Residents of Nallagandla apartments in Hyderabad have successfully produced 500 kg of compost through in-house processing of wet/kitchen waste.
The Residents Welfare Association, led by Vijay Kumar, shared the success on Twitter, highlighting the possibility of large-scale wet waste composting.
The compost was generated from a month’s collection of wet waste from around 100 residents, with a daily collection of around 30 kg. The composting process involves adding cut food waste, compost maker, and compost maker powder, closing the lid tight, and leaving it aside for 15 days. The process is then repeated daily until the bin is full, and the waste is left aside for another 15 days. Liquid plant food is added every three days, and liquid fertiliser is harvested for use in plants or for cleaning toilet drains.
The success of the project has been lauded by Minister KT Rama Rao, who tweeted his appreciation. Solid waste management is a major issue in India, with nearly 95% of the organic waste generated in cities being disposed of in landfills, leading to pollution of underground water and breeding of pests. There are currently no proper systems for managing waste in most cities in India.
The success of the Nallagandla residents in producing compost from wet waste could serve as a model for other communities to follow, leading to more effective and sustainable waste management practices across the country.
