The treatment of waste is something that can be conducted very easily even without any foul smell.
1) Do not throw waste in public places or at your own homes.
2) Separate the solid waste into the ones that gets rotted and that doesn’t.
3) Select an adequate method of treating the waste at homes.
2) Separate the solid waste into the ones that gets rotted and that doesn’t.
3) Select an adequate method of treating the waste at homes.
Biogas plant
Biogas plant is a method to treat waste and produce cooking gas in the absence of oxygen. A unit having a capacity of 0.5cu.m would be required for a family with three or four members. Biogas plants would work properly only in houses where a minimum of one kilogram of waste is produced daily. The things such as egg shells, coconut shells, banana leaves, orange, lime, pickles, pesticides, phenol, dettol, soap water, glass, plastics, metals, wood pieces, soil etc should not be put in the tank. Houses that produce a minimum of one kilogram of waste, other than the above mentioned thing can think of constructing a biogas plant.
Biogas plant is a method to treat waste and produce cooking gas in the absence of oxygen. A unit having a capacity of 0.5cu.m would be required for a family with three or four members. Biogas plants would work properly only in houses where a minimum of one kilogram of waste is produced daily. The things such as egg shells, coconut shells, banana leaves, orange, lime, pickles, pesticides, phenol, dettol, soap water, glass, plastics, metals, wood pieces, soil etc should not be put in the tank. Houses that produce a minimum of one kilogram of waste, other than the above mentioned thing can think of constructing a biogas plant.
A family with many members will require a unit of 1cu.m. Different designs of units made of PVC, HDPE, fiber, reinforce, plastic etc are available. The biogas required for two hours will be acquired from a unit of 1cu.m.
Things to be noted
You can deposit cow dung, kitchen wastes, human excreta, rubber sheet water and other bio wastes into the plant.
• Put the waste by slicing them into 1mm length and then mixing 1l of water per 1kg of waste.
• Dump the waste only according to the capacity of the tank.
• If dumped less than the instructed amount of waste or not dumped waste in the tank for more than 10 days there are chances for the germs to get destroyed.
• There are chances for mosquitoes to breed in the water jacket. Pour some kerosene or diesel in order to resist it.
• Keep a bucket or plate in order to collect the slurry that comes out. It’s very good manure.
• At the beginning dilute it by adding three times water to the amount of cow dung and then sift it and then fill in the digester.
You can deposit cow dung, kitchen wastes, human excreta, rubber sheet water and other bio wastes into the plant.
• Put the waste by slicing them into 1mm length and then mixing 1l of water per 1kg of waste.
• Dump the waste only according to the capacity of the tank.
• If dumped less than the instructed amount of waste or not dumped waste in the tank for more than 10 days there are chances for the germs to get destroyed.
• There are chances for mosquitoes to breed in the water jacket. Pour some kerosene or diesel in order to resist it.
• Keep a bucket or plate in order to collect the slurry that comes out. It’s very good manure.
• At the beginning dilute it by adding three times water to the amount of cow dung and then sift it and then fill in the digester.
Composting
How much solid waste would be there in a house where three or four people live? A maximum of one kilogram. Composting is the best method that can be established in such a house for treating the waste produced there. At present there are different types of composting.
1) Pit composting
Make two pits of 1m length, 60cm width and 1m height in a place where the chances of water getting filled is considerably less.
• Make a small hoop around the pits with mud or bricks at a height of about 10cm so that water doesn’t flow into it.
• Use one pit for the first six months.
• After dumping the waste into it daily sprinkle some mud over it.
• When the pit is completely filled, put mud over it at a height of 6inches and then keep it as such.
• Then start putting the bio wastes in the next pit.
• In order to decompose the waste quickly you can put some cow dung below the pit.
• The waste in the first pit will change into manure within six months.
• After removing the manure from the pit it has to be cleaned so that it can be used again by the time the second pit is completely filled.
Make two pits of 1m length, 60cm width and 1m height in a place where the chances of water getting filled is considerably less.
• Make a small hoop around the pits with mud or bricks at a height of about 10cm so that water doesn’t flow into it.
• Use one pit for the first six months.
• After dumping the waste into it daily sprinkle some mud over it.
• When the pit is completely filled, put mud over it at a height of 6inches and then keep it as such.
• Then start putting the bio wastes in the next pit.
• In order to decompose the waste quickly you can put some cow dung below the pit.
• The waste in the first pit will change into manure within six months.
• After removing the manure from the pit it has to be cleaned so that it can be used again by the time the second pit is completely filled.
2) Pitcher composting
Things required:
• Two pitchers of 50cm height and the central part having a circumference of about 1m.
• Crock lids for the pitchers to be closed.
• Two stands made of metal, wood or plastic, with a height of 15cm each, for the pitchers to be placed on it and for the convenience of taking the leachate* outside.
• Plastic or steel plates having a height of less than 10cm for ½ l of leachate to be collected.
• Make a hole at the centre below both the pitchers without breaking it.
• Place both the pitchers on stands behind the kitchen in a place where rain water doesn’t fall directly into it and in such away that they don’t touch the walls.
• The plate for collecting the leachate has to be placed below the pitchers just under the hole.
• Spread four spoons of salt into these leachate plates to control insects.
• Put the wastes in the first pitcher and then close it and place a brick over it.
• When the pitcher is filled (takes about 1 month time), close it and use the second pitcher.
• By the time the second pitcher fills, the waste in the first pitcher will have changed into compost.
• This compost can be used as manure for plants and trees.
