25
Oct, 2022
waste

Everything You Need To Know About Green Waste

Respect for environmental protection measures and the rules of easy waste management is at the origin of the categorization of our garbage. The most common ones are plastic or metal waste and recyclable or organic waste. Green waste is one of the organic wastes of vegetable origin. So, without further ado, let’s dive into this blog and learn some of the things everyone needs to know about green waste.

Where does it come from?

sustainable

In general, green waste results from the pruning of plants during gardening and the maintenance of fruit trees or green spaces and parks carried out by households, private companies, or public authorities. These plant debris can also have a natural origin, such as the fall of dead leaves and stems. Therefore, it is made up of tree branches, dead leaves, grass, brush, and residues of plant and hedge pruning.

Why dispose of it?

Since vegetable waste is biodegradable, the inconvenience caused by its storage and the stench of its degradation causes a neighborhood disturbance. It is important to know that green waste is subject to certain regulations that must be respected:

    • The storage of green waste whose volume is lower than 5 cubic meters is authorized, provided that it does not pollute water or the street. Beyond this threshold, municipal authorization is required.
    • It is forbidden to throw them in the household garbage bins.
    • Burning of vegetable waste is prohibited for individuals.
    • The storage of bulky vegetal waste constitutes visual pollution. This aesthetic or visual damage done on a neighboring property is punishable by a fine
    • For safety reasons, pruning work must be carried out by a company equipped with the appropriate materials.

How to get rid of it?

Generally, the disposal of green waste is under the responsibility of the municipality. The transportation of the waste is also the responsibility of the municipality. In practice, municipal technical services deposit dumpsters in each neighborhood. Thus, households, companies, or public communities are required to deposit their green waste there. In addition, in the absence of dumpsters, some municipalities offer to transport non-hazardous waste to the waste disposal center. This easy access has only two conditions:

    • The cost of transporting the waste is at the expense of the depositor 
    • The depositor must bring proof of address issued by the commune in question.

What happens to vegetable waste?

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It is taken to a dedicated area called the green waste area. Their destination varies according to the strategy of the commune concerned.

    1. Some of it is destined for recycling. For this purpose, green waste is sent directly to composting plants. There it is transformed into biogas, fuel, or fertilizer.
    2. Some municipalities enter into agreements with local farmers. This public-private partnership is called a co-composting agreement. The public authority deposits the sorted and shredded green waste on the partner’s farm through this partnership. This green waste is then processed and later used as fertilizer to promote agriculture.
    3. Wood and useful plant debris can also be purchased by companies specializing in the treatment and processing of wood. Properly dried, these wastes can be used later as firewood. Insofar as they are transformed, they will become recycled wood, ideal for the development of terraces and gardens, or will be used for modern carpentry activities.

Thanks to recycling, vegetable waste is transformed into essential elements of our daily life, such as firewood, fertilizer, garden furniture, and energy. The present facts only confirm the quote: “Nothing is lost, nothing is created, everything is transformed”.

Sound off in the comments section below, and tell us what you want to read next and if you want to read more about green waste.

29
Sep, 2022
How to Use Banana Peels as Fertilizer

How to Use Banana Peels as Fertilizer

 

Contents

– Focus on banana peels

– Method 1: Bury the banana peels at the foot of the roses

– Method 2: Mulch the plants with the banana peel strips

– Method 3: Make liquid fertilizer from banana peels

– Method 4: Enrich your compost

Banana is the most consumed fruit in the world. The fleshy peel represents 30 to 40% of the weight of the fruit, so it would be a shame not to recycle this organic material, rich in minerals, for use in the garden. This will help to reduce chemical fertilizers and, therefore, a significant step toward sustainability.

 Here are different ways to use banana peels as fertilizer.

Focus on banana peels

Banana peel is an organic waste used to feed animals and enrich the soil thanks to its nitrogen and mineral content. It contains, in fact :

– a high proportion of protein (rich in nitrogen), i.e., 6 to 9% of the dry matter ;

– 20 to 30% of fiber (cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin);

– up to 40% starch in green plantain, which is converted into fast sugars after ripening;

– the fast sugar content is 30% for ripe dessert banana peel.

Composting banana peels release a significant amount of nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and iron, which are helpful to plants, particularly for forming fruit, reviving the color of flowers, increasing disease resistance, and promoting rooting…

Good to know: many studies have been conducted to obtain quality compost, especially from banana peels associated with oil palm waste.

Method 1: Bury the banana peels at the foot of the rose bushes

How to Use Banana Peels as Fertilizer

Banana peels compost quickly in the soil in the presence of oxygen.

– Spread the peels on the ground at the base of the rose bushes and lightly scratch the soil to bury them.

– You can also place a banana peel at the bottom of the planting hole, cover it lightly with soil, and then plant the root ball of your chosen flower or a vegetable such as a tomato, zucchini, bell pepper, or eggplant on top.

Method 2: Mulch plants with banana peel strips

Roughly cut the banana peels, then mulch all around the plant (roses, tomatoes, zucchini…), right at the outer edge of the vegetation where the rootlets are located.

Good to know: banana peel mulch also has a repellent effect on aphids and other tiny crop pests.

Method 3: Make liquid fertilizer from banana peels

How to Use Banana Peels as Fertilizer

Banana peels are an easy way to make a liquid fertilizer.

– Cut them into cubes and soak them in a bucket of water for a few days.

– Strain the liquid obtained.

– Water your plants, especially indoor or hydroponic crops, with it.

Method 4: Enrich your compost

Throw banana peels into your compost, as they are green waste. Add brown waste (chicken litter, cardboard, cow dung…) to balance the compost.

Good to know: a study showed that banana peels mixed with cow dung generated a compost containing more than 10% potassium (K) and more than 2% nitrogen (N).

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