Characterization of organic waste from the municipal composting center of Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico

The city of Xalapa, in Veracruz, Mexico, established a composting center (CC) in 2018 for the treatment of organic matter from municipal solid waste (MSW). The organic waste comes mainly from the wholesale market, local markets, parks, and gardens. However, baseline data on the characterization and composition of this waste remain limited. The main objective of this study was to determine the amount, volumetric weight, and composition of this organic waste, as well as to measure some physicochemical parameters of its leachates. The research was conducted following standardized methods. The amount of waste received by the CC was 26 ± 8.6 tons per day, with a volumetric weight of 676 ± 62.2 kg m-3. In terms of composition, 95% of the waste consisted of food waste, mainly fruits and vegetables, 2% was hard plant fibers, and the remaining 3% included cardboard, plastic, and metal. The leachates had a pH of 4.2 ± 0.23, chemical oxygen demand (COD) of 75 081 ± 325 mg L-1, ammonia of 1 620 ± 183 mg L-1, and total solids of 49 766 mg L-1. These results provide critical baseline data to inform the design of improved strategies for MSW management in Xalapa.