Compost: Beneficial Uses of Compost in Florida Vegetable Crops

Composting is a biological decomposition process where microorganisms convert raw organic materials into relatively stable humus-like material. During decomposition, microorganisms assimilate complex organic substances and release inorganic nutrients. An adequate composting process kills pathogens and stabilizes compost organic carbon before the material is land-applied. In 1997, 27.2 million metric tons of solid waste was produced in Florida (about 10 lb per person per day), which was twice the national average. In Florida, 11 million t of MSW, 3 million t of YT, and 0.5 million t of animal manure could be composted annually (Smith, 1994c), but the majority of wastes are currently landfilled or burned. Since a significant (50 to 65%) reduction in waste volume occurs during biological decomposition, 8 million t of compost would be produced annually if all biodegradable material in Florida was composted. Currently, there are several operating composting facilities in Florida (Table 1).