Minimum quantity of urban refuse compost affecting physical and chemical soil properties

The increasing production of urban waste requires urgent responses because of various environmental problems that arise when urban refuse is stored in landfills or incinerated. Recycling of domestic waste and composting of its organic fraction has been indicated as a possible disposal solution. A three-year experiment was conducted to quantify the minimum rate of urban refuse compost (URC) addition able to improve some physical and chemical soil properties at the lowest cost and environmental impact. URC was added to a silty clay soil and to a sandy loam soil 0%, 3%, 6%, 9% rate (w/w). Samplings were made 12, 24 and 36 months after URC application. To study the only effect of compost on soil due to its interaction with the soil matrix, each soil-compost mixture was divided into three boxes and kept outdoors weed free. After 12 months, 3% URC resulted the minimum quantity able to ameliorate several soil properties. In silty clay soil this rate significantly ameliorated microaggregate stability and hydraulic conductivity, but negative effects were observed on electrical conductivity. After 24 months, 3% rate significantly increased soil organic matter content. In the sandy loam soil, after 12 months, 3% rate of URC determined a positive effect on organic matter and cone resistance in dry soil condition. Electrical conductivity increased at 3% URC addition. The minimum URC quantity affecting hydraulic conductivity and plastic limit was 6%, and 9% for the liquid limit. Under these experimental conditions, the lowest rate (3%) of URC incorporation to soils appears to be the minimum quantity able to improve most of the soil properties influencing fertility. What the results show is that, to achieve sustainability of urban refuse compost application to agricultural soil, further research is needed to investigate soil property changes in the range between 0% and 3%.