Measures for Controlling Gaseous Emissions during Composting: A Review

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Waste Management

Background:

• Composting organic solid waste generates unavoidable greenhouse gases (methane, nitrous oxide) and odor emissions (ammonia, hydrogen sulfide).
• These emissions cause environmental problems and reduce compost quality.
• Existing mitigation strategies like optimizing conditions and using additives lack comprehensive analysis regarding their impact on gaseous emissions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the influence of composting conditions and various additives on gaseous emissions.
• To provide an approximate cost evaluation for each mitigation measure.
• To identify effective strategies for reducing composting-related emissions.

Main Methods:

• Literature review summarizing research on composting conditions and additives.
• Analysis of the impact of aerobic conditions on methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) reduction.
• Evaluation of physical, chemical, and microbial additives for emission control.
• Assessment of compound additives versus single additives.

Main Results:

• Achieving aerobic conditions effectively reduces CH4 and N2O emissions.
• Physical additives with large surface areas and adsorption capacity help control anaerobic emissions.
• Chemical additives significantly reduce emissions but may have side effects on compost application.
• Microbial agents' effectiveness depends on dosage and environmental conditions.
• Compound additives are more efficient in reducing emissions than single additives.

Conclusions:

• Optimizing composting conditions and employing appropriate additives are key to mitigating gaseous emissions.
• Physical and chemical additives show promise, but potential side effects and economic viability require consideration.
• Further research is needed to establish the cost-effectiveness of additives for large-scale composting implementation.