A one-tonne capacity organic waste compositor (OWC) plant will be inaugurated at Manapattiparambu, Kaloor, on Friday.
The plant was established at Manapattiparambu in Kaloor South division of the Kochi Corporation with the support of the German Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU). The BMU has partnered with ICLEI- Local Government for Sustainability, South Asia and the Centre for Heritage Environment and Development of the Kochi Corporation for setting up the plant.
The plant can process one tonne of organic waste a day. Organic waste collected from around 1,000 households in the division will be turned into organic fertiliser at the plant. The processing of waste could take 10 to 12 days, said a communication.
Organic waste will be first mixed with cocopeat or sawdust, and inoculum would be applied on it using an electric-powered organic waste composter machine. The mixture will be left for 10 to 12 days in specially designed boxes for curing. Later, it would be powdered to be used as compost, according to a communication from the Corporation.
No foul odour or wastewater would be generated during the operation of the plant, claimed the organisers. The project cost around ₹50 lakh.
The first phase of the trial operation of the plant began on December 1, last year, and 10 tonnes of food waste was composted. A few staffers of the Health wing of the Corporation were trained in running the plant. The quality of manure generated at the plant was assessed at the Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi, Thrissur, the communication said.
District Collector N.S.K. Umesh will inaugurate the plant. Mayor M. Anilkumar will preside over the function.