Municipal solid waste and poultry manure co-composting in Morocco

Separated municipal solid waste (SMSW) was composted using poultry manure (PM), to lower moisture content and the C/N ratio. Two different mixtures (3:2 and 2:3, SMSW:PM w.w. ratio) and two particle biomass sizes (1 cm and 0.2 cm) were studied to assess the final compost quality and the feasibility of composting. Results suggest that the 3:2 SMSW:PM starting mixture ratio gave less compost yield than the 2:3 ratio, although the compost characteristics were very similar for both mixtures. Results also showed that a smaller particle size (0.2 cm) increased the degradation rate of the waste matter and the degree of evolution to the final products, but only slightly. The final compost products, regardless of the initial mixture ratios and particle size, appear very similar and of good quality, suggesting composting to be a useful biotechnology for processing waste matter produced in Morocco.