In keeping with this MoU, the Parties have commenced a series of collaborative studies on using pelletizing technology and nutrient enhancement initiatives, co-composting with different high nutrient waste streams and/or blending with local resources such as rock phosphate, septage, etc. in order to add value to MSW compost.

Under the agreement IWMI donated an imported compost pellet making machine to the Kurunegala Municipal Council.

D.W.Prathapasinghe, Chairman of the CEA, said that it was found that the low quality of compost is a key barrier to creating a market demand and obtaining a higher market value for compost, in general. According to Director General of IWMI Jeremy Bird IWMI can contribute towards the objective of achieving value addition to compost by its research experiences in Africa on co-composting and pelletizing, and the expertise of more than one and half decades of research

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The compost plant in Kurunegala could become a model for more than 100 other plants set up in the country under the Pilisaru Project, and that the findings of these studies can be applied to other compost plants as well.

At present, MSW compost in Sri Lanka is mainly considered as a soil conditioner. Hence, in order to improve the market demand and market value of MSW compost, a key strategy would be nutrient enhancement and, as such, it will be one of the major components of the series of collaborative studies. (ST/KH)