Agricultural Compost Research Articles

Waste to energy and circular economy: the case of anaerobic digestion

PurposeThis paper highlights how biological waste materials can be used for generating the much needed energy and obtaining nutrient-rich compost for agriculture through anaerobic digestion (AD). The paper further highlights the importance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in using AD for converting waste to energy (WTE), leading to many environmental benefits as well as clean energy generation. It would help to reduce pollution, water acidification and carbon emissions that eventually lead to climate change.Design/methodology/approachThe researchers undertook an in-depth study to highlight the role played by an SME in converting WTE and helping towards achieving circularity. An exploratory case-based approach was used to understand value leakage for an AD plant operating on WTE principles in the UK. The plant is still currently active, and it is located in the Midlands, England. Fifteen semi-structured interviews were undertaken with different stakeholders.FindingsThis paper reveals the importance of WTE and the significant role played by AD in converting food waste into useful matter. It reports further into the value leakage issue faced in the AD plants. It demonstrates the importance of technological innovation in SME to capture value leakages in a circular model. Most importantly, it demonstrates how SMEs gain competitive advantage and generate value proposition, while they aim for zero waste to landfill objective.Research limitations/implicationsThe research involves a case study based on an SME, operating on a circular business model. It will be worth investigating how other businesses could gain competitive advantage. For SMEs interested in AD for WTE, this paper introduces further technological innovation to the AD process to leverage further potential for reuse of waste liquid. Any SMEs entering WTE market ought to take into consideration such design implications.Practical implicationsThe paper reveals how the use of waste by SMEs would lead to many environmental benefits as well as clean energy generation. It would help to reduce pollution, water acidification and carbon emissions that eventually lead to climate change. It is useful for addressing the needs of waste food producers and is a cheap raw material for generating energy. The benefits to the public are that it reduces the need for landfill and increases recycling.Social implicationsThe WTE is an effective way of making use of last-stage waste.Originality/valueDespite SMEs being the powerhouse of the European economies, there is limited research investigating how circular economy (CE) could unlock their potential. Moreover, development of AD in the UK has lagged behind other EU countries. We highlight value leakages and argue how technological innovation should be used to close the value chain loop in the WTE production process. This paper, therefore, demonstrates the important role of an AD process, which involves decomposition of biodegradable materials. It shows that AD is an economically viable and environmentally friendly process of obtaining clean energy at low cost.

Quantifying nutrient recovery efficiency and loss from compost-based urban agriculture.

The use of compost in urban agriculture offers an opportunity to increase nutrient recycling in urban ecosystems, but recent studies have shown that compost application often results in phosphorus (P) being applied far in excess of crop nutrient demand, creating the potential for P loss through leachate and runoff. Management goals such as maximizing crop yields or maximizing the mass of nutrients recycled from compost may inadvertently result in P loss, creating a potential ecosystem disservice. Here, we report the results from the first two years of an experimental study in which four different crops grown in raised-bed garden plots with high background P and organic matter received one of two types of compost (municipal compost made from urban organics waste, or manure-based compost) at two different levels (applied based on crop N or P demand), while additional treatments received synthetic N and P fertilizer or no soil amendments. Because of the low N:P ratio of compost relative to crop nutrient uptake, compost application based on crop N demand resulted in overapplication of P. Crop yield did not differ among treatments receiving compost inputs, and the mass of P recovered in crops relative to P inputs decreased for treatments with higher compost application rates. Treatments receiving compost targeted to crop N demand had P leachate rates approximately twice as high as other treatments. These results highlight tradeoffs inherent in recycling nutrients through UA, but they also show that targeted compost application rates have the capacity to maintain crop yields while minimizing nutrient loss. UA has the potential to help close the urban nutrient loop, but if UA is to be scaled up in order to maximize potential social, economic, and environmental benefits, it is especially important to carefully manage nutrients to avoid ecosystem disservices from nutrient pollution.

Lignocellulosic crop residue composting by cellulolytic nitrogen-fixing bacteria: A novel tool for environmental sustainability.

