Evaluation of Municipal Solid Wastes Utilization in Organic Fertilizer Production Using Bioreactor-Vermi Technology

Surigao del Sur State University has been utilizing the Bioreactor-VermiTechnology through accelerated composting processes in response to theincreasing concern about the amount and management of Municipal Solid Wastes(MSW) and sustainable farming in the municipalities of Tagbina and Barobo,Surigao del Sur, Philippines. The major focus was to evaluate the potential ofBioreactor-Vermi Technology to reduce municipal solid wastes and the potentialof the organic fertilizer produced from these wastes for sustainable farming. Adescriptive research design was utilized in this study employing multiple datacollection techniques which include characterization of compostable solidwastes, their sources, amount of wastes utilized for composting and the amountand quality of organic fertilizer produced. Results revealed that using bioreactor-vermi technology; the biodegradable MSW in the two municipalities is reducedto 6.68% producing 300 tons of organic fertilizers in five years operation utilizedby 200 farmers for the cultivation of various crops within and outside the twomunicipalities. Organic fertilizer produced is in acceptable level for sustainablefarming. As the major composition of waste is organic, waste treatment optionslike bioreactor-vermi composting is effective in reducing municipal solidwastes and producing organic fertilizer for sustainable farming not only in thePhilippines but all over the world.Keywords: Environmental Education, emerging technologies, solid waste utilization,descriptive-evaluative design, Philippines