News - Dec 14, 2021 Finding the Right Ingredients

Making effective compost requires a correct balance of material, ensuring the “carbon” materials (such as woody materials, coconut fronds, and even cardboard), are balanced with the “nitrogen” materials (such as food waste, and fresh garden cuttings).

RMI, as with other atoll nations, generally produces a greater quantity of carbon materials.  Therefore, the Majuro Atoll Waste Company (MAWC), as they finalise details for their PacWastePlus investment into composting, has been busy identifying and establishing partnerships with sources of nitrogen.

Nitrogen sources found in Majuro include manure from chicken and pig farms, by-product from copra harvesting, and by-product from fish processing.  Fish by-product was identified as the most likely product for MAWC to utilise – it is an excellent source of nitrogen and the Marshall Islands Fishing Ventures (MIFV) produce a significant amount each week.

An agreement has been reached.  When the composting facility is operational, MAWC will collect and process the fish by-product, along with other organic materials, into compost available for purchase by the community.