Lignocellulosic crop residue (LCCR) composting is a cost-effective and sustainable approach for addressing environmental pollution associated with open biomass burning and application of chemical fertilizers in agriculture. The value-added bio-product of the composting process contributes to the improvement of the soil properties and plant growth in an environment-friendly way. However, the conventional process employed for composting LCCRs is slow and becomes an impediment for farmers who plant two or three crops a year. This concern has led to the development of different techniques for rapid composting of LCCRs. The use of cellulolytic nitrogen-fixing microorganisms for composting has emerged as a promising method for enhancing LCCR composting and quality of the compost. Therefore, this review addresses the recent progress on the potential use of cellulolytic nitrogen-fixing bacteria (CNFB) for LCCR composting and discusses various applications of nutrient-rich compost for sustainable agriculture to increase crop yields in a nature-friendly way. This knowledge of bacteria with both cellulose-degrading and nitrogen-fixing activities is significant with respect to rapid composting, soil fertility, plant growth and sustainable management of the lignocellulosic agricultural waste and it provides a means for the development of new technology for sustainability.

The eco-efficiency assessment of wastewater treatment plants in the city of Mashhad using emergy and life cycle analyses

The aim of this study is to evaluate the sustainability of two actual wastewater treatment plants using the eco-efficiency index based on emergy and life cycle analysis. The life cycle analysis is used for environmental investigation to estimate the eco-efficiency index. Moreover, the emergy theory indicating the input and output flows of the ecosystem are applied to assess the sustainability considering ecosystem services. Two treatment plants are studied in the city of Mashhad in Iran. The potential for sustainability improvement of plants is analyzed in some scenarios including the production of agricultural compost from sludge, 10% reduction of energy consumption, and 10% reduction of chlorine consumption. The eco-efficiency index based on life cycle analysis determines KhinArab plant with 10% reduction of energy consumption as sustainable alternative. While the eco-efficiency index based on emergy analysis as well as emergy sustainability index introduce Al-Teymour treatment plant with installation of a composting unit as the most sustainable option. The no-action costs play a major role in the interpretation of results. The methodology and the results of this study will be of great interest for wastewater treatment plant managers and water authorities as well as citizens to increase the sustainability of water cycle in the city.

Effects of compost particle size, moisture content and binding agents on co-compost pellet properties

Composting is one of the sustainable answers for the management of organic municipal waste. Bulky nature of loose compost is one of the main drawbacks in promoting compost in agriculture and pelletization of compost can offset these drawbacks. In this study, the optimum conditions in a die and roller pelletizer to form pellets with desirable properties; bulk density, compressive strength, pellet length and disintegration ability with compost particles of different mesh sizes (2.5, 3.5, 5 mm), moisture contents (25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%), different amounts and types of binding agents (1%, 2%, 3% by weight of Rice Flour (RF), Lime, Rock Phosphate (RP)) were investigated. Pelletizing increased the bulk density of compost. Compost with ≤5 mm particles and 25% moisture content resulted pellets with the highest compressive strength and a higher percentage of long pellets. However, the tested properties varied with the type and the amount binding agents used with compost. Disintegration was not observed in pellets free of binding agents during the tested period but binding agents enhanced disintegration. Both machine efficiency and production efficiency decreased with increased moisture in compost and increased with increased compost particle size. However, increased amounts of binding agents in compost reduced the machine efficiency. This work shows that compost pelletizing with and without binding agents, enhanced properties of compost required in transportation, storage and application in agriculture. Keywords: binding agents, co-compost, moisture content, particle size, pellets compressive strength DOI: 10.25165/j.ijabe.20191204.4354 Citation: Hettiarachchi L, Jayathillake N, Fernando S, Gunawardena S. Effects of compost particle size, moisture content and binding agents on co-compost pellet properties. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2019; 12(4): 184–191.

Evaluation of the use of fertilizer obtained from pharmaceutical effluent

Sustainability encompasses several aspects, one of which is the reuse of nutrient-rich effluent. In recent years, improper disposal of pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical effluent, which contain recalcitrant compounds, has caused great environmental damage. An alternative disposal strategy that has been studied for several residues is their reuse for agricultural purposes. This work evaluated the potential of using pharmaceutical effluent for fertilizing Schinus molle, a native Brazilian species locally known as “aroeira-salsa.” Effluent was pretreated by chemical precipitation, and the solid phase was tested as fertilizer. Seedlings were grown in soil or compost. The soil used was classified as Red-Yellow Acrisol with medium loamy texture and high Al content, which is typically found in the Vale do Paraíba region, São Paulo, Brazil. Two agricultural composts were used as substrate, both from the Taboão Ecological Park located in Vale do Paraíba. Fertilizer application improved the physicochemical characteristics of all growing media, increasing C, N, P, K, Mg, and Ca contents, base saturation, and pH, while decreasing Al content and density. Fertilization improved nutrient absorption and plant growth.

