Comparing the Agronomic and Economic Aspects of Sewage Sludge Composting and Vermicomposting

Fernando V. Armas-Vega, Irene Gavilanes-Terán, Julio Idrovo-Novillo, Mateo Acosta, Bryan Sánchez-Andrango and Concepción Paredes ()
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Fernando V. Armas-Vega: Faculty of Agricultural Engineering, Department of Life Sciences, University of the Armed Forces, Sangolquí 171104, Pichincha, Ecuador
Irene Gavilanes-Terán: Faculty of Science, Higher Polytechnic School of Chimborazo, Riobamba 060155, Chimborazo, Ecuador
Julio Idrovo-Novillo: Faculty of Science, Higher Polytechnic School of Chimborazo, Riobamba 060155, Chimborazo, Ecuador
Mateo Acosta: Faculty of Agricultural Engineering, Department of Life Sciences, University of the Armed Forces, Sangolquí 171104, Pichincha, Ecuador
Bryan Sánchez-Andrango: Faculty of Science, Higher Polytechnic School of Chimborazo, Riobamba 060155, Chimborazo, Ecuador
Concepción Paredes: Agri-Food and Agro-Environmental Research and Innovation Institute (CIAGRO-UMH), Escuela Politécnica Superior de Orihuela (EPSO), Miguel Hernandez University, ctra, Beniel km 3.2, 03312 Orihuela, Alicante, Spain

Agriculture, 2025, vol. 15, issue 21, 1-17

Abstract: In recent decades, the urban population of Ecuador has grown, increasing the need for wastewater sanitation in cities. Wastewater treatment in this country generates sewage sludge (SS), which is mainly deposited on land near wastewater treatment plants or in sanitary landfills, generating significant environmental impacts. In view of this, composting or vermicomposting of SS can be suitable treatments for this waste, and the final materials obtained can be used as organic amendments. The objective of this study was to compare the agronomic and economic aspects of composting and vermicomposting using the same SS mixtures with different plant residues. For this purpose, the evolution of various physicochemical and biological parameters of both processes, the quality of the materials obtained, and the costs of their production were evaluated. The results revealed that all the amendments presented characteristics suitable for safe agricultural use. The vermicomposts had significantly lower levels of salts and higher levels of most macro- and micronutrients than the composts, thus increasing their economic value. However, the average production cost of composts was lower than that of vermicomposts, with faster stabilization of organic matter. All of this indicates that both techniques could be suitable for treating SS, but in order to choose the most appropriate technique for the study area, further studies with other waste mixtures and agricultural validation of the composts and vermicomposts obtained, as well as control of possible contaminants, would be required.

Keywords: sewage sludge; plant residues; vermicomposting; composting; plant nutrient; economic value of nutrients; production costs (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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