Bioconversion of food waste into compost using rotary drum composter for agricultural utilization

Purpose: The goal of this research was to create a higher-quality compost produced by mixing sawdust with food waste and dry leaves in four different trials in a rotary drum composting unit. Method: A customized PVC composter, designed to prevent corrosion and overheating, including aeration holes spaced 15 cm apart. 500 kg of waste, sourced from Sharda University and local areas, was mixed for optimal moisture levels and divided into four trials: food waste (FW), FW with leaf powder (FW + LP), FW with sawdust (FW + SD), and food waste with leaf powder and sawdust (FW + LP + SD). Over 45 days, trials underwent rigorous monitoring and comprehensive lab analyses for parameters like moisture, volatile solids, pH, conductivity, and total organic carbon and C/N ratio. Results: The present study shows that composting across all trials, with trial 2 displaying accelerated organic degradation. Temperature profiles surpassed 50 °C for T2, T3, and T4 after 15 days. The pH levels ranged from 7.6 to 8.5. Treatment T3 (FW + SD) achieved the highest organic matter reduction at 13.42%. Sawdust (FW + SD) showed superior treatment efficiency, with a finer fraction of 39.37%. Successful composting with food waste showcased the composter’s effectiveness, particularly in trial three (FW + SD), which was further validated in a coriander seed pot experiment. Conclusion: The findings demonstrated that all the produced composts were classified as stable and fully matured. This study underscores the efficiency of recycling sawdust through the composting process, particularly when integrated with nitrogen-rich food waste, to generate valuable end products.