THERMAL INSULATION AND SIEVE PLATES - BENEFICIAL EQUIPMENTS FOR A RAPID AND HIGH-QUALITY DEGRADATION IN HOUSEHOLD COMPOSTING

Household composters, supplied with thermic insulation and/or sieve pl ates, were compared with control variations without these equipments t hroughout one entire year. Compost processes took place under more fav ourable conditions in not-insulated composters regarding the occurrenc e of flies and bad smells. Existence of sieve plates resulted in an en hanced reduction of volume and in less water content of remaining orga nic material. Water content was shown to be the central factor in deco mposition processes during household composting. Neither insulation no r sieve plates showed any significant influence with respect to severa l chemical and (micro-)biological parameters. In spite of these rather poor effects, sieve plates are recommended for the control of rats an d mice. Insulation of composters on the other side caused mainly negat ive effects (if any) and should therefore be avoided.