Responses of antibiotic and heavy metal resistance genes to bamboo charcoal and bamboo vinegar during aerobic composting

The application of compost in agriculture has led to the accumulation of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and heavy metal resistance genes (MRGs) in the soil environment. In this study, the response of ARGs and MRGs to bamboo charcoal (BC) and bamboo vinegar (BV) during aerobic composting was investigated. Results showed that BC + BV treatment reduced the abundances of ARGs and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) during the thermophilic period, as well as achieved the lowest rebound during the cooling period. BC + BV promoted the growth of Firmicutes, thereby facilitating the thermophilic period of composting. The rebound of ARGs and MGEs can be explained by increasing the abundance of Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria at the end of composting. Composting reduced the abundances of MRGs comprising pcoA, tcrB, and cueO, whereas cusA and copA indicated the selective pressure imposed by heavy metals on bacteria. The fate of ARGs was mainly driven by MGEs, and heavy metals explained most of the variation in MRGs. Interestingly, nitrogen conversion also had an important effect on ARG and MRG profiles. Our current findings suggest that the addition of BC + BV during compost preparation is an effective method in controlling the mobility of ARGs and MRGs, thereby reducing the environmental problems.

Nutrients and non-essential elements in edible crops following long-term mineral and compost fertilization of a Mediterranean agricultural soil.

The effects of long-term soil fertilizations on nutrient and non-essential element concentrations in edible parts of three crops important in human diet were investigated repeating four treatments (biowaste compost, biowaste compost plus mineral nitrogen, mineral NPK, unfertilized control) for seven consecutive years (2007-2014). Fruits of Solanum lycopersicum cv San Marzano collected in 2011 and 2012, bulbs of Allium cepa cv Bianca di Pompei collected in 2012 and 2013, and bulbs of Foeniculum vulgare cv Orbit collected in 2014 were analyzed. Wide variations in element concentrations were observed along time and among species, with Ca, K, Mg, and Na higher in fennel bulbs and Cd, Cr, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn higher in tomato fruits, where Cd reached concentrations up to ninefold higher than the permitted values (EU Regulation n. 488/2014). Despite the enrichments in soil total Cu and available Cd, Fe, K, Mn, and Zn concentrations due to long-term fertilization with biowaste compost (alone or with mineral fertilizers), plants showed lower micronutrient and non-essential element concentrations in respect to those on unfertilized soils. Considering the potential toxicity for human beings of these mobile and persistent elements, the obtained findings reassure on the safe use of biowaste compost in agriculture. Overall, this study suggests the use of compost as the most advisable fertilization practice and highlights the need of multiple crops analysis in evaluating the effects of long-term soil fertilization on their chemical composition.

Biomimetic strategy for constructing Clostridium thermocellum cellulosomal operons in Bacillus subtilis

BackgroundEnzymatic conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into soluble sugars is a major bottleneck in the plant biomass utilization. Several anaerobic organisms cope these issues via multiple-enzyme complex system so called ‘cellulosome’. Hence, we proposed a “biomimic operon” concept for making an artificial cellulosome which can be used as a promising tool for the expression of cellulosomal enzymes in Bacillus subtilis.ResultsAccording to the proteomic analysis of Clostridium thermocellum ATCC27405 induced by Avicel or cellobiose, we selected eight highly expressed cellulosomal genes including a scaffoldin protein gene (cipA), a cell-surface anchor gene (sdbA), two exoglucanase genes (celK and celS), two endoglucanase genes (celA and celR), and two xylanase genes (xynC and xynZ). Arranging these eight genes in two different orders, we constructed two different polycistronic operons using the ordered gene assembly in Bacillus method. This is the first study to express the whole CipA along with cellulolytic enzymes in B. subtilis. Each operon was successfully expressed in B. subtilis RM125, and the protein complex assembly, cellulose-binding ability, thermostability, and cellulolytic activity were demonstrated. The operon with a higher xylanase activity showed greater saccharification on complex cellulosic substrates such as Napier grass than the other operon.ConclusionsIn this study, a strategy for constructing an efficient cellulosome system was developed and two different artificial cellulosomal operons were constructed. Both operons could efficiently express the cellulosomal enzymes and exhibited cellulose saccharification. This strategy can be applied to different industries with cellulose-containing materials, such as papermaking, biofuel, agricultural compost, mushroom cultivation, and waste processing industries.

