Different Methods of

Waste Recycling for

Increasing the Soil
Fertility.

Prepared By: Umair Shabbir

Class: BS (Hons.) 1 s t Year

Course: Field Crop Producti on

Department: Agriculture & Agribusiness Management

Submitt ed to: Sir Anwar Araien & Sir Mujeeb Akram

University of Karachi
Introduction to Soil Fertility:
Soil fertility is the status of a soil with respect to its ability to
supply elements essential for the plant growth without a toxic
concentration of any element. Fertile soils have an adequate and
balanced supply of elements sufficiently liable or available to satisfy
the needs of plants.

Soil fertility refers to the amount of nutrients in the soil, which is

sufficient to support plant life. To be fertile, soil needs macronutrients,
which include nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous; micronutrients,
which include sulfur, chlorine, copper, manganese, molybdenum,
boron, iron, cobalt, magnesium, zinc and chlorine. It must contain
organic matter and a relatively low pH value. The soil must also
contain micro- and macro-organisms and it must be well drained.

In desert gardens, particularly those in arid regions, chances are

that most native soils do not contain all (or in some cases any) of the
above characteristics. Arid soils are characteristically low in organic
matter and have high pH values, making them highly alkaline and
unsuitable for growing many plants. There are few micro- or macro-
organisms living in the soil, helping to break down substances, and the
soil is generally too well drained and incapable of retaining much
moisture.

While these conditions are fine for xeric plants, and those that
are adapted to such conditions, they are harsh for more temperate
climate plants.

Desert soils can be amended by adding organic or synthetic

fertilizers, organic material, compost, and topsoil to the mixture.
Water-soluble fertilizers tend to pollute over time by adding unwanted
salts to the soil and through runoff. Slow release fertilizers or organic
fertilizers are much less harmful to the soil and to the environment.
Fertile soil has the following properties:

 It is rich in nutrients necessary for basic plant nutrition, including

nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

 It contains sufficient minerals (trace elements) for plant

nutrition, including boron, chlorine, cobalt, copper, iron,
manganese, magnesium, molybdenum, sulfur, and zinc.

 It contains soil organic matter that improves soil structure and

soil moisture retention.

 Soil pH is in the range 6.0 to 6.8.

 Good soil structure, creating well drained soil.

 A range of microorganisms that support plant growth.

 It often contains large amounts of topsoil.

S oil F ertilization:
Nitrogen is the element in the soil that is most often lacking.
Phosphorus and potassium are also needed in substantial amounts.
For this reason these three elements are always included in
commercial fertilizers and the content of each of these items is
included on the bags of fertilizer. For example a 10-10-15 fertilizer has
10 percent nitrogen, 10 percent (P2O5) available phosphorus and 15
percent (K2O) water soluble potassium. Inorganic fertilizers are
generally less expensive and have higher concentrations of nutrients
than organic fertilizers. Some have criticized the use of inorganic
fertilizers claiming that the water-soluble nitrogen doesn't provide for
the long-term needs of the plant and creates water pollution. Slow-
release fertilizer, however, is less soluble and eliminates the biggest
negative of fertilization fertilizer burn. Additionally, most soluble
fertilizers are coated, such as sulfur-coated urea. Soil can be
revitalized through physical means such as soil steaming as well.
Superheated steam is induced into the soil in order to kill pest and
unblock nutrients.

Introduction to
Recycling:

What is Recycling?

The re-using the used products through different methods or by

turning them into new products, to save energy usage, money, and
environment, is called Recycling. It involves processing used materials into
new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the
consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air
pollution (from incineration) and water pollution (from land filling) by
reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lower
greenhouse gas emissions as compared to virgin production. Recycling is a
key component of modern waste reduction and is the third component of
the "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" waste hierarchy.

Why is Recycling Important?

 Recycling benefits everyone and everything. Here are a few reasons
why:

 Conserves natural resources such as wood, water and minerals

 Saves energy because less energy is used to manufacture brand new

products

 Produces less greenhouse gases because industries burn fewer fossil

fuels

 Recycling programs cost less than waste disposal programs

 You can receive money for turning in certain recyclable products

 Recycling centers create 4 jobs for every 1 job in the waste disposal
industry

 Recycling programs keep 70 tons of waste from being deposited into

landfills every year

 Prevents the destruction of natural habitats

 Decreases soil erosion associated with mining and logging

Importance of Recycling on an agricultural

land:
The recycling of different products on agricultural land can help a
farmer in many ways. It helps in maintaining the fertility of soil through
different methods. Also, in reducing over all cost from bed preparation to
harvesting of crop. The energy is also conserved by adopting the recycling
methods. Hence, the good yield is achieved with minimal expenditures,
resulting in more sustainable agriculture.
Recycling Waste Products
on Agricultural Lands:

Managing municipal and industrial waste is a major challenge for

modern society. The environmental problems and economic costs
associated with landfilling have led to current approaches that emphasize
viewing waste products in terms of the potentially useful constituents they
contain. From this perspective, waste management is transformed from a
problem of waste disposal to a challenge for resource re-utilization without
adverse environmental effects.

