Household Composting Program

“Introduction of Takakura Home-Method (THM) as an applicable household composting model for urban area”

Written by Prapti Wahyuningsih, ST

Consultant for Waste Management

Takakura home-Method (THM) is a composting method applied at individual household.

Composting is the breakdown of organic material such as straw and other agricultural waste, sawdust and other wood-type materials, cattle manure, organic waste and leftover food, sewage water and other organic mud by various organisms (e.g. bacteria, fungi, actinomycete, basidiomycete, lactic bacteria, etc.) that feed on waste and convert it into an earthlike mass through aerobic fermentation or anaerobic fermentation to produce compost, which will be used to give a favorable impact on microorganism in soil and plants. In other words, composting is the process to neutralize the negative image and odor of waste, produce compost that is hygienic and easy to use, has a favorable impact on soil and crops, and recycle organic waste as a resource.

It is essential to provide and maintain perfect conditions for optimum microbial activity. For that purpose, it is necessary to adjust carbon-to-nitrogen ratios (C/N ratio). The mainstream composts through aerobic fermentation processes, which requires oxygen. To begin with, microorganisms decompose easily decomposable organic matter such as amino acids and sugar groups. This prevents odors, emergence of pests, and growth inhibition and root rot caused by rapid decomposition in soil. The temperature of organic mass exceeds 60 degrees centigrade during the fermentation process. Disease-causing bacteria, parasites, pest eggs, weed seed and other materials that are present in organic mass and are harmful to humans, animals and plants will die or be inactivated due to fermentation heat, and organic mass will turn into compost that is hygienic and safe. Furthermore, microorganisms produce metabolites during the fermentation process. These metabolites change nutrient composition to produce humus required for agricultural soil, thereby helping plants absorve nutrients.

THM is developed by Mr. Koji Takakura from Jpec. Co. Ltd Japan in the cooperation framework of Surabaya city and Kitakyushu city executed by KITA (Kitakyushu International Techno-cooperative Association) based in Kitakyushu city, Japan. And BaliFokus is the secondary technology-transferred by KITA after PUSDAKOTA, local NGO in Surabaya.

THM is a composting method using aerobic fermentation. The box is constructed in such of manner as to allow for ventilation and prevent insects-entering. This method allows for the easy and hygienic production of good quality compost in a short period of time through the use of NM (Native Microorganisms: fermentation microorganisms that are native to the local area).

In Indonesia, the annual mean minimum temperature is 22 degrees Celcius and the annual mean maximum temperature is about 35 degrees Celcius. Annually average temperature between 28 to 29 degrees Celcius is an ideal climate for composting. Through the introduction of appropriate technology , residents are able to practice composting simply, but with few failures. In addition, if composting can be done in individual households, waste can be treated when it is still fresh and can produce good quality compost as well as create a link to improvement of comfortable living (decomposition and foul odors) and hygienic (fles, maggots, rats, germs and microbes, etc.) environment.

THM has the following characteristics to establish and expand as local technology.

• It can be placed inside the house.
• It has simple technology and low-energy system.
• It is portable with box sizes being 60 liters (30×42×60^Hcm).
• It facilitates aerobic fermentation as it allows air to pass through easily.
• Dumped organic waste almost loses shape on the following day.
• There is no bad smell as long as good conditions are maintained within the box.
• A locally available general-purpose product can be used to ensure low cost operation and continuity.

THM consists of the following and is very easy to operate.

• A commercial available plastic box or hand-made bamboo/rattan basket with good ventilation.
• Place cardboard (with ventilation) or rice-sack on the side face of the plastic box or bamboo/rattan basket.
• Place packaged rice chaff at the bottom to absorb excess moisture.
• Put fermentation microorganisms/NM (or finished compost) in the box.
• The lid has an anti-insect net.
• Put wet garbage into the box and mix the content well every time wet garbage is produced.
• Wet garbage must be chopped as finely as possible with a knife.