Analysis on Supply-demand Balance of Compost from Agricultural Organic Wastes in Henan Province, China

In this study, eighteen prefecture-level cities in China’s Henan province are divided into 5 compost utilization regions based on geographical adjacency and similarity in agricultural production. Then, the author calculated the potential demand of compost in agriculture and the potential compost supply from agricultural organic wastes (straw and livestock manure), and carried out an in-depth supply and demand analysis. The results show that the overall compost demand-supply ratio in Henan is around 1.21, indicating that the supply falls short of demand. This means all the organic wastes of Henan are utilized in agriculture of this region. In addition, the livestock mature-based compost differs greatly from straw-based compost in the ratio of potential supply, owing to the differences in geographical location and agricultural production. There are also large fluctuations in the supply-demand ratio in compost utilization region.

Influence of different sewage sludges and composts on growth, yield, and trace elements accumulation in rice and wheat

AbstractThe use of sewage sludge (SS) and solid waste composts in agriculture is considered as one of the best disposal options. In this study, impact of different composts and SS was evaluated on the soil quality, growth, and yield performance of rice and wheat crops. Four types of composts and SS were collected from different sources and applied in soil at 0.5% (5 g kg−1 soil) and 1.0% (10 g kg−1 soil) in comparison with chemical fertilizer (no SS/compost). The application of all types of composts at all the tested rates increased the straw and grain yields of both the crops compared with control. Nevertheless, application of Lahore compost and all SS (1.0%) resulted in a significant increase in the concentration of cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) in plant parts. The Cd concentration in rice grains with Lahore compost and Kasur SS applied at the rate of 1.0% was above the safe limit. The trace elements in wheat grains with all composts and SS at all the tested rates remained within safe limits. The release of amendment bound trace elements in soil solution was highly dependent upon dissolved organic carbon and concentration of these trace elements especially for Cu and Zn. Application of SS at low level (0.5%) and compost (except Lahore compost) at both levels could be a better strategy to exploit their benefits in terms of crop performance and soil quality. However, application of SS and compost at high rates may lead to accumulation of trace elements in rice grains limiting its suitability for human consumption.

Assessment of compost quality and usage for agricultural use: a case study of Hebron, Palestine.

Complying with the technical specifications of compost production is of high importance not only for environmental protection but also for increasing the productivity and promotion of compost use by farmers in agriculture. This study focuses on the compost quality of the Palestinian market and farmers' attitudes toward agricultural use of compost. The quality is assessed through selection of 20 compost samples of different suppliers and producers and lab testing for quality parameters, while the farmers' attitudes to compost use for agriculture are evaluated through survey questionnaire of 321 farmers in the Hebron area. The results showed that the compost in the Palestinian markets is of medium quality due to partial or non-compliance with the quality standards and guidelines. The Palestinian farmers showed a positive attitude since 91.2% of them have the desire to use compost in agriculture. The results also showed that knowledge of difference between compost and chemical fertilizers, perception of compost benefits, and previously experiencing problems in compost use are significant factors affecting the farmers' attitude toward the use of compost as an organic fertilizer.

A Multifaceted Role of Tryptophan Metabolism and Indoleamine 2,3-Dioxygenase Activity in Aspergillus fumigatus-Host Interactions.

