Back G. Pontin1, M. Daly2 and C. Duggan1
Garden City Composting, P.O.Box 237, Christchurch, New Zealand1 and
New Zealand Nature Farming Society (NZNFS), 146 Halswell Road, Christchurch, New Zealand2
Full Paper (PDF File: 18KB)
Abstract
One of the most challenging problems facing the composting industry today is the collection and disposal of putrescible waste from both domestic and commercial sources. In this study 100 domestic households, were introduced to the EM-Bokashi composting system. They were all asked to complete the whole process twice (fill bucket and ferment), and the fermented product dug into the garden, with assessment of the buried waste for further decomposition after 28-30 days. Minor problems occurred with the imported buckets due to leaks and breakages, and some other minor composting problems were reported. All participants agreed that the system was easy to use.
The system was new to New Zealand and it was unknown whether it would be suitable for the cooler Canterbury/Christchurch environment. The experiment showed that the EM bucket system had a potential to successfully dispose putrescible waste in New Zealand. Although climate was thought to be a potentially limiting factor in Christchurch and the Canterbury region, the system worked well with kitchen waste vanishing in about four weeks following burial during winter months.