Recycling of mixed food waste and tea waste through tub basin composting

Compost quality issue has been raised for a long time. The quality is low grade which consisted of low major nutrient value. Moreover, compost making bin is always demanded by urban residents. Thus, the study emphasized composting of food and cooked tea waste enriched by bonemeal and eggshell powder through tub basin (compost bin). Compost was prepared in selected tub basins for 12 weeks. The major macro and micronutrients in prepared compost were analyzed to know the quality. The quality was confirmed by the phytotoxicity/germination index and compared to national and international standards. The results showed that major nutrients, namely, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, were rich in compost samples. It was found that bonemeal powder is good enriched material contributing to phosphorus and eggshell powder worked for increasing calcium in the final compost. Maximum phosphorus was recorded in compost derived from mixed food waste (7.89 +/- 0.36%) and tea waste (4.69 +/- 0.34%), treated by bonemeal. Furthermore, the study showed that the bonemeal powder could significantly conserve total nitrogen in both compost manure. Total nitrogen was conserved by 20.45% in tea waste and 27.93% in mixed food waste-bonemeal combination. Major nutrients and micronutrients in compost samples meet national and international standards and it is concluded that bonemeal and eggshell powder are important sources for the quality of compost. The germination index (GI) values were greater than 70% with gram seeds in all treatments derived, indicating a lower presence of phytotoxic substances. This method will be an advantage for the household level.