Aspergillus fumigatus is the most prevalent filamentous fungal pathogen of humans, causing either severe allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis or often fatal invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) in individuals with hyper- or hypo-immune deficiencies, respectively. Disease is primarily initiated upon the inhalation of the ubiquitous airborne conidia—the initial inoculum produced by A. fumigatus—which are complete developmental units with an ability to exploit diverse environments, ranging from agricultural composts to animal lungs. Upon infection, conidia initially rely on their own metabolic processes for survival in the host’s lungs, a nutritionally limiting environment. One such nutritional limitation is the availability of aromatic amino acids (AAAs) as animals lack the enzymes to synthesize tryptophan (Trp) and phenylalanine and only produce tyrosine from dietary phenylalanine. However, A. fumigatus produces all three AAAs through the shikimate–chorismate pathway, where they play a critical role in fungal growth and development and in yielding many downstream metabolites. The downstream metabolites of Trp in A. fumigatus include the immunomodulatory kynurenine derived from indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) and toxins such as fumiquinazolines, gliotoxin, and fumitremorgins. Host IDO activity and/or host/microbe-derived kynurenines are increasingly correlated with many Aspergillus diseases including IPA and infections of chronic granulomatous disease patients. In this review, we will describe the potential metabolic cross talk between the host and the pathogen, specifically focusing on Trp metabolism, the implications for therapeutics, and the recent studies on the coevolution of host and microbe IDO activation in regulating inflammation, while controlling infection.

Comparison of logistic, energy and exploitative parameters of compost and manure application by spreaders

This article deals with comparison of composts and manure use from the viewpoint of handling, transport and application on agricultural land. The published values were established by measurements under working conditions and afterwards converted on the basis of the content of nutrients defined in laboratory. Compost contained a greater share of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium and had higher dry matter content and lower volume weight. Direct consumed energy expressed by recalculation of the consumed diesel fuel in case of composts moved from 5.12 MJ/kg (potassium) up to 16.19 MJ/kg (phosphorus). In case of manure it was higher and moved from 10.49 MJ/kg (nitrogen) up to 29.79 MJ/kg (phosphorus). The greatest share in energy consumption occupies transport, which was considered uniformly at the distance of 5 km. The study confirmed the feasibility of use of compost in agriculture as a partial substitute of conventional organic fertilizers; for its handling, transport and application the standard mechanization used for manure may be utilized.

Nitrogen losses to the environment following food-based digestate and compost applications to agricultural land

The anaerobic digestion of food waste for energy recovery produces a nutrient-rich digestate which is a valuable source of crop available nitrogen (N). As with any ‘new’ material being recycled to agricultural land it is important to develop best management practices that maximise crop available N supply, whilst minimising emissions to the environment. In this study, ammonia (NH3) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions to air and nitrate (NO3−) leaching losses to water following digestate, compost and livestock manure applications to agricultural land were measured at 3 sites in England and Wales. Ammonia emissions were greater from applications of food-based digestate (c.40% of total N applied) than from livestock slurry (c.30% of total N applied) due to its higher ammonium-N content (mean 5.6 kg/t compared with 1–2 kg/t for slurry) and elevated pH (mean 8.3 compared with 7.7 for slurry). Whilst bandspreading was effective at reducing NH3 emissions from slurry compared with surface broadcasting it was not found to be an effective mitigation option for food-based digestate in this study. The majority of the NH3 losses occurred within 6 h of spreading highlighting the importance of rapid soil incorporation as a method for reducing NH3 emissions. Nitrous oxide losses from food-based digestates were low, with emission factors all less than the IPCC default value of 1% (mean 0.45 ± 0.15%). Overwinter NO3− leaching losses from food-based digestate were similar to those from pig slurry, but much greater than from pig farmyard manure or compost. Both gaseous N losses and NO3− leaching from green and green/food composts were low, indicating that, in these terms, compost can be considered as an ‘environmentally benign’ material. These findings have been used in the development of best practice guidelines which provide a framework for the responsible use of digestates and composts in agriculture.

Distribution and Mobility of Arsenic Species in Solids and Leachate Composts

Because arsenic can exist in toxic and non-toxic forms, it is important to identify them in compost. This organic material prepared from urban and agricultural wastes, is often used for recovering or remedying soils. As a matter of fact, it’s important to control the mobility of arsenic and its different forms present in leachate composts. In this work total arsenic was determined in compost samples, previously submitted to acid digestion using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy (ICP–MS). Total inorganic arsenic and As (III) results were compared with those directly determined in solids samples by Square Wave Voltammetry (SWV). It was found that two thirds of arsenic present in solids are in inorganic forms. As (III) is a minor component in the solid, detectable only in agricultural composts. In leachates, the inorganic arsenic was mobilized in his majority as As (III).

Biological response of using municipal solid waste compost in agriculture as fertilizer supplement.

