Is pre-biological treatment of organic wastes the best option for recycling organic matter to soil?

Abstract

Organic wastes are produced from a variety of sources such as agriculture, horticulture, forestry, industry, sewage treatment and households. These wastes are mainly derived from crops grown on land and contain elements, such as N, P, K, and S, originally found in the soil as nutrients. The major element of organic matter (C) is however derived from the CO2 taken up by the plant from the atmosphere. The current trend is to recycle and reuse organic wastes as a resource, and their disposal in landfill is being actively discouraged 7,8,10,11 . Recycling organic wastes to land would benefit soil quality, sequestrate C into soils, return the nutrients removed from the soil in crop offtake, and help to establish a more sustainable use of soil and fertilizers.