danida-sarawak government urban environmental management ... 9 backyard... · danida-sarawak...

NREB Natural Resources and Environment Board

Sarawak

DANIDA-SARAWAK GOVERNMENT

Urban Environmental Management System Project

BACKYARD COMPOSTING FOR KITCHEN AND

GARDEN WASTES: DEMONSTRATION PROJECT

January 2004

DANIDA

Danish International Development Assistance

DANIDA-SARAWAK GOVERNMENT

Urban Environmental Management System

Project

BACKYARD COMPOSTING FOR KITCHEN AND

GARDEN WASTES: DEMONSTRATION

PROJECT

January 2004

Report No. UEMS_TEC_02-16

Issue No. 1

Date of Issue January 2004

Prepared George ak Nyaon

Checked ILA & Tang

Approved

UEMS Backyard Composting for Kitchen and Garden Wastes: Demonstration Project

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Table of Contents

1 Introduction 2

2 Monitoring 3

3 List of Monitoring 4

4 Observation 6

4.1 Composting Activities 6

5 Interview 15

6 Finding of Issues and Problem 18

7 Summary and suggestions 20


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1 Introduction

48 units of the Humus composting bin have been acquired for the

UEMS pilot project on backyard composting. Seven units are still

stored at 3-R Green Centre. These bins are planned to be tested at a

school compound. The remaining bins were distributed during 2001-

2003. Four units were distributed to Sibu and Miri Municipal Councils

and four units were distributed to NREB Regional offices for exhibi-

tion and education purposes. Nine units were distributed to YB’s (In-

cluding Federal Minister) and seven units were distributed to govern-

ment and ex-government officers. Four bins were distributed to busi-

nesses and institutions, three units were distributed to schools and the

remaining 10 bins were distributed to private households.


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2 Monitoring

The total number of premises monitored during 2003 is 14. These

premises represent a total of 17 units of the bin. Six premises received

the bins in 2001, one premise received the bin in 2002 and 7 premises

received the bins in 2003. Nine of the premises are private house-

holds, composting their garden and kitchen waste (10 units). Two of

the premises are schools, which use the bins for environmental educa-

tion activities/PALS (Love Our Environment Club) (3 units). The re-

maining 3 premises include an institution (1 unit), a landscaper (1

unit) and a food outlet (2 units). Three of the recipients spent most of

their time doing gardening.

Site visits have been made several times during the year to monitor the

composting process. Beside that, phone conversations with house-

hold/premises have been made to gather additional information on en-

countered difficulties and issues related to the use of the bin.

The monitoring activities have generally been limited by the availabil-

ity of transport.


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3 List of Monitoring

No. Name of Participants Year Address Number of bin received

Food Outlet

1. Participant 1

(Orchid Garden)

2001 No. 333A

Lrg. 5 Jln. Siol Kandis

93050 Petra Jaya

2

Landscaping

2. Participant 2

(Landscaper)

2001 No. 3

4th

Mile Penrissen Rd.

Jln. Burung Landas

Kuching

1

Institution

3. Splendid Nursing Home

(Nursing Home)

2003 Lrg. 1 Rubber Rd.

Satok, 93400 Kuching

1

Schools

4. Participant 3

SMK Bt. Lintang

2001 SMK Batu Lintang

Jln Kolej, 93200 Kuching

1

5. Participant 4

SMK Padawan

(School)

2002 SMK Padawan

Km 14 Jln. Padawan

93250 Kuching

2

Households

6. Participant 5

2001 No. 225

Lorong Stampin 20

Jln. Stampin, Kuching

1

7. Participant 6

2001 No. 18

Jalan Urat Mata

Tabuan Jaya, Kuching

2

8. Participant 7

2001 No. 48 Taman Wee Wee

Lrg Kapor 10, Jln Stapok

Kuching

1


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9. Participant 8

2003 Lot 1661

Jln. Tun Abdul Rahman Yaakub

93050 Petra Jaya

Kuching

1

10. Participant 9

2003 2421 Lrg. C4

Perumahan Fasa II

93050 Petra Jaya, Kuching

1

11. Participant 10

2003 No. 298, Jln. Kenny Hill

93350 Kuching

1

12. Participant 11

2003 No. 121 Arang Rd.

93250 Kuching

1

13. Participant 12

2003 No. 32 Medan Temple

Off Palm Rd.

93400 Kuching

1

14. Participant 13

2003 No. 4 , Lrg. Setia Raja 12A

Taman Stutong Indah

93550 Kuching

1

Total bins 17


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4 Observation

The followings issues have been surveyed during the monitoring ac-

tivities:

Type of waste thrown in to the bin

Distribution of waste (kitchen and garden waste) (a ratio 1:4 was

recommended)

Condition of waste (dry/wet)

Organisms encountered in the bin (i.e. worm, cockroaches, mag-

gots, ants etc.)

