There are numerous ways to compost organic waste at home. If you have a yard at your home, you can easily dig a hole and bury your organic waste, create a biopori; or build a compost heap if you're gardening and need a lot of compost stock. However, if you live in a limited space urban area, like me, a composter is all you need! A composter is a bin or container designed to convert garden and kitchen waste into compost. This tool will help us to manage our organic waste within limited space, so we can still contribute in protecting our Earth no matter where we live.
Managing our own waste, especially organic waste, is very important. In 2022, Indonesia produced a staggering 19.45 million tons of waste. Among this, 39.63% came from households (our homes), and the majority of it (41.55%) consisted of food waste! Unfortunately, all this waste was sent to landfills and piled up. This waste will never break down; instead, it produces methane gas - a potent greenhouse gas that's approximately 85% more harmful than CO2 and is considered one of the biggest contributors to climate change.
Methane gas is produced in the landfill when organic waste is mixed with inorganic waste in a compacted condition where it lacks of oxygen, causing the organic waste to decompose anaerobically. Organic waste is naturally biodegradable but it needs oxygen to decompose. If oxygen is absent or lacking, methane gas is produced. Methane gas is extremely flammable, and when it accumulates and comes in contact with heat sources, it can lead to significant fires in the landfills, as seen at the Sarimukti landfill. Methane can also cause explosions, similar to what happened at the Leuwigajah landfill which resulted in the death of 157 people. In addition to methane, mixed waste in landfills also produces water containing toxic chemicals that can potentially pollute the soil, rivers, lakes and groundwater.
Every organic matter is meant to return to the earth to enrich and nurture the soil. When the soil is healthy, the plants thrive, and those who consume the plants, including us, become healthier as well. On the other hand, when we fail to manage our waste, we disrupt this cycle and deprive the soil of essential nutrients. By separating your inorganic waste and composting your organic waste at home, you contribute to preventing these issues and restoring the Earth's natural cycle, which in the end benefiting our own well-being.
Steps to Composting
1. Get to Know Organic Waste
Greens and Browns
Organic waste refers to any organic materials that derived from living organism. These materials are categorized into two groups: greens and browns.
Greens: Organic waste items rich in nitrogen, such as leftover food, food scraps, tea and coffee grounds, bones, eggshells, green leaves, flowers, nail clippings, and hair.
Browns: Organic waste items rich in carbon, such as dry leaves, stalks, husks, paper, cartons, bamboo skewers, and bamboo chopsticks.
Organic Waste to Avoid: Please refrain from composting animal carcasses, animal waste, weeds, and diseased plants.
2. Prepare Your Tools
All of the Tools
Before you begin, it's best to prepare and gather all the tools you'll need to make your composting journey easier. Here's a list of the essential tools:
Composter
Greens
Browns
Soil or compost
Bioactivator or decomposer
Sprayer
Shovel
Besides all of the tools mentioned above, you'll also need a dedicated space for composting. It's best to place your composter in a partially shady area, which means it should be outside the house but still under a roof or any covering that prevents it from being exposed to direct sunlight and rain. Also, even though the composter has a lid, it can still produce a bad smell that may be disturbing if you place it inside your house.
3. Separate Organic Waste
First things first, organic waste needs to be separated from inorganic waste. You can place an airtight container in your kitchen to temporarily collect food waste before adding it to the composter. Please cut your organic waste into small pieces before disposing, to speed up the decomposition process.
My Waste Station at Home
Cut Organic Waste Into Pieces
4. Make A Green and Brown Lasagna
The most significant challenge that people may face when composting in a limited area is the lack of sufficient space for a composter, forcing them to use a small composter instead. However, when using a small composter, balancing between organic waste production and the decomposition process becomes crucial. If organic waste produced faster than it decomposes, your house might be overwhelmed by organic waste. While it's better to minimize food waste from the beginning, you can speed up the decomposition process by creating an appropriate environment in the composter.
Please ensure that the organic waste in the composter is neither too dry nor too wet. The optimal ratio between 'browns' and 'greens' is 2:1. This means, every time you put 1 'greens', you need to put another 2 'browns'. Place 'browns' at the bottom of the composter and also on top, so you'll always see 'browns' whenever you open the composter. As for the first 'brown' layer, you can use paper or cardboard to prevent solid food waste from seeping into the liquid waste section, as composters usually come in two parts for solid and liquid organic waste. After the first brown layer, add soil or compost as a starter; you don't need to add the soil or compost later, just do it once at this layer. Following this, layer with 'greens', and then cover them again with 'browns'. Repeat this process until the composter is full.
Initial 'Browns' Layer, 'Greens' Layer and 'Browns' Layer
5. Spray Bioactivator
A decomposer or bioactivator helps to speed up decomposition. You can spray it whenever you add organic waste to the composter. Dilute the bioactivator with water before spraying it onto the composter. For the correct ratio, please follow the instructions on the decomposer packaging.
6. Stir Organic Waste
Once the composter is full, stir and mix the organic waste to allow air to circulate. If you're using a bigger composter, simply puncture the waste to the bottom with a garden fork. This technique further accelerates the decomposition process. You can stir the waste daily, twice a week, or at the very least, once a week.
7. Harvest the Compost!
Using a composter means you can harvest both the solid and the liquid compost. To collect liquid compost, simply open the tap. Harvest the liquid regularly to prevent the solid organic waste from flooded. The liquid compost will be ready to use after two weeks after it finishes its fermentation process. Don't forget to dilute liquid compost with water using a 1:100 ratio before applying it to your plants.
Liquid Compost
On the other hand, the solid compost is ready when all the organic waste has turned black, the insects have disappeared and the waste smells like soil. The duration of the decomposition varies based on the type and size of the waste, the frequency of stirring and the application of the decomposer. After harvesting or getting the compost out from the composter, spread it on a plastic mat and allow it to sit and dry for a while. This process usually takes a day or two. Avoid drying the compost under direct sunlight as it may harm the microbes; instead find a shady place. Once it's dry, strain it to get the fine compost. After that, your compost is ready to use, while you can use the rough compost as a starter for the next composting cycle!
The Looks When the Compost is Ready to Harvest
Compost Harvesting Process
Final Result of the Compost
One thing I've learned from my experience is that you can't really fail at composting. Of course there were challenges along the way, but in the end, all organic waste will eventually turn into compost. All you need is patience and the willingness to get your hands dirty, lol! You can intervene in the composting process by assessing its needs. If it's too dry, you can add more 'greens' and water. If it's too wet, has a strong odor or has too many maggots, add more 'browns'. Just make sure the composter is always kept moist.
If you need any assistance or guidance on your composting journey, please don't hesitate to reach out to me. Additionally, if you happen to live in the Jabodetabek area, I can help to provide a composter for you. I make a 150-liter composter capable of accommodating 6 months of food waste from 4-5 people within a single household. If you're living alone or with fewer people, this composter can last up to a year. I've tested various sizes and found this to be the most effective one, so I think this also might be helpful for you. If you're interested to get your own composter from me, please don't hesitate to send me a direct message on instagram! Lastly, happy composting, everyone!
The Process of Making the Composter
Feeding My Plants with Compost
Organic Veggies Grown from My Food Waste
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