Technical Brief

Home composting systems

Compost making has been a common practice by farmers Conditions required in composting
and gardeners across the world to recycle waste and use process
them for their own home gardening practices. Home
composting depends on traditional or small scale simplified Aeration: Composting is a biological process that can
composting technologies. To facilitate this, various home happen either aerobically (in the presence of oxygen) or
composting technologies are available in other countries. anerobically (without oxygen). Oxygen is an essential
Simple pit methods, heap methods, and Jeewakotu methods requirement for aerobic microbes to thrive and they
have been widely used in Sri Lanka for many years. effectively break down organic Waste into simple
components.
Compost produced from home composting methods is in
good quality compared to compost produced from mixed Anaerobic decomposition is comparatively slow and it
waste. It offers several benefits such as enhanced soil produces unpleasant odours and therefore anaerobic
fertility and soil health which increases agricultural composting is not a very popular or a common method. On
productivity, improved soil biodiversity, reduced ecological the other hand aerobic composting is done under active or
risks and encourages better environment. passive aeration methods.

This simple home composting technology has been Moisture: Moisture/water is a very essential component to
identified as most sustainable solution to address the precede all microbial activities. Water is the medium for
emerging solid waste management problems in many most chemical reactions and 40% - 65% of moisture content
countries. Active community participation can be expected is ideal for effective composting. When the moisture content
because; home composting enhances economic condition of is below 40%, microbial activity will continue at a slower
urban poor people through home-gardening and selling of rate. When the moisture content is above 65%, water will
compost and/or recyclables. displace air from the compost pile leading to anaerobic
conditions.
The suitability of each composting system to a specified
location primarily depends on site characteristics. Most Temperature: Is essential for a well mixed compost pile,
traditional systems are not common in urban areas due to temperature can reach up to 65-700C due to activities of the
space limitations and pest attractions. Therefore, bin micro-organisms. This heat is desirable and helps to
composting is preferred by most urban dwellers due to its accelerate the degradation process. In addition to this, it
convenience and as it has less impact on aestheticism. But destroys the weed seeds, pathogens in the composting
all methods use the same scientific principle though it differs material and makes it unsuitable for fly breeding.
from its procedures and equipments that are used.

Who to contact: Project Manager – Solid Waste Management or the Resource Desk at

Practical Action (formerly ITDG)

No 5, Lionel Edirisinghe Mw, Colombo 5, Sri Lanka.
T +94 (11) 2829412 F +94 (11) 2856188 W www.practicalaction.org www.janathakshan.org E srilanka@practicalaction.org.lk

For specific details please contact the Project Officer in the Practical Action:
Hambantota T +94 (11) 4379339 E southern@practicalaction.org.lk
Ampara T +94 (11) 2224932 E eastern@practicalaction.org.lk
Technical Brief

Particle Size: When the particles are smaller it will be The basic heap size is about 2 m wide at the base, 1.5 m
turned into composting very fast. Smaller particles have a high and 2 m long. Any length can be used if enough space
larger surface area that can be attacked by microbes. A and waste materials are available. The sides are tapered so
shredder can be used to reduce the size of larger particles. that the top is about 0.5 m narrower in width than the base.
Tree leaves also can be shredded to prevent them from
forming layers. But too smaller particles disturb the aeration Forming the heap
process and it is better to maintain a good texture (mixture
of different size particles -Ideal size is 2-3 inches).

