Examining the Potential Recovery of Compost from Mixed Fruit Wastes from a Campus Eatery Wastes

Abstract

The burning and open dumping of wastes is a common practice in developing countries such as Nigeria. These practices are causes of environmental concern as they generate air pollutants, contaminate surface and underground water resources, and breed disease vectors, consequently affecting public health. Nevertheless, composting has been identified as a sustainable technique to efficiently manage and dispose these wastes while also recovering a marketable resource. This study was aimed at assessing the potential recovery of compost from mixed fruit wastes as a method of proper disposal. Fruit wastes generated within a university campus were mixed with dry leaves and manure and decomposed in a composting process for 6 weeks. The physico-chemical properties such as temperature, pH level, moisture content, and NPK value of the resulting compost were determined during and after the process. The experimental results indicated a temperature range of 25°C to 56°C and pH level ranging from 6.6 to 8.1 during the composting process. The moisture content of the compost pile was detected to gradually reduce from 56% to 40% during the experiment. The NPK ratio of the final compost product was evaluated to be 0.61:0.40:0.73. The compost produced in this study could be used for agricultural purposes to supply nutrients to growing plants and the soil.