By implementing this method, it can reduce organic material at household level up to 50-75%.

Household Composting Project

“Environmental-simply & friendly technology transferring of Japan to Bali”

Writen by: Prapti Wahyuningsih, ST

                     Consultant for Waste Management  

 

Bali is well-known as an international tourist destination. The total area of Bali Island is 5.632,86 km² or 0.29% of Indonesian islands and a home to 3.2 millions inhabitants. With millions of foreign tourists (1.3 million) visiting Bali annually and the rapid growth of the local population due to vast development, Bali is currently facing a very tough job of managing its mountains of garbage – both tourism industrial and domestic which approximately total generation is 4611 m3/day or 1100 ton/day, contents of organic (± 72 – 70%) and non organic ((± 28 – 30%).

 

As the provincial capital of Bali, Denpasar city is the most densely area which is populated by 4.217 inhabitants per square kilometers and collected  approximately 1.525 cubic meters of produced garbage daily or 80% of the total generation. And certainly, it has put Denpasar city into a potentially-complicated garbage problem as many other big cities in Indonesia. As a matter of fact, the final dumping site is also currently facing a problem due to over capacity.

 

The garbage problem is kind of devil circle, not even know where to cut and offer the problem solutions. However, it has taken into concern that solid waste issues relates to community behavior,  which have to support not only by rule but also providing the enabling system. And doing solid waste management from the source might be the most sustainable solution even it might be long way taken. Thus, it is necessary to more explore and advance informed choices of applicable technology and best practices to support sustainability of the enabling system.

 

Since 2005, Bali Fokus had started initiating the household composting project with Kitakyushu city through the assistance of KITA (Kitakyushu International Techno-cooperative Association), a Japanese NGO whose main focus is technological cooperation. In providing the technological cooperation of household composting project in Bali, KITA is supported by JFGE (Japan Fund Global Environmental).

 

The pilot project implemented in Monang-Maning Residential area, Tegal Kertha village, West Denpasar, which is identified as the one of the most densely area in Denpasar city. This project was financially supported by Bali Recovery Fund/ACCESS – AusAID and involved the housewives groups. Project activities conducted are as follow:

• Formed women’s core compost team
• Encourage waste separation at source by introducing “Takakura home-method composting at 250 HHs.
• Cultivate herb medicinal plants for households that produced compost (currently at 150 HHs)
• Formed network of environment aware household (named Jaringan Keluarga Peduli Lingkungan/JKPL, who conduct waste separation, composting and cultivating herb medicinal)
• Set up an informal deal with waste pickers toward the waste separation and even waste picker willing to pay for the separated an-organic recyclables

 

In spite of conducting activities above, quantity of garbage collected by waste pickers at each member of environment aware households are reduced vary from 30-40% compare to condition before the program introduced. Unfortunately, it has not obtained any significant impact in reduction total waste disposed to the final dumpsite as the numbers of involved households are only 0.07% of the total. Moreover, Bali has ritual-offering waste characteristic which difficult to be composted or treated at household level.

 

Then, it’s brought the idea of establishing an eco-center which purposed to be a model of solid waste management facility at communal level. The component of Eco-center is composting area and recyclables storing area. The demonstration project of Eco-center in Tegal Kertha village is multi-financed sources. Bali Fokus/BORDA Indonesia covered the construction cost of composting center, JFGE covered the equipment and technical supervision, and the village covered land leasing and recyclables storage.

 

The composting activity at Eco-center is started operating on May 2006 by applying composting method of Takakura Susun, which no odor release and leachate generation, also a very simple maintenance. Therefore, this method is eligible to be implemented at densely area. The quality of produced compost is also well monitored and even has market price of Rp. 1.000,-/kg in Denpasar

 

It is also planed on the project activity to do several researches in developing composting method which applicable and simple maintenance by the user at household or communal level to support the enabling system of solid waste management.