USE OF SOLID WASTE FROM 3 TYPES OF RUBBER INDUSTRIES FOR COMPOSTING

摘要

Thailand started to grow rubber a century ago. Para rubber industry, in particular concentrated latex, smoked sheet rubber as well as block rubber/ standard rubber factories, was developed from time to time, especially during the last three decades of intensive replanting program, which highly increase natural rubber production. Although the 3 groups of such Para rubber industries are crucial for the industry in Southern Thailand, they have also been identified as the major source of pollution included wastewater, sludge/solid wastes and air pollution. Therefore, it should recognize and take urgently to control pollution of these rubber industries. Recognizing the large volumes of organic and nutrients residues contained in the rubber solid wasts and from the solid waste management perspective, the small scale cocomposting of solid wastes from such three types of the rubber industries was investigated. The results obtained illustrated that co-composting of centrifuged residues from the concentrated latex industry, solid wastes of STR20 (Standard Thai Rubber 20) industry and ash from smoked sheet rubber industry gave the higher characteristics of composted product in terms of N, P, and K. The nutrients contents of N, P, and K of such co-composted product were 0.871.90%, 4.79-5.28%, and 2.24-3.02% of dry weight, respectively. Comparing the organic fertilizer standard of Thailand, it was found that only N was lower than the standard values, but P and K were found to be higher than the organic fertilizer standard issued by the Agricultural Academic Department in 2005. Therefore, it was recommended to use such cocomposted product as fertilizer or soil conditioner.