Method of Management and Determination of Quality of Waste from Green Areas for the Production of Pellets Used for Fertilization Purposes

A very important issue in urban agglomerations is the proper management of green waste while reducing its negative impact on the environment. One potential solution is the utilization of green biomass—originating from the maintenance of parks, squares, and home gardens—for the production of compost and compost-based pellets as organic fertilizers. The aim of this study was to produce compost-based pellets intended for fertilization purposes from compost derived from green waste and conifer sawdust, and to analyze their mechanical and chemical properties. Ten variants of pellets with different compost-to-sawdust ratios were evaluated. Compost-based pellets exhibited the highest initial mechanical strength; however, their resistance to external loads decreased over time, whereas the best long-term stability was observed in pellets containing 50% sawdust. The seasoning process influenced the stabilization or improvement of the mechanical properties of certain mixtures. Chemical analyses showed that compost-based pellets contained the highest concentrations of nutrients (N, P, K), while increasing the proportion of sawdust reduced their fertilizing value. No exceedances of permissible heavy metal limits were detected. The results confirm the suitability of compost-based pellets made from green biomass as a sustainable alternative to mineral fertilizers, supporting the principles of the circular economy.

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Publication Details

Journal
Sustainability
Published
2025-11-16
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/su172210250
Primary Topic
Composting and Vermicomposting Techniques
Type
article
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article

Method of Management and Determination of Quality of Waste from Green Areas for the Production of Pellets Used for Fertilization Purposes

Katarzyna Szopka, Marcin Bajcar, Józef Gorzelany, T. Sekutowski et al.
Sustainability
Composting and Vermicomposting Techniques
article

Method of Management and Determination of Quality of Waste from Green Areas for the Production of Pellets Used for Fertilization Purposes

Katarzyna Szopka, Marcin Bajcar, Józef Gorzelany, T. Sekutowski, Bogdan Saletnik, Miłosz Zardzewiały, Dariusz Gruszka
article en

Abstract

A very important issue in urban agglomerations is the proper management of green waste while reducing its negative impact on the environment. One potential solution is the utilization of green biomass—originating from the maintenance of parks, squares, and home gardens—for the production of compost and compost-based pellets as organic fertilizers. The aim of this study was to produce compost-based pellets intended for fertilization purposes from compost derived from green waste and conifer sawdust, and to analyze their mechanical and chemical properties. Ten variants of pellets with different compost-to-sawdust ratios were evaluated. Compost-based pellets exhibited the highest initial mechanical strength; however, their resistance to external loads decreased over time, whereas the best long-term stability was observed in pellets containing 50% sawdust. The seasoning process influenced the stabilization or improvement of the mechanical properties of certain mixtures. Chemical analyses showed that compost-based pellets contained the highest concentrations of nutrients (N, P, K), while increasing the proportion of sawdust reduced their fertilizing value. No exceedances of permissible heavy metal limits were detected. The results confirm the suitability of compost-based pellets made from green biomass as a sustainable alternative to mineral fertilizers, supporting the principles of the circular economy.

SustainabilityVol. 17(22)
Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences (PL), Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation (PL), University of Rzeszów (PL)
Openalex Percentile: Top 57%
Composting and Vermicomposting Techniques
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