Monday, August 18, 2008 Cayading: Converting kitchen garbage into fertilizer By Trinidad A. Cayading D'Biz News
WE ARE very much aware that solid waste is now a serious concern of every individual in the City of Baguio and even our nearby places.
There are some practical solutions to solid waste disposal, which this column wishes to share with you on how to convert kitchen garbage into fertilizer.
The way in which garbage can be properly disposed of is through the recycling of perishable kitchen wastes like leftover food.
To make fertilizer out of kitchen perishables, follow these steps:
1. Drain the kitchen wastes well, taking out scraps of plastic wrappers or bags and cigarette butts. The garbage to be processed should still be fresh.
2. Prepare a container with a tight lid and an internal-meshed base an inch or so above the bottom and valve from which liquid may be released.
3. Add about 10 to 20 grams of bokashi, a composition of one or more organic materials such as rice hulls for every kilogram of garbage. This does not have to be exact. Do not mix the two together.
4. Keep the lid of the container airtight and avoid prolonged exposure of the garbage to air
5. Repeat the process daily until the container is full.
6. Filled containers should be stored for a couple of weeks to produce good organic compost. After the first three or four days, and everyday thereafter, a dark brownish to brownish-white liquid will collect at the bottom of the container.
This must be done daily otherwise the liquid inside the garbage container will develop a stench.
The liquid by-product should not be thrown away. By mixing a day's output of liquid by-product with one to 1.5 liters, the resulting mix can be used as a cleaning solution for drain pines, septic tank and sewage systems.
The liquid by-product can also be used as fertilizer. Once a bottle is filled with the liquid, let it stand for about two weeks, preferably in a sunny area.
This will induce fermentation and produce gas. This will also minimize exposure of the liquid to air. When gas is no longer producing, the liquid is ready to be used as fertilizer. Simply dilute the liquid by mixing it with 500 to 1000 parts of water before applying. This fertilizer should have a shelf life of roughly six months.
