Decomposition Dynamics of Cooking-oil-soaked Paper in Media With a Low Inorganic Nitrogen Content

Abstract Many paper-related products are in daily use all over the world. Although paper is one of the most recycled materials in the European Union, no end-of-waste criteria have been defined. Typical paper and cardboard should be recycled, but paper materials with impurities, such as water, cooking oil, sand, or plastic, are much more problematic. In particular, paper polluted with cooking oil or butter (e.g., pizza boxes) is difficult waste. Composting could be a solution, but in many municipal solid waste collection systems, this waste type is collected with the mixed waste stream. Paper and cardboard contain potentially much CH4 and, in landfills, are a source of CO2 and CH4. Incineration of these materials also causes CO2 emission. The aim of this study was to investigate the degradation of cooking-oil-polluted paper in media with a low inorganic nitrogen content. Office paper usually used for printouts was used as pre-test material. Two types of paper usually used in the kitchen were used: pizza box cardboard and parchment paper highly polluted with cooking oil. Two types of low inorganic nitrogen media were tested: mature municipal waste compost (MSWC) and leaf mold. The decrease in mass of both paper sample types was correlated with process time. All tested samples—raw cellulose materials and paper with cooking oil added—were partly or completely decomposed after 6 weeks of bioprocessing without an additional dose of inorganic nitrogen.