Compost layer (any compost layer noticed)

Compost condition (dry/wet)

Maturity of their compost

Beside that, interviews were made with the premises to collect further

information on their composting activities.

4.1 Composting Activities

As mentioned, backyard composting was monitored for 14 premises.

These premises dump different types of organic waste into the bins.

Participant 1(Orchid Garden) has received 2 units. She is doing full-

time catering (business) in the house. She has assigned one of her In-

donesian staff to take care of the composting (turning, discharge waste

etc.). Banana skin, pineapple skin, lemon, watermelon, egg crust,

grass clipping, branches, wood and saw dust have been discharged

into the bin. For the second bin (see picture 2), the waste has slowly

turned into compost. However, certain undesired types of waste (metal

spoon, plastic bag and plastic bottle) have been found inside the bin.

According to the staff, the waste was mixed with soil to accelerate the

composting process.


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Picture 1 – Fruits skins and food left over composted

Picture 2 - Compost after 10 month

Participant 2 (landscaper) was testing the bin simultaneously with

tests of other bin types. He had tried to compost a pure sunflower

seed fraction (bought from factory) in the Humus bin (see picture 3).

Only a small fraction of kitchen waste was mixed with the seeds.


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Picture 3 - Sun flower seeds

However, after six month the seeds was failed to be composted (see

picture 4). This is most probably due to the compactness of the seeds

mass that did not allow for the ventilation process. A high number of

cockroaches and ants were noticed inside the bin. No compost layer

was observed during the monitoring. The bin was also hard to turn as

the bin was full and highly compact.

Picture 4 - Sunflower seeds after six month


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Picture 5 - Splendid Nursing Home

Splendid Nursing Home is a home stay for the old citizens. Employed

staff was assigned to manage the composting. Therefore, instructions

had been given to them on the types and mixture of waste to be

dumped into the bins.

Picture 6 - Bin assembled at the middle compound of the garden

SMK Padawan (2 units) had already harvested the first batch of com-

post. However, currently the school did not fully utilize the compost-

ing bins. The bins were kept at the back of their power station. It was

noticed that the school currently only compost grass clippings and

another well-defined type of garden waste (see picture 7). The PALS

Club teacher informed that formation of compost was noticed at the

bottom of the bin 10 month after the first harvest. (See picture 8).


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Picture 7 - Condition of grass clippings after five month

Picture 8 - Layer compost noticed after 11 month

At SMK Batu Lintang the composting activity was very limited. A

new PALS Club teacher had recently been appointed to conduct the

PALS Club activities. Picture 9 shows that the composting bin was

located at the front of store house. Only few grass clipping have been

put into the bin (see picture 10).


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Picture 9 - SMK Bt. Lintang

Picture 10 - Grass and leaves put into the bin

The private households mixed the kitchen and garden waste as pre-

scribed (see picture 11- Participant 5’s house).


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Picture 11 - Waste decomposed after five month

Picture 12 - Waste turn to compost (immature/not ready to harvest)

layer after seven month

Picture 12 - (Participant 5) shows that a compost layer is present at the

bottom of the bin. However, the compost is still not mature enough to

be harvested. Foul odour could be recognized inside the bin. Heat

could be felt at the top layers of the bin.


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Picture 13 - (Participant 6) – shows new star fruits thrown into the bin.

This family was very active in gardening, and was therefore able to

carry out the composting according to the instructions (i.e. controlling

the composition of the waste thrown into the bin, turning of the bin

frequently etc.). Picture 14 shows matured compost, ready for harvest-

ing (after 12 month). The family found this speed of composting very

slow. Picture 15 shows the harvested compost.

Picture 13

Picture 14 - Matured compost layer after 11 month


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Picture 15 - Compost harvested

All household that received the bin in year 2001 and 2002 still contin-

ued to compost their kitchen and garden waste in the Humus bin. All

these seven participants have harvested their compost at least two

times (no record on date). The new participants, who received the bins

in 2003, have not harvested any compost yet


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5 Interview

Interviewed have been made to collect the following information's:

(a) Does composting work in diverting especially kitchen waste

from going to the garbage bin and if so in what percentage

(based on their experience)?

12 premises claimed that composting did reduce the amount of

kitchen and garden waste going to the garbage bin. However,

one of the participants told that one unit was not enough to

compost the kitchen waste. For the others participants, who

mainly compost the garden waste, the size of the bin was

enough to compost their waste.

(b) Type of waste put inside the bin (proportion of kitchen and

garden wastes)

Food leftover, fruits skins, eggs shell, grass clippings and dead

leaves is the common types of waste dumped to the bin. The

distribution of kitchen and garden waste is between 30:70,

40:60 and 50:50 (based on verbal statements).

(c) Did they put any worm into the bin to accelerate the compost-

ing process?

None of the participants put worm into their composting bin.

However, some of them asked from where they can get the

worm and what the type of worm is suitable.

(d) Did they harvest the compost? If they have - how much?

