Bioconversion of organic waste : the potential for recycling domestic organic waste in Hobart, Tasmania

摘要

This study examined the potential for recycling domestic organic waste in Hobart,udwithin the context of the Tasmanian Solid Waste Management Policy (1994), whichudencompasses both home composting and centralised large scale composting. Theudeffectiveness of the Hobart City Council's home composting program and the viability,udfor the Council to establish a centralised composting scheme, was examined.udThe study analysed the impact of state legislation and policies on waste management inudTasmania and examined the rationale for bioconverting organic waste into compost. Theudbiological aspects of bioconvertion, and the various composting systems, compostingudtechnologies and the process control required for large scale composting, wereudinvestigated. A survey, to determine the community's current recycling experiences andudpractices for organic waste and to assess community support for a centralisedudcomposting scheme lwas carried out in April 1997 in the Hobart municipality.udThe study found anomalies, with a significant proportion of the community eitherudexcluded from, or not satisfied with, the levels of information in the Council's homeudcomposting program. The type of compost bins promoted in the Council's incentiveudbased program were also not found to be conducive for use in all housing types. Theudstudy analysed the limitations in the Council's home composting program and proposeduda number of approaches for the Hobart City Council to improve its promotional andudeducational strategies, and incentive based programs. The study found that there is strong community support for the Council to pursue largeudscale composting, as an alternative to landfilling organic waste. The majority ofudhouseholds indicated willingness to pay for the cost and ensure logistic support for theudrecycling scheme. The study identified a number of concerns associated with centralisedudcomposting schemes and proposed a number of strategies for the Council to take intoudconsideration when embarking with the recycling scheme. The study concludes byudoffering areas of future research and the potential to encourage the wider involvement ofudall councils in waste management issues.