Nutrients: Carbon serves as both a cell building block and

1.5 m
an energy source for microbes. Nitrogen is also required for
2m
the growth and metabolism of the microbes. The ideal
carbon to nitrogen ratio (C: N) in a composting pile is 25-30 2m

(25-30 parts carbon to 1 part nitrogen). Some Agricultural

wastes (eg. straw) are low in nitrogen and to adjust the C: N
ratio, it can be mixed with nitrogen rich material like cow The heap usually starts with a 15-20 cm layer of
dung, green twigs (eg. Gliricidia) or urea. carbonaceous material such as dry leaves, hay, and straw.
This is then covered with a 10cm layer of nitrogenous
Common home composting systems in material such as kitchen waste, fresh grass/weeds or
Sri Lanka garden plant residues. This alternative layer pattern is
followed until the pile reached 1.5 m high and then the
• Heap method material is kept wet so that it may feel damp but not soggy.
• Pit method The pile is sometimes covered with soil or hay to retain heat
and is turned once in fortnight. The process takes 2-3
• Traditional ‘Jeewakotu’ and basket methods months to complete depending on the material and
• Composting bin systems conditions used.

• Rotating drums When waste material that is to be composted is limited,

batch composting method cannot be practiced as the
Heap method
method needs sufficient material to make a complete heap.
But Gradual construction of the heap (adding daily waste for
During the rainy seasons or in areas with heavy rainfall,
a period of 10-15 days) is possible with alternate layers of
compost may be prepared in heaps. A small shed can be
nitrogenous and carbonaceous materials. Mixing of old
used to protect the heap from excessive rains and a small
material with fresh material can be practiced when it is
bund is sometimes built around the pile to protect it from
added to the heap. It will accelerate the composting process
wind and runoff water (the place should not be water-
but we cannot expect a good heat up due to poor insulation
logged). This method is more common with agricultural
as in completed composting heap. This may result poor
waste and may construct several heaps if enough waste
quality compost with high weed seeds and high pathogen
materials are available.
counts.

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Advantages and disadvantages of heap method

Advantages Disadvantages
• This is a very simple method • Attraction and disturbances from animals like dogs, pigs and
crows
• Involves low cost or no costat all
• Breeding places for some pest like rats flies etc.
• Can handle large amount of waste at once
• More suitable as batch method
• Easy maintenance
• Aesthetically not pleasant
• Not applicable for congested areas

Pit method Continuous process

Pit method is recommended for dry areas with less rainfall.

This is the most common home composting system in rural
and peri-urban areas of Sri Lanka. The site selected for the
compost pit should be at high level so that no runoff water or
ground water enters the pit. It should be in a convenient
location, preferably not very far from the place of waste
generation. A temporary shed should be constructed over
the pit to protect the compost from heavy rainfall.

In this system waste can be composted in batch or

continuous method. Continuous method can be practice with
kitchen and garden waste and batch method is common Turn after
15
Turn after another
with agricultural waste. 15 days 15 days
more
days
Here a pit or trench is constructed about 1m deep and 1.5-
2m breadth. The length of the trench depends on the
availability of land and the amount of material to be
composted.
Ingredients for
Batch process compost

In this method organic wastes are placed in alternate layers

as mentioned in the heap method (15-20 cm layer of
When enough waste materials are not available to fill the pit
carbonaceous + 10cm layer of nitrogenous material). After
at once, continuous filling can be practiced for several days.
filling to the top level, the pit is covered with 15-20 cm thick
Smaller size 3-4 pits are required for this method and once
layer of garden refuse (brown) or thin soil layer to prevent fly
first pit is completed in 10-15 days it can be closed and can
breeding and other pest attraction. The materials are
move to the second pit. In this manner it is possible to
allowed to remain in the pit with turning and watering for 2-3
continue adding raw material to the pits and composted
months. Turning can be done every other week and care
material can be removed in cyclic manner.
should be taken to avoid compacting the material in the pit.

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As management practices, material should be turned 3-4 Eg .

times during the whole period of composting; first turning Time taken to fill 1 pit = 2 wk
can be done 15 days after filling the pit, the second turning
is done after another 15 days and the third after another Tot. Time required for
month. Mixing can be done in each pit or by shifting the complete composting = 8 wk
whole material from one pit to adjacent pit (pits should be Required no. of pits = 8/2 = 4 pits
locate closely). At each turning, the material is mixed
thoroughly, moistened with water and replaced in the pit. After the composting period, material can be screened and
oversize material can be send back to the composting pits.
Required number of pits can be calculated on the time taken Fine compost requires to heap up for 1-2 weeks (for
to complete one pit. maturation) before applying to the plants.

