Compost is a natural fertiliser derived from the decomposition of organic waste. Composting has significant environmental, economic and social benefits, the most important of which is a reduction in the resources required for waste disposal.

What is compost and what is its use?

Compost, also known as hummus, is a natural mixture used in agriculture and gardening as a soil fertiliser. It is increasingly being used for its ability to nourish and protect plants and for its sustainability feature - it allows garden waste, vegetable food waste and other organic materials such as packaging, paper and compostable plates to be composted in composting facilities. Compost can also be used for land and water reclamation, habitat restoration and landfill cover. 

The composting process

The process of obtaining compost consists in reproducing, under controlled conditions, the natural biological process of decomposition of the organic matter contained in waste by micro-organisms in the environment. This process allows waste from the production chain to be transformed into a new resource.

Depending on the type of composting, there are three types of compost:

• Fresh, 2 to 4 months; still undergoing biological transformation, rich in nutrients
• Ready, 5 to 7 months; it is stable and the biological activity no longer produces heat; large amount of nutrients
• Mature, 8 to 12 months; soft and rich in humic acids, improves soil structure

The benefits of compost

The benefits of composting process include the absence of harmful emissions into the atmosphere, the recovery (albeit partial) of waste, the positive effects on the soil and the destruction of pathogens through chemical processes.

Compost in the circular economy

But the main advantage of composting, both at household and industrial level, is its fundamental role in the circular economy. The wet fraction, made up of organic matter that tends to decompose and emit gases and liquids, is problematic because of the emission of greenhouse gases and the production of leachate, a liquid that can potentially pollute soil and groundwater. On the contrary, if properly collected and treated, it represents a resource for the production of fertiliser in the form of compost and renewable energy in the form of biogas.

Composting in industrial plants

In industrial plants, compost is produced through a process that reproduces and accelerates what normally occurs in nature. This process takes place under controlled aerobic conditions and allows the decomposition of organic matter by microorganisms, resulting in a biologically stable product.

The process of turning the wet fraction into compost transforms it from a waste into a resource. Organic waste is no longer waste, but a raw material for new production cycles. The starting point is proper waste separation. The result is a product of excellent quality, rich in organic substances and nutrients, which can be used in the agricultural sector, both in floriculture and in soils intended for food crops. In the latter case, the food consumed is "born" from the organic waste transformed into compost, thus closing the circle and starting a new one.

Pal Green Division's activities in the composting sector

The production of quality compost is one of Pal's key areas of expertise. The company offers its customers the best solutions in controlled biological maturation processes, both aerobic and anaerobic. The technologies used enable organic matter to be converted into renewable energy in the form of biogas.