Organic Waste as a Valuable Resource

Hi again!

Indri here from THINK-Research Team. Last week, I wrote about Waste Management Strategies for Achieving SDGs (https://www.su-re.co/post/waste-management-strategies-for-achieving-sdgs). I mentioned that we had an offline meeting with Pertamina Hulu Kalimantan Timur and discussed integrating biogas and BSF (Black Soldier Fly) farming for the community project.

I will repost the illustration of our discussion.

As you know, su-re.co is working on biogas research, implementation, training and education. su-re.co has some researches and case study assessments about biogas as the frugal innovation, clean energy option, and organic fertilizer. Through do activities, su-re.co installs biogas for coffee and cacao farmers, buy their coffee and cacao, and sell coffee and chocolate products. Then in be activities, su-re.co engages with local stakeholders, communities, and farmer groups to conduct climate field school, short courses, training, and online event or education program. su-re.co activities can be illustrated using this picture.

We discussed how to connect waste to the circular economy and SDGs approach. Waste management policies and strategies will synergize aspects of environmental protection, economic growth, and social stability, with the ultimate goal of sustainable development. One approach in sustainable waste management that is currently being discussed and implemented is the circular economy approach. This approach has been adopted by a number of countries, such as Japan (with the term sound material-cycle society), South Korea (with the term green growth), China, and the European Union. The concept of a circular economy is focusing on extending the useful life of waste into something useful to be reused. If organic waste, we can decompose the waste and produce some co-benefits such as biogas, organic fertilizer, biochar, animal feed, and others. The economical benefit will be achieved by reducing cost and improving income if we sell the products.

You might be quite familiar with biogas since you can find biogas topics easily on this website. However, if you do not know about BSF or maggot. I will explain it briefly. Bioconversion Maggot, using larva from Black Soldier Fly (BSF) to digest organic wastes will convert organic wastes to new protein sources with the bioconversion process. Black Soldier Fly/BSF (Hermetia illucens) is used since it has some advantages, such as:

- BSF is not a pest, and it brings no diseases

- BSF is friendly to humans, it will not bite

- BSF can process organic wastes quickly

- BSF and its maggot is a new source of protein

- BSF is linking organic waste processing and bioproducts

This bioconversion process can produce some products, such as organic fertilizer, animal feed, soap, maggot flour, and maggot oil.

Apart from biogas and BSF, you can find two other ways to manage organic waste: compost and biochar. You can find compost explanation in our blog here: https://www.su-re.co/blog/search/compost. For biochar, you can find the description here https://www.su-re.co/blog/search/biochar. Composting can produce organic fertilizer, while the biochar process can be applied for soil carbon enhancement and energy source. So, I will update my previous illustration into this picture:

So, if I can ask a question, could you explain other co-benefits if we can implement those four ways in organic waste management?

Thank you for reading and see you!