Advantages and disadvantages of pit method

Advantages Disadvantages
• Easy to construct • Pest attraction (animals, rats etc)
• Low cost or no cost for construction • Comparatively a large space is required
• Can handle any amount of waste • Possible odour problems
• Easy maintenance • Slow decaying due to anaerobic conditions
• Good protection compared to open heap
• Minimise moisture loss and wind problems

Basket composting and ‘Jeewakotu’ Constructing of a Jeewakotu

Composting baskets have been constructed by sticks or

poles arranged into a basket shape. Thread is used to
tighten the poles together. When live sticks/sticks are used
(mainly Gliricidia) for construction and allowed for rooting it
is called as Jeewakotu. This is very common in integrated
farming systems. This structure provides excellent aeration
compared to other bin systems and it does not require any
mixing or other maintenance. Also this keeps away from the
pest.

The size of the basket/Jeewakotu depends on the amount of

waste to be composted and space availability. Most of the
bins vary 2 – 3 ft. in diameter and 3 -5 ft. in height.
Maintaining proper dimensions are important for optimum
aeration with minimum heat loss from the system. It is
always preferable to locate the system in sunny place of the
garden with minimum disturbance to the other activities.

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Technical Brief

Basket/Jeewakotu method is a continuous composting growing crops. Growing green twigs of the poles can be
system. Waste material can be added to the basket as used for mulching the crops or to incorporate as a substrate
available and made compost could be removed continuously (green) for composting. This helps nutrient recycling through
from bottom spaces (Space between poles). Mixing is not different components of the farming system.
required in this system since this structure provides better
aeration compared to the other composting structures. Fine compost can be removed from the bottom spaces of
Adding balance substrates (green and brown) and the system and slowly degradable materials remain in the
maintaining proper moisture contents are the most important bin until it is broken down into smaller pieces. No maturation
management practices for this method. period is required after removing and can be applied to the
crops and plants.
In organic farming systems, planting crops around the
composting unit is a very common practice. Composting unit
provides the necessary nutrients and moisture to the

Advantages and disadvantages of basket/Jeewakotu method

Advantages Disadvantages

• Involves no cost at all or low cost incurred for • Does not match with urban landscape
construction
• Can cause damage from wild animals some pest like monkeys
• Simple and easy to construct

• Allows rapid composting

• No odour or vermin problems
• System is completely natural

• Allows nutrient recycling

Composting Bin System

Bin composting is the advance version of basket composting management problems have been identified as the main
system that overcomes most problems experienced before. constraints to popularise the composting bins among
There are different types of bins available for composting citizens.
and generally it varies from 200-300L in size. They are
made from different material such as cement/concrete, Technical considerations of the
plastic, metal, etc. The bins allow higher stacking of composting bin
composting materials and better use of floor space than
free-standing piles. Bins can also eliminate weather A compost bin should be technically appropriate to provide
problems, reduce odour problems and provide better optimum conditions for the composting process. Good
temperature control. Most bins are constructed to suit the aeration is required for all part of the bin and excess
urban landscape. moisture must be drained to prevent possible anaerobic
conditions. Material used for construction must be non toxic
Composting bins are more popular in urban areas with the and long lasting. The bin must not allow any pests to enter
emerging solid waste disposal problems, but care should be and to use as the breeding grounds. It is important that the
taken to minimise people moving away from composting compost removing doors and lid should be able to handle
bins due to various reasons. Both technical and easily.