When? How many times? When was the last time?

Participants receiving the bins in 2001 or 2002 receivers have

all harvested their compost one or two times. The weight of the

harvested compost is around 5-10 kg. Participants receiving

the bins in May 2003 did not harvest any compost during

2003.


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(e) Amount of compost produced compared to the waste volume

discharged to the bins.

7 of the premises claimed that the amount of compost was

about 5-10 percent of the original waste volume.

(f) Do they use the compost and how?

They use the compost for nourishment (sow it around the

plants i.e. flower and small trees).

(g) Any problem in using the bin i.e. odour problem?

The following are some of major problems that have been encoun-

tered:

Difficult to turn the bin when it was full-no handle to hold for

turning it.

Insects i.e. ants, cockroaches, maggot and another unidentified

organism were observed (the basement plate of the bin can not

avoid insects from entering the bin).

Odour problem (occurred about one or two weeks after new

wastes discharges into the bin).

The produced compost is very wet and it takes a long time for

drying.

Slow speed of composting (the bin only produces matured

compost after more than 10 month of composting)

(h) Who is normally in-charge for the bin, i.e. dump waste to the

bin, record waste before dumping it, turn the waste etc.?

Form one and form two students (for the school)- waste

mixture have not been monitored

Staff (food outlet, nursery)

Housewife or their children- children simply dump waste

without segregating it

Housemaids-don’t know/don’t concern about the type of

waste they dump into the bins

Others family members (grandfather/grandmother)

The actual composting is only in a few cases done by the

household parents. This may have a reducing effect on the

commitment


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(i) Did they record the activities in the log book? If not, why?

None of the participants have recorded anything in the log

book (even though notice has been given and follow-up have

been made).

The following are the reasons given for why the log book was

unused:

No time/busy

Tedious

Family members/person that have been assigned do not

record anything

Forgot/ignorance

Difficult to estimate/weigh/identify the type waste


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6 Finding of Issues and Problem

The following are issues that need further consideration based on ob-

servation and interviewed that have been made:

1. The composting process takes about 10 month before mature

compost is produced. Therefore, no compost can be removed ear-

lier to give space for the new kitchen and garden waste (waste

have to be thrown to garbage bin-again). The possibility of using

additives (e.g. nutrients) to accelerate the composting process were

requested

2. Some component (handle?) has to be installed on the bin to make

it easy for turning (see the arrow in picture 16-no item installed to

turn the bin).

3. Most of the insect problems are caused by the basement plate de-

sign that makes it easy for insects to enter the bin – question: Is it

suitable to use chemicals to kill the insects?

Picture 16 (composting bin design)

4. The manual (instruction) for the composting bin needs to be re-

designed for easy understanding and reading. The log book also

needs to be re-designed. Manual and log book also need to be

translated into local language.


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5. The suitable types of organic waste to be discharged into the bin

need to be further specified.

6. The required mixture of dry and wet wastes should be specified.

The waste is generally too wet to allow for sufficient aeration. Use

of structure waste material (wood chips etc) and/or improved aera-

tion installations in the bin should be considered.

7. Staff/maids are not always fully committed to do proper backyard

composting and to record their composting activities in the log

book

8. Overlapping layers of waste compress the waste and makes it too

compact. The cone shape seems not always to be sufficient to

avoid compression.

9. The baseline plate may break when lifted from the ground due to

soft soil, it the support is not comprehensive.


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7 Summary and suggestions

The 14 monitored premises are all continuing the composting. This

documents the willingness to practice composting. The bin has proven

effective to produce compost. However, composting process is slow

requiring 10 month (average) to produce matured compost.

Below is listed some options to properly promote the backyard com-

posting activities:

1. The manual for the composting bin needs to be reviewed and trans-

lated into local language (Malay and Chinese) to make it easy for

housewife and others family members to understand. The NREB

Environmental Education and Publicity Unit should be involved in

this activity. Information needs to be disseminated properly using

publication media i.e. pamphlets, leaflets etc.

2. Mechanism to easily turn the waste needs to be constructed

3. Supply of organisms (worm) or additives to effective accelerate the

composting process should be considered.

4. The possible use of structure material for aeration and drying

should be further surveyed.

5. The duration of the composting process should be further surveyed.

6. As different households/premises produce different type of organic

waste, i.e. schools and landscapers compared to households, the

manuals and procedures needs to be differentiated

7. The selection of household/premises for testing the composting bin

needs careful decision. It should be considered to give the presently

involved households an additional composting bin (if they are will-

ing to accept it)

8. To further promote the backyard composting, collaboration with

the local authorities and professional institutions i.e.

UNIMAS/UITM/Consultants should be established, especially re-

garding testing the effectiveness of the use of the composting bin

under tropical conditions

9. Backyard composting should to be seen as one of the options to

reduce organic wastes from entering the garbage bin. However, it

would be good if other options could also be brought to mind.

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