Windrow composting of source separated kitchen biowastes in Finland

All households in the City of Jyväskylä have been required to source-separate their wastes since June 1996. The accumulation of kitchen biowaste was about 60 kg per resident in 1997, with an efficiency of more than 75%. The residents of almost 50% of the detached houses in the city opted for small-scale composting. Ensuing kitchen biowaste was surprisingly pure: the estimated content of non-compostable material was less than 0.1 % by weight. The biowastes were composted at the Mustankorkea waste station in open windrows. Adequate aeration of the windrows was guaranteed when the initial height of the windrow was less than 1.5 m and the blending ratio for biowaste and bulking agent was one t…