Waste management and declining soil fertility are the two main issues experienced by all developing nations, like India. Nowadays, agricultural utilization of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is one of the most promising and cost effective options for managing solid waste. It is helpful in solving two current burning issues viz. soil fertility and MSW management. However, there is always a potential threat because MSW may contain pathogens and toxic pollutants. Therefore, much emphasis has been paid to composting of MSW in recent years. Application of compost from MSW in agricultural land helps in ameliorating the soil’s physico-chemical properties. Apart from that it also assists in improving biological response of cultivated land. Keeping the present situation in mind, this review critially discusses the current scenario, agricultural utilization of MSW compost, role of soil microbes and soil microbial response on municipal solid waste compost application.

Compost as a Soil Amendment to Remediate Heavy Metal-Contaminated Agricultural Soil: Mechanisms, Efficacy, Problems, and Strategies

Compost or composting has been widely investigated under the background of heavy metal pollution of agricultural soils and rapid growth of organic wastes. Compost is rich in nutrients, humic matter, and microorganisms; it may be added to agricultural soil as a fertilizer to improve soil fertility and promote the growth of crops and microorganisms, and as a soil amendment to relieve heavy metal pollution. However, the effectiveness and security of compost application in agricultural soil continue to generate concern. In this review, the efficacy and mechanisms of compost remediation technologies for heavy metal-contaminated agricultural soil are presented. Poor quality, unsuitability for multiple heavy metal-contaminated soils, and potential long-term risks are the main limitations of the effectiveness and security of compost application to soils. Therefore, improving the quality of the compost, adding amendments, or combining with phytoremediation may be considered when adopting compost to remediate polluted agricultural soil. In addition, we propose several approaches to optimize these strategies and render the remediation of heavy metal-contaminated agricultural soil using compost safer and more effective. The findings of this review will help support the large-scale application of compost in agriculture in the future.

Municipal solid waste composting: Application as a tomato fertilizer and its effect on crop yield, fruit quality and phenolic content

AbstractComposting is an appealing way to reutilize the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (MSW). Beyond the obvious advantage of reducing urban waste, the use of MSW compost in agriculture entails other potential benefits, such as reducing the amount of mineral fertilizer applied to the field and providing a potentially higher quality alternative. However, some concerns may arise from its use, such as crop yield and quality alterations. This work studied the effect of fertilizing with compost obtained from the organic fraction of MSW, on crop yield, crop quality and phenolic content of tomato fruit. Experiments were conducted in the Barcelona area, using Solanum lycopersicum L., var. ‘Penjar’, a popular regional tomato. Compared with the use of mineral fertilizer (M), fertilization with MSW compost alone (C) or combined with mineral fertilizer (C + M) had no significant effect on tomato fruit quality characterized by weight, diameter or Brix, nor was there a significant effect on total phenolic content. In contrast, the C treatment altered the phenolic profile by enhancing a kaempferol derivative, and caused a 43 and 48% yield reduction compared with the C + M and M treatments, respectively. Overall, composted MSW + mineral fertilizer appeared to be the best strategy for the reutilization of MSW in tomato culture, as it did not compromise crop yield or fruit quality.

Opportunities and barriers to on-farm composting and compost application: A case study from northwestern Europe

Maintaining and increasing soil quality and fertility in a sustainable way is an important challenge for modern agriculture. The burgeoning bioeconomy is likely to put further pressure on soil resources unless they are managed carefully. Compost has the potential to be an effective soil improver because of its multiple beneficial effects on soil quality. Additionally, it fits within the bioeconomy vision because it can valorize biomass from prior biomass processing or valorize biomass unsuitable for other processes. However, compost is rarely used in intensive agriculture, especially in regions with high manure surpluses. The aim of this research is to identify the barriers to on-farm composting and the application of compost in agriculture, using a mixed method approach for the case of Flanders. The significance of the 28 identified barriers is analyzed and they are categorized as market and financial, policy and institutional, scientific and technological and informational and behavioral barriers. More specifically, the shortage of woody biomass, strict regulation, considerable financial and time investment, and lack of experience and knowledge are hindering on-farm composting. The complex regulation, manure surplus, variable availability and transport of compost, and variable compost quality and composition are barriers to apply compost. In conclusion, five recommendations are suggested that could alleviate certain hindering factors and thus increase attractiveness of compost use in agriculture.