Composting

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Description

Composting consists of allowing anaerobic decomposition to occur under humid conditions, usually on soft waste vegetable matter and animal faecal matter, occasionally on animal cadaver matter. Compost is a valuable and rich source of organic fertiliser, when fully decomposed. This can reduce the quantities of chemical fertilisers required.

Composting generates heat and gases, mostly carbon dioxide and methane, both greenhouse gases. The heat will destroy weed seeds if the composting is correctly achieved. Manure is essentially composted animal faecal matter with bedding straw.

For large scale composting projects, the gas can be collected and the methane (natural gas) separated and used to provide energy. In a few cases, excess heat has also been extracted for space heating.


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