Many waste products have beneficial effects on soil chemical and

physical properties. Application of these waste materials to agricultural
land presents an opportunity for recovery of essential plant nutrients, can
provide low-cost liming amendments, and may have positive effects on
infiltration, drainage, and water-holding capacity by improving soil
structure. Land spreading also has the potential for negative effects on
plant growth and environmental quality, due to problems such as the high
soluble salt and trace metal content of some waste products. There are
many different types of wastes and recycling them through soil-plant
systems requires careful evaluation of individual materials.

Waste products can be classified according to their source (e.g.

sewage sludge, byproduct gypsum), their method of processing (e.g.
composting, incineration), or a combination of the two (e.g. composted
sewage sludge). The properties of waste products are affected both by their
source and any further processing. A generalized classification of the
properties of different types of waste products is further complicated by
the fact that similar types of waste materials will vary by location.
 Methods of Waste Recycling to
increase the Fertility of Soil:

There are many ways to increase the fertility of soil through recycling
of waste products. Waste products are rubbish, trash, garbage, or junk etc.
or unusable materials or a by product that is discharged from a living body.
Following are the different recycling methods which can be adopted to
increase the fertility of soil.

Recycling methods can be divided into two categories:

1. Organic waste recycling.

2. Inorganic waste recycling.

Organic Waste Recycling:

Organic waste is the term used to describe those wastes that are
readily biodegradable, or easily breakdown with the assistance of micro-
organisms. Organic waste is derived from animals, plants and human waste
materials. Agriculture produces vast quantities of organic waste such as rice
husk, straw and manure. It is the most important component of recycling
the waste products as without it; the soil cannot be used to grow the crops
and will be useless. By recycling these products either by manipulating into
soil or by other methods, the fertility of soil increases to a large extent.
Following are the recycling methods:
Composting:
Composting is the purposeful biodegradation of organic matter, such
as yard and food waste. The decomposition is performed by micro-
organisms, mostly bacteria, but also yeasts and fungi. In low temperature
phases a number of macro-organisms, such as springtails, ants, nematodes,
isopods and red wigglers also contribute to the process, as well as soldier
fly, fruit flies and fungus gnats. There are a wide range of organisms in the
decomposer community.

 A biodegradable material is capable of being broken down under the

action of microorganisms into carbon dioxide, water and biomass. It
may take a very long time for some material to biodegrade
depending on its environment.
 A compostable material biodegrades substantially under specific
composting conditions. It is metabolized by the microorganisms,
being incorporated into the organisms or converted into humus.

In an open environment, compost can happen by itself. Through natural

processes, grass leaves, and animal waste and other garbage to rot over
time because of the cooperation between the microorganisms and the
weather.

The process can be accelerated by human treatment, to produce

good quality compost, within a period not too long. For if at anytime, that
we need compost quickly, we can not wait for the compost from the
process that takes style a long period it.

Composting organisms require four equally important things to work

effectively:

 Carbon ("C" or carbohydrates), for energy - the microbial oxidation of

carbon produces the heat.
 o High carbon materials tend to be brown and dry.

 Nitrogen ("N" or protein), to grow and reproduce more organisms to

oxidize the carbon.

o High nitrogen materials tend to be green (or colorful, like fruits

and vegetables) and wet.

 Oxygen, for oxidizing the carbon, the decomposition process.

 Water, in the right amounts to maintain activity without causing

anaerobic conditions

Compost is an important source of nutrients commonly used in modern

agriculture. Through steaming, compost can be sanitized and prepared for
further use.

Manure:
Manure is organic matter used as organic fertilizer in agriculture.
Manures contribute to the fertility of the soil by adding organic matter and
nutrients, such as nitrogen that is trapped by bacteria in the soil. Higher
organisms then feed on the fungi and bacteria in a chain of life that
comprises the soil food web.

There are three main classes of manures used in soil management:

1. Animal manures.
2. Plant manures.
3. Compost.

Animal dung has been used for centuries as a fertilizer for farming, as it
improves the soil structure (aggregation), so that it holds more nutrients
and water, and becomes more fertile. Animal manure also encourages soil
microbial activity which promotes the soil's trace mineral supply, improving
plant nutrition. It also contains some nitrogen and other nutrients itself
which assist the growth of plants. Manure is commercially composted and
bagged and sold retail as a soil amendment.

Humanure:
Humanure is a neologism designating human excrement that is
recycled via composting for agricultural or other purposes. The term was
popularized by a 1994 book by Joseph Jenkins that advocates the use of this
organic soil amendment.

Humanure is not traditional sewage that has been processed by

waste-treatment facilities, which may include waste from industrial and
other sources; rather, it is the combination of feces and urine with paper
and additional carbon material (such as sawdust). A humanure system, such
as a composting toilet does not require water or electricity, and when
properly managed does not smell.

