Bioconversion of organic waste : the potential for recycling domestic organic waste in Hobart, Tasmania

This study examined the potential for recycling domestic organic waste in Hobart, within the context of the Tasmanian Solid Waste Management Policy (1994), which encompasses both home composting and centralised large scale composting. The effectiveness of the Hobart City Council's home composting program and the viability, for the Council to establish a centralised composting scheme, was examined. The study analysed the impact of state legislation and policies on waste management in Tasmania and examined the rationale for bioconverting organic waste into compost. The biological aspects of bioconvertion, and the various composting systems, composting technologies and the process control required for large scale composting, were investigated. A survey, to determine the community's current recycling experiences and practices for organic waste and to assess community support for a centralised composting scheme lwas carried out in April 1997 in the Hobart municipality. The study found anomalies, with a significant proportion of the community either excluded from, or not satisfied with, the levels of information in the Council's home composting program. The type of compost bins promoted in the Council's incentive based program were also not found to be conducive for use in all housing types. The study analysed the limitations in the Council's home composting program and proposed a number of approaches for the Hobart City Council to improve its promotional and educational strategies, and incentive based programs. The study found that there is strong community support for the Council to pursue large scale composting, as an alternative to landfilling organic waste. The majority of households indicated willingness to pay for the cost and ensure logistic support for the recycling scheme. The study identified a number of concerns associated with centralised composting schemes and proposed a number of strategies for the Council to take into consideration when embarking with the recycling scheme. The study concludes by offering areas of future research and the potential to encourage the wider involvement of all councils in waste management issues.