• Two pitchers of 50cm height and the central part having a circumference of about 1m.
• Crock lids for the pitchers to be closed.
• Two stands made of metal, wood or plastic, with a height of 15cm each, for the pitchers to be placed on it and for the convenience of taking the leachate* outside.
• Plastic or steel plates having a height of less than 10cm for ½ l of leachate to be collected.
• Make a hole at the centre below both the pitchers without breaking it.
• Place both the pitchers on stands behind the kitchen in a place where rain water doesn’t fall directly into it and in such away that they don’t touch the walls.
• The plate for collecting the leachate has to be placed below the pitchers just under the hole.
• Spread four spoons of salt into these leachate plates to control insects.
• Put the wastes in the first pitcher and then close it and place a brick over it.
• When the pitcher is filled (takes about 1 month time), close it and use the second pitcher.
• By the time the second pitcher fills, the waste in the first pitcher will have changed into compost.
• This compost can be used as manure for plants and trees.
* Leachate is any liquid that, in passing through matter, extracts solutes, suspended solids or any other component of the material through which it has passed.
3) Pipe composting
Things required:
• Two PVC pipes with 20cm diameter and a height of 1m. (Soil pipes or Ferro cement pipes can also be used.)
• 2 lids having a diameter of 20cm.
• Make two pits having a depth of 30cm each at a convenient place and fix the pipes in it.
• Cover the top part of the pipes with lids.
• Put the bio wastes into the pipe by cutting it into small pieces.
• When one pipe is completely filled, close it and use the second pipe.
• By the time the second pipe is filled (about four months), the waste in the first pipe will have changed into manure. Take the pipe out of the pit and remove the manure from it.
• This pipe can again be fixed on the soil and used again.
• Two PVC pipes with 20cm diameter and a height of 1m. (Soil pipes or Ferro cement pipes can also be used.)
• 2 lids having a diameter of 20cm.
• Make two pits having a depth of 30cm each at a convenient place and fix the pipes in it.
• Cover the top part of the pipes with lids.
• Put the bio wastes into the pipe by cutting it into small pieces.
• When one pipe is completely filled, close it and use the second pipe.
• By the time the second pipe is filled (about four months), the waste in the first pipe will have changed into manure. Take the pipe out of the pit and remove the manure from it.
• This pipe can again be fixed on the soil and used again.
4) Plastic bucket composting
Things required
• Two plastic buckets with lids, having a capacity of 50 l each and having taps connected to it at the bottom.
• Required amount of coconut shells.
• Place one layer of coconut shells at the bottom of the bucket with upside down.
• Put the daily bio wastes over it and then keep the bucket closed with the lid.
• One bucket will be filled in one month. Then start using the next bucket.
• The leachate that seeps in the bucket can be collected through the tap. This can be used as manure for plants.
• By the time the second bucket gets completely filled, the waste in the first bucket will have changed into manure.
• Two plastic buckets with lids, having a capacity of 50 l each and having taps connected to it at the bottom.
• Required amount of coconut shells.
• Place one layer of coconut shells at the bottom of the bucket with upside down.
• Put the daily bio wastes over it and then keep the bucket closed with the lid.
• One bucket will be filled in one month. Then start using the next bucket.
• The leachate that seeps in the bucket can be collected through the tap. This can be used as manure for plants.
• By the time the second bucket gets completely filled, the waste in the first bucket will have changed into manure.
5) Earthworm compost
• Earthworm compost tanks made of plastic, terracotta, fiber etc are available.
• Two tanks of 25 l capacity are required for a house.
• First make a base layer by spreading coconut husk at the bottom of the tank and smattering cow dung powder over it. Then put the earthworms over it.(200 numbers)
• Chop and spread old food items, vegetables and the waste of fish and meat over it.
• When the tank is filled cover it with a jute bag. Pour some water regularly over it.
• Use the second tank for the next two weeks in the same manner.
• When the second tank is filled, the waste in the first one will have changed into manure by the earthworms.
• Remove the jute bag from it and keep it in a place where it would get some sunlight.
• Within two days the earthworms will set off to the bottom layer of the tank.
• Remove the manure from the top and then start putting the waste over it.
• Two tanks of 25 l capacity are required for a house.
• First make a base layer by spreading coconut husk at the bottom of the tank and smattering cow dung powder over it. Then put the earthworms over it.(200 numbers)
• Chop and spread old food items, vegetables and the waste of fish and meat over it.
• When the tank is filled cover it with a jute bag. Pour some water regularly over it.
• Use the second tank for the next two weeks in the same manner.
• When the second tank is filled, the waste in the first one will have changed into manure by the earthworms.
• Remove the jute bag from it and keep it in a place where it would get some sunlight.
• Within two days the earthworms will set off to the bottom layer of the tank.
• Remove the manure from the top and then start putting the waste over it.
Manure for agriculture
The manure obtained by these composting methods cost high rates in the market. It is very easy to carry out agriculture with this manure. Vegetable seeds and seedlings in bags are now being distributed from the agricultural office of each district. Many governmental organizations like athma, horticulture mission etc is performing actively in this field. The vegetable yielding obtained by them need not be sprayed by any pesticides. If we spend ten minutes daily in the morning, we can remove the pests that affect the plants. You may already be aware of the fact that the curry leaves we buy from markets are sprayed largely with pesticides. If we eat a lot of vegetables that are sprayed with pesticides we may have to suffer many genetic problems and even cancer. Don’t we have the responsibility to save the future generation from the prison of such disabilities? If we are ready to spend some time for our family the wastes will turn into a boon for us.