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Technical Brief

Management practices
Bin Composting is a continuous system that can add organic moisture levels. Mixing of kitchen waste with garden waste
waste daily to the composting bin. Care should be taken to is a good solution to address above problems.
put only suitable material for composting since this system is
more suitable than the other systems discussed above. Compost can be removed after 2-3 months starting the bin
Moisture and nutrient balance is more important and use of and continue as it produces. Oversized/partly degraded
improper mixture could result delay in composting, stink particles can be sent back to the bin. Intermittent mixing of
odours, and vermin problems. Different waste material can the bin accelerates the composting process and minimise
be mixed together to get balance mixture and kitchen waste possible odour problems.
alone give problems in composting process due to high

Advantages and disadvantages of composting bins

Advantages Disadvantages
• Eliminate external whether problems • High cost of purchasing (Rs. 1000-2500)
• Minimum animal/pest attractions • Improper/poor designs
• Aesthetically good looking • Need proper maintenance (if not Vermin and odour problems
may occur).
• Maximum use of space

Rotating drum composting

Rotating drum composting systems are not very common in
Sri Lanka. But it has been used in other countries both for
large-scale facilities and backyard composting for many
years. Although the rotating drum composting differs in
details and process management, they share the basic idea
of promoting decomposition by tumbling material in an
enclosed reactor. The typical small drum is 4 or 5 feet in
diameter and 8 to 16 feet in length, but drums up to 10 feet
in diameter and 50 feet long are also available. Drums are
oriented horizontally, sometimes at a slight incline. They
slowly tumble/rotate material either continuously or
intermittently. The key function of the rotation is to expose
the material to air, add oxygen and release heat and
gaseous products of decomposition.

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Technical Brief

Advantages and disadvantages of pit method

Advantages Disadvantages
• Easy to construct • Pest attraction (animals, rats etc)
• Low cost or no cost for construction • Comparatively a large space is required

• Can handle any amount of waste • Possible odour problems

• Easy maintenance • Slow decaying due to anaerobic conditions
• Good protection compared to open heap
• Minimise moisture loss and wind problems

Things to be composted and excluded from composting process

Materials to include Materials to exclude

• Vegetables/kitchen refuses • Non biodegradable waste: polythene, plastics, glass, metal etc.
• Garden trimmings, grass clippings • Human feaces, pet manure(e.g.dog, cat)
• Leaves, dry leaves (straw) • Dairy Products
• Twigs and shredded branches • Fish , meat scraps and bones

• Food refuses :bread, buns etc • Fats/cooking oils

• Farm animal manure (e.g, Cow, Sheep, Goat , • Diseased plants
Poultry)
• Slow degradable materials like coconut shells, coconut husk,
• Egg shells komba etc.
• Wood ash • Hazardous material like batteries, bulbs, electronic
components, chemicals
• Fruit refuses

Quality and use of made compost

Nature and Properties of finished composts from all above • Has a beneficial effect both on the soil and the growing
systems should be unique. But some qualitative parameters crops
may change depending on the condition prevailed during the
• Free from weed seeds and pathogens
composting period. Generally finished compost should have
the following features: Note: SLS quality standards are available on compost
quality.
• Dark brown to black in colour.
• Practically insoluble in water.

• Has a C/N Ratio ranging from 10 to 20.

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Compost can be used as

• On House Plants: Apply a thin layer of compost over
• Soil amending: Mix a 4–6 inch layer of compost deep
house plant soil to provide nutrients. Also can make a
into newly reclaimed or poor soils. Dig 1–3 inches of
great potting soil by mixing compost with top soil, sand.
compost into garden beds at least once a year.
• Mulching: Spread compost 1–3 inches thick over soil
around plants. Do not pile it against plant stems.
Compost mulch adds nutrients, protects the soil, saves
water and helps deter weeds.

References and further reading

www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/composting/

www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/airwaste/wm/recycle/Compost/Home1.htm

www.montgomerycountymd.gov/deptmpl.asp?url=/content/dep/composting/home.asp

www.ci.seattle.wa.us/util/composting

SLS standards for compost quality (SLS 1246:2003)

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