Unlocking the Power of Source-Separated Organic Municipal Waste for Fertilizer Production and Sustainable Waste Management in Ethiopia

Unlocking the Power of Source-Separated Organic Municipal Waste for Fertilizer Production and Sustainable Waste Management in Ethiopia | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Unlocking the Power of Source-Separated Organic Municipal Waste for Fertilizer Production and Sustainable Waste Management in Ethiopia Hussien Ali, Seyoum Leta, Ahmed Hussen, Bantamlak Hassen, Tadesse Alemu Terfie This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4769613/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 27 Jan, 2025 Read the published version in Waste and Biomass Valorization → Version 1 posted 5 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Purpose This study aims to optimize the process of converting organic municipal solid waste (MSW) into organic fertilizer using a pilot Aerated Static Pile (ASP) composting system. It focuses on identifying the best waste mixing ratios, optimizing operational parameters, and evaluating the quality of the resulting fertilizer to enhance waste management in developing countries like Ethiopia, where resources are limited, and urbanization is increasing. Methods The study tested biodegradable organic MSW, supplemented with cow-dung and sediment inocula, in various compositions. It analyzed key composting parameters such as; pH, carbon to nitrogen (C/N) ratio, moisture content, and electrical conductivity to determine the optimal composting conditions. Additionally, heavy metal concentrations were measured before and after composting to ensure the safety of the final product. Results The study identified optimal composting conditions: a pH of 5.43 to 7.89, a C/N ratio of 23:1 to 42:1, moisture content of 60–66%, and electrical conductivity of 4.10–5.24%. Heavy metal concentrations remained within regulatory limits throughout the process. The optimization results showed that the natural sediment inoculum (Run I) was more efficient than the cow-dung inoculum (Run II) for decomposition. In Run I, Pile P3 (50% food waste, 50%-yard waste) produced the best quality compost, followed by Pile P2 (75% food waste, 25%-yard waste). Pile P4 (25% food waste, 75%-yard waste) had lower temperatures, hindering decomposition. Conclusion This research underscores the importance of optimized composting processes and provides valuable insights into implementing ASP composting technology for organic waste management in Ethiopia and beyond. Graphical Abstract Composting Aerated Static Pile (ASP) organic fertilizer waste management Full Text Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 27 Jan, 2025 Read the published version in Waste and Biomass Valorization → Version 1 posted Reviewers agreed at journal 03 Sep, 2024 Reviewers invited by journal 03 Sep, 2024 Editor invited by journal 29 Aug, 2024 Editor assigned by journal 20 Jul, 2024 First submitted to journal 19 Jul, 2024 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-4769613","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":348700017,"identity":"b0ec7a25-ba22-49ef-b544-364499a0de4c","order_by":0,"name":"Hussien Ali","email":"","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0001-8367-4240","institution":"Addis Ababa University College of Natural Sciences","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Hussien","middleName":"","lastName":"Ali","suffix":""},{"id":348700018,"identity":"8dbe58f9-1437-4d17-a1bc-12fd16ce2ad1","order_by":1,"name":"Seyoum 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It focuses on identifying the best waste mixing ratios, optimizing operational parameters, and evaluating the quality of the resulting fertilizer to enhance waste management in developing countries like Ethiopia, where resources are limited, and urbanization is increasing.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eMethods\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe study tested biodegradable organic MSW, supplemented with cow-dung and sediment inocula, in various compositions. It analyzed key composting parameters such as; pH, carbon to nitrogen (C/N) ratio, moisture content, and electrical conductivity to determine the optimal composting conditions. Additionally, heavy metal concentrations were measured before and after composting to ensure the safety of the final product.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eResults\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe study identified optimal composting conditions: a pH of 5.43 to 7.89, a C/N ratio of 23:1 to 42:1, moisture content of 60\u0026ndash;66%, and electrical conductivity of 4.10\u0026ndash;5.24%. Heavy metal concentrations remained within regulatory limits throughout the process. The optimization results showed that the natural sediment inoculum (Run I) was more efficient than the cow-dung inoculum (Run II) for decomposition. In Run I, Pile P3 (50% food waste, 50%-yard waste) produced the best quality compost, followed by Pile P2 (75% food waste, 25%-yard waste). 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