Humanure may be deemed safe for humans to use on crops if

handled in accordance with local health regulations, and composted
properly. This means that thermophilic decomposition of the humanure
must heat it sufficiently to destroy harmful pathogens, or enough time
must have elapsed since fresh material was added that biological activity
has killed any pathogens. To be safe for crops, a curing stage is often
needed to allow a second mesophilic phase to reduce potential
phytotoxins.

Humanure is different from night soil, which is raw human waste

spread on crops. While aiding the return of nutrients in fecal matter to the
soil, it can carry and spread a vast number of human pathogens. Humanure
kills these pathogens both by the extreme heat of the composting and the
extended amount of time (1 to 2 years) that it is allowed to decompose.
Sludge Recycling:
Sludge is a generic term for solids separated from suspension in a
liquid. This 'soupy' material usually contains significant quantities of
'interstitial' water (between the solid particles). Commonly sludge refers to
the residual, semi-solid material left from industrial wastewater, or sewage
treatment processes. It can also refer to the settled suspension obtained
from conventional drinking water treatment, and numerous other
industrial processes.

This is accomplished in one of two ways. In an Imhoff tank, fresh

sludge is passed through a slot to the lower story or digestion chamber
where it is decomposed by anaerobic bacteria, resulting in liquefaction and
reduced volume of the sludge. After digesting for an extended period, the
result is called "digested" sludge and may be disposed of by drying and
then landfilling. More commonly with domestic sewage, the fresh sludge is
continuously extracted from the tank mechanically and passed to separate
sludge digestion tanks that operate at higher temperatures than the lower
story of the Imhoff tank and, as a result, digest much more rapidly and
efficiently.

On a dry weight basis, digested sewage sludge commonly contains 3

to 6% N, 1 to 4% P, 0.2 to 1% K, and 50 to 60% organic matter. Sludge often
can be used to meet the entire crop requirement for N and P. Supplemental
K is frequently necessary, but sludge also supplies plant available Ca, Mg,
and essential micronutrients.

Sludge organic matter is as effective as manure in improving soil

structure, as measured by increases in total porosity and aggregate
stability, and improved pore size distribution.
Inorganic Waste Recycling:

Waste material such as sand, salt, iron, calcium and other mineral
materials that are only slightly affected by the action of organisms in
wastewater treatment are called inorganic waste material. Inorganic
wastes are chemical substances of mineral origin; whereas organic wastes
are chemical substances usually of animal or plant origin. Inorganic waste is
"trash" that cannot decompose and become a natural part of the soil again.

By-product Lime:
Large quantities of high-lime waste are produced during the
water softening process at many municipal water treatment plants.
Byproduct lime contains 25 to 30% Ca on a dry weight basis, has a
calcium carbonate equivalence of about 50%, and has a low trace metal
content. It can be an economical liming amendment for agricultural
producers and there is little environmental risk associated with its use.

Byproduct lime also has been combined with sewage sludge and
sewage-sludge incinerator ash to improve the qualities of those waste
products as agricultural soil amendments. The resulting mixtures raise
soil pH and provide essential plant nutrients. At the higher pH, trace
metals in sludge and sludge ash also are less available for plant uptake.
In the future, additional waste product combinations to maximize
agricultural benefits can be expected as waste managers face continuing
economic and environmental pressure to find beneficial uses for wastes.
By-product Gypsum:
Gypsum (CaSO4•2H2O) amendment can have beneficial effects on
soil physical and chemical properties. These include increased soil
aggregation, reduced surface crusting, increased water infiltration and
permeability, reduced mechanical impedance to roots, alleviation of
subsoil acidity problems, and an increased supply of Ca and S for plant
growth. Potential problems include Ca induced P deficiency, excessive
leaching of Mg and K, and an increase in soluble salts. An inexpensive
source of gypsum, and the development of standardized guidelines to
calculate optimum application rates, would be of great benefit to
agricultural producers.

Power plants that burn high-sulfur coal produce high-gypsum

wastes as a byproduct of the sulfur-removal process. Agricultural
utilization of this gypsum could recycle what is now a waste product
and disposal problem into a use that would benefit agriculture, the
power industry, and the Ohio coal industry. Depending on the sulfur-
removal process used, byproduct gypsum may have high trace metal
concentrations and high alkalinity, which limit the amount that can be
applied to agricultural land. Further research and improvements in the
generation and handling of this waste with a view toward end-product
utilization in agriculture are required, but the potential benefits make
the use of byproduct gypsum a very promising area in the recycling of
waste products on agricultural land.
Conclusion:
Recycling is that it helps in increasing an eco-friendly and greener
environment. It is a very healthy solution to reduce pollution and promote
healthy living. Recycling helps prevent global climate changes by reducing
greenhouse gas emissions. Greenhouse gas emissions can result from the
manufacturing, use and disposal of products.

In agriculture, recycling helps in following:

 Maintains the fertility of soil through composing.

 Reduces the cost of crop by natural fertilization.
 Improves the overall yield by providing the crop with good growing
conditions.
 Helps in reducing energy consumption.
 Helps in prevention of waste material being created.
 Making the environment healthy and friendly.
 Thus, helps in maintaining the sustainable agriculture for all.