Study of composition of organic solid waste for the establishment of a composting alternative, community of Barro Hondo, canton Paraíso, province of Cartago, Costa Rica

Abstract

In Costa Rica, organic waste is presented as a challenge for municipalities in charge of waste management at the local level. In the country, this type of waste represents approximately 50 % of the total solid waste produced annually at the urban level. Composting is listed as an alternative for the treatment of organic waste. This article presents a study of the composition of organic waste developed in the community of Barro Hondo (Cartago, Costa Rica), whose objective was to obtain information on the characteristics of the organic waste produced by the inhabitants of the community with the intention of generating a line of knowledge, which can be used in the construction of a domestic composting model. Through this study it was possible to identify the predominance in the production of nitrogen-rich (N) and carbon-rich (C) residues; In addition, it was possible to determine the main types of waste that make up the organic fraction and the per capita production of solid waste was calculated at 0.27 kg/hab/day. The study is listed as an important planning tool for local governments or community organizations, which want to propose projects aimed at the management of organic waste.