In Calasiao, Pangasinan, vegetable scraps and biodegradable waste from the town’s public market are being transformed into soil enhancers in a project aimed at solving the local waste problem while benefiting farmers.
Instead of letting vegetable waste rot, the municipal government collects it and processes it at a closed dumpsite.
The scraps are ground, mixed with sawdust for carbon, and chicken or cow manure for nitrogen.
The mixture is drained for a few hours before being placed in a composting mixer, where it churns for eight hours a day over five to six days.
“Meron pong certain components. Hindi po siya basta ipapasok. Need po ng component [like] carbon, nitrogen proportion para doon natin malalaman kung sa final product is mainit ba yung compost soil na ilalabas or not,” Engr. Christine Jade Diaz, Administrative Assistant of the Calasiao Municipal Environmental and Natural Resources Office (MENRO), said.
The finished compost, described as light and odor-free, is currently undergoing testing to meet the Bureau of Soil standards.
he local government aims to refine the mixture to meet the varying nitrogen needs of different plants.
“May mga certain plant na need ang higher nitrogen, may certain plants na need ng lower nitrogen,” Diaz said.
If approved, the composting project could grow into an income-generating facility for the town.
The initiative not only reduces waste but also promotes the natural balance of ecosystems in farmlands.
The local government plans to expand the project as a model for other communities in the country.