IMPLEMENTATION OF AN ORGANIC WASTE TREATMENT SYSTEM THROUGH COMPOSTING (STROC) IN AN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION IN SÃO LUÍS/MA

Abstract

Most of the waste generated in society is organic in nature, and a large portion is still disposed of inappropriately, when it could be treated in a more beneficial manner. Composting is one of these forms of treatment, being not only economically viable, but also environmentally justifiable, as it helps in the production of organic compost for fertilization. The objective of this research is to develop an Organic Waste Treatment System through Composting (STROC) and analyze the quality of the compost produced, aiming at the environmentally appropriate disposal of the waste generated in a school restaurant in São Luís/MA. To this end, the waste was quantified and classified, and then used in the STROC design. The resulting compost was subjected to chemical analysis to assess its quality. The results demonstrated that the STROC design was efficient, treating 3,074.35 kg of organic waste, avoiding its disposal in inappropriate places, and generating a high-quality product. This system has the potential to be replicated in similar contexts. It is concluded that the adequate treatment of organic waste from the school restaurant results in a value-added product that can be used in the recovery of degraded areas, in food production, in addition to offering socio-environmental benefits to the surrounding communities.