The Agronomic Value of The Sewage Sludge of Tenerife. Composting

One of the most effective ways of recycling the organic and mineral fractions of sludge from the treatment of domestic wastewater is to compost the sludge with the organic fraction of domestic refuse. In the present study, a compost on a semi-industrial scale was obtained from a mixture of domestic refuse and sewage sludge. The evolution of the different parameters throughout the process was noted and the most interesting physico-chemical characteristics from an agricultural point of view determined. The compost, because of its high percentage of total organic matter (43"62 %), its relatively high N, P, K, Ca and Mg contents (2.82%, 1.25%, 1.63%, 5.16°//o and 1.07%o, respectively), its balanced oligoelement levels and low content of non-essential heavy metals, can be considered, in principle, a good organic fertilizer with possibilities for use in the agriculture of the island of Tenerife.