Production of quality organic fertilizer using firewood ash and tea residues produced from tea factories in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Sri Lanka is the world's fourth-largest producer of tea and it is one of the main sources of foreign exchange for the country. Through the process of tea manufacturing, huge amount of firewood ash and tea residues are produced as by-products. Although these wastes are not favorable for crops, most factories apply these wastes mainly to the cultivation. Therefore the aim of this study was to find out a sustainable solution for largely produced wastes by producing high quality organic fertilizer. First compost was made using daily kitchen waste of the factory, Gliricidia maculate leaves, tea residues and black soil. Six compost piles were made changing different quantities of raw materials to produce high quality compost. All physical and chemical parameters of compost were measured using standard methods. Then different quantities of compost and firewood ash were mixed to build up new organic fertilizer. This research showed that EC less than 5 µS/cm, 6