for coffee. However, this increase in production ultimately leads to the amplification of waste produced. This study aims to develop an experimental methodology for sustainable coffee by-products (Pulp (CP)) in Costa Rica for nutrient-rich compost. The performance of the experiments is to explore and optimize composting processes following its key parameters. This will allow quantifying the emissions rate to obtain an emission factor for CP during the open composting process and optimizing the conditions to minimize CH4 emissions using P and green waste (GW) materials. Five CP and GW mixtures were analyzed for the composting process for ten weeks, acting P as primary input material as a by-product. Quantification of the methane emissions was performed in two areas: composting area and open field deposition. Peak temperatures of compost appeared at twenty-five days for control and five days for GW added treatments. CP emission factors provide a similar result with the standard values recommended by the literature, accomplishing the emission reductions. Thus, this study designed and validated a sustainable protocol for transforming coffee by-products into compost.
Highlights
Agriculture is responsible for an essential portion of global emissions, contributing to 45% of their methane (CH4) emissions globally, impacting climate change [1]
One of the indicators of microbial activity is the increase in temperature inside the windrow, where the temperature has traditionally been considered a fundamental variable in the control of composting [44]
The study achieved the development of an experimental methodology using coffee by-products and green waste (GW)
Summary
Agriculture is responsible for an essential portion of global emissions, contributing to 45% of their methane (CH4) emissions globally, impacting climate change [1]. The detection of gaseous emissions during composting coffee by-products is one of the most critical tools to meet the challenge of reducing CH4 emissions from the waste residues generated in the coffee processing industry [5,6]. Some researchers and the Costa Rican Coffee Institute (ICAFE) indicate CP management has been one of the challenged coffee by-products with the most significant volume of waste [9,14]. It accumulates for long periods, and it leads to the generation of foul odors, being a favorable environment for reproducing flies and other pests responsible for multiple diseases [15,16]. Studying methane emissions during the composting of the coffee by-products and finding new approaches will be crucial to achieving future goals and mitigating the current challenges with coffee by-products each harvest
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