Household Level Composting (Manure Pit)
At each household, two manure pits should be dug. The size of the pit will depend upon the quantity of refuse to be disposed of per day. Each day the garbage, cattle dung, straw, plant and agriculture wastes are dumped into the manure pit. When one pit is closed the other one is used. In 5 to 6 months time, the refuse is converted into manure, which can be used in the fields.
This is the most effective and simplest method of disposal of waste for the rural households. Cow dung can also be disposed of easily by this method. Mixing of cow dung slurry with the garbage will help greatly in converting the refuse into compost, which provides good manure.
Read Also : Composting (Manure Pit) Description
Household level composting pits may be constructed by adopting either lined or unlined pits as described below:
Underground Unlined Manure Pit or Garbage Pit
Applicability;
Rural areas with low rainfall
Houses with an open space of about 7 square m
Houses with no cattle or with single cattle.
Action;
House owner can make this pit with little technical know-how . Dig two pits of 1m x 1m x 1m dimension
Give a single layer of broken bricks at the bottom
Make a ridge with the help of mud at the periphery of the pit & compact it by light ramming.
Use and Maintenance of the Pit
Go on adding garbage from the house over the layer of bricks (only biodegradable type)
When the garbage attains a height of about 150 mm, add dung slurry, mix it with garbage & level it
Spread a very thin layer of soil over it (once a week) to avoid odour and fly nuisance
Continue to add garbage everyday
Follow the above procedure & repeat the layers till the pit is full. It is recommended to fill the pit up to about 300 mm above ground level
After 3-4 days the garbage above ground settles down
Plaster it with soil
Leave the pit as it is for 3-6 months for maturation
After 3-6 months take out the compost & use it in the fields
Till the manure in the pit matures, use another pit of the same dimensions, dug at a minimum distance of 1 m from the first pit.
Limitations
Not suitable for heavy rainfall areas and rocky terrain.
Underground Brick Lined Manure Pit or Garbage Pit
Applicability;
Rural areas with low rainfall
Houses with an open space of about 7 square m
Houses with no cattle or with a single cattle
Loose soil structure.
Action
House owner can make this pit with little technical know-how;
Dig two pits of 1.1 m diameter and 1m depth
Construct a circular pit having an inner diameter of 1 m, in honey comb 100 mm thick brick masonry. The height of the circular pit should be 100 mm above ground
Plaster the top layer of the pit
The bottom of the pit should not be cemented.
Read Also : Waste Composting (Manure Pit) and Advantages of Composting
Use and Maintenance of the Pit
Go on adding garbage from the house over the layer of bricks (only biodegradable type)
When the garbage attains a height of about 150 mm, add dung slurry, mix it with garbage & level it
Spread a very thin layer of soil over it (once a week) to avoid odour & fly nuisance
Continue to add garbage everyday
Follow the above procedure & repeat the layers till the pit is full. It is recommended to fill the pit up to about 300 mm above ground level
After 3-4 days, the garbage above ground settles down
Plaster it with soil
Leave the pit as it is for 3-6 months for maturation
After 3-6 months take out the compost & use it in the fields
Till the manure in the pit matures, use another pit of the same dimensions, dug at a minimum distance of 1 m from the first pit.
Limitations
Not suitable for heavy rainfall areas and rocky terrain.
Over Ground Heap
Applicability
Rural areas with high rainfall and rocky terrain
Houses with an open space of about 7 square m
Houses with no cattle or with single cattle.
Action
House owner can make this heap with little technical know-how.
Description
Make a raised platform of 1 x 1m dimension at a suitable site by ramming the soil or by paving with bricks.
House owner can make this with little technical knowhow.
Description
Make two compost tanks of 1.1 m diameter and 1m height
Construct a circular /square tank having an inner dimension of 1 m, in honey comb 225 mm thick brick masonry. The height of the tank should be 0.8 m above ground
Plaster the top layer of the tank.
Use and Maintenance of the Tank
Go on adding garbage from the house over the platform in the tank (only biodegradable type)
When the garbage attains a height of about 150 mm, add dung slurry, mix it with garbage
Spread a very thin layer of soil over it (once a week) to avoid odour and fly nuisance
Continue to add garbage everyday
Follow the above procedure and repeat the layers till the heap attains the height of 1m.
After 3-4 days the garbage above ground settles down
Plaster it with soil
Leave the heap as it is for 3-6 months for maturation
After 3-6 months take out the compost and use it in the fields
Till the manure in the tank matures, make another tank of the same dimensions at a minimum distance of 1 m from the first tank.
