A Pilot-Scale Co-composting Experiment of University Cafeteria’s Food Waste and Cow Manure for Sustainable Waste Management

This study investigated the co-composting of food waste and cow manure and the resulting compost product properties. Food waste composition and the source of waste were also studied. Food waste composition survey showed that carbohydrate was the main constituent of food waste. The composting experiment was conducted by using an aerobic method at 45–60 °C for 24 h to achieve maximum thermophilic microbe activity. It was found that addition of 30% cow manure produced compost with pH of 6.17, moisture content of 27.4%, as well as having high phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) content at about 1.48% and 2.13%, respectively. Overall, it was found that short composting time could still produce high-quality compost by applying proper heat and environment control to optimize the aerobic digestion process.