Addition of Bulking Agent to Improve Compost Quality of Vegetable Waste with

Various Composting Methods

Name of Student
: Moh. Rohim
NRP
: 3312100042
Study Programme : Teknik Lingkungan
Supervisor
: Arseto Yekti Bagastyo, ST., MT., Mphil.,PhD
ABSTRACT
Composting is the decomposition of biodegradable organic matter through biological
processes by organisms. Factors that affect the process of composting are the C/N
ratio, particle size, aeration, porosity, moisture content, temperature and pH.
Compost quality standards for C/N ratio is 10-20. Compost quality can be improved
with the addition of bulking agent. This is because the bulking agent can provide the
porous of the compost pile. This research use coconut coir as bulking agent. The aim
of this research are to analyze the compost quality considered by the addition of
bulking agent and methods of composting.
This research use two types of variables, namely the addition of bulking agent and
the methods of composting. Variations for the addition of bulking agent using 40%,
50% and 60%. The percentage of the addition is determined by calculate the C/N
ratio mixture that are include in the range value of 25-40. While other variations that
used for composting methods are method 1 (not chopped, layered), method 2
(chopped and mixed), method 3 (chopped, layered). Dimension of the composting is
(0,5x0,5x1) m and reversals of compost pile according to the each methods.
Parameters that are measured in this research are temperature, moisture content,
pH, C-organic and total N.
Results of this research, considered by the addition of bulking agent, is most of the
good quality compost that is with the addition of 60% in method 2 (chopped, mixed).
The results is on temperature of 26 C, pH 7.2, water content 46.57%, organic
carbon 17.65%, total N 1.34% and C/N ratio 13.21. Meanwhile, considered by the
methods of composting, most of the good quality compost is in method 3 (chopped,
overlaid) with the addition of 50% bulking agent. The results is on temperature of 26
C, pH 7.2, water content 40.74%, organic carbon 18.23%, total N 1.62% and C/N
ratio 11.24. However, considered by the total reduction, method 2 (chopped and
mixed) have the greatest value that reach 78,59%.
Keyword(s): bulking agent, C/N ratio, compost, vegetable waste, windrow
system