Katsuhiko Yamamoto*, Masaru Toyoda**, Shin-iti Misawa*, Takamitu Konno** and Masanori Nonaka**

* Graduate School of Science and Technology, Niigata University
** Faculty of Agriculture, Niigata University

+ Correspondence should be addressed to Katsuhiko Yamamoto:
(1-7-2 Kamo Izumi-ku Sendai-shi 981-3122 Japan)

Abstract

Many municipalities have been recommending the use of household composting containers to compost kitchen waste. When users apply it, however, they suffer from odor trouble caused by the anaerobic condition in the composting container. Because these odors influence not only the users but also their neighbors, some users have stopped using the container. The authors thought that the odor trouble was caused by high water content in the compost. The authors therefore devised one case study using 7 aerobic pipes and another case study, again using 7 aerobic pipes but, in this case, ones which were connected to drainage pipes creating semi-aerobic reclamation structure within the container. In the former case study, the water content decreased within about a year. In the latter case study, the water content of the compost decreased within about 4 months and aerobic condition appeared in the compost.

Key words: creating a household composting container, composting kitchen waste, water content, aerobic pipe, drainage pipe