How food waste can be recycled into organic fertilizer
Hypothesis
This research study is exploratory in nature in that it focuses on examining the most effective approach to how food waste can be recycled into organic fertilizer through composting. To achieve this purpose, the research study will aim at testing the following research hypothesis.
Null hypothesis: Organic fertilizer produced through compositing from food waste is more effective in producing quality plants compared to other fertilizers applied in farms.
Alternate hypothesis: Organic fertilizer produced through compositing from waste food is less effective in producing quality plants compared to other fertilizers applied in farms.
Methodology
Research design
This research study will be based on an experimental research design. The rationale for selecting the experimental research design will be to provide insight into the effect of the method of producing fertilizer from organic food waste on the quality of the final product. The study will thus be conducted in a controlled environment. By integrating the experimental research design, it will be possible to investigate the research hypothesis by investigating the causal effect in relation to the research variables (Bellamy, 2012). Therefore, it will be possible to evaluate the effect of different composition of water quality used in the production of organic fertilizer from food waste on the quality of the plant. The quality of the fertilizer will be evaluated by assessing the performance of the two fertilizers on their application to the selected plants.
Procedure
The experiment will entail producing organic fertilizer from food waste. Different experiments will be conducted. The first experiment will entail producing organic fertilizer by using 40% of freshwater and 60% of domestic wastewater. This amount of water will be added to the collected food waste. The second experiment will entail adding 60% of freshwater and 40% of domestic wastewater to the food waste. The use of the different composition of water will be aimed at determining how the quality of the organic fertilizer vary depending on the water mixture. This assertion is based on the fact that the quality of water has an impact on the growth of micro-organisms. The process of testing the quality of the organic fertilizer produced from the two experiments against the other fertilizer will be undertaken by measuring the height of the plant on which they will be used. The height of the plants on which the two fertilizers will be tested on will aid in determining the most effective fertilizer and the best method of producing organic fertilizer from food waste.
Sampling
Purposive sampling technique will be integrated into conducting the study. This will involve selecting a sample of plants (David & Sutton, 2010). The organic fertilizer produced from composting the food waste will subsequently be tested on a sample of the selected plant. However, it will be ensured that the selected plant for testing has the capability of growing fast, in less than four months. In respect to this, the necessary controls will be implemented.
Data collection
The research data will be collected by employing the observation method, which involves gathering research data by making a series of observations of the phenomenon or subject under investigation (Creswell, 2014). In this research study, observation will be done with respect to the response of the selected plants upon the application of the fertilizers. Thus, data collection will be based on direct observation. Proper documentation and storage of the data collected from the experiment will be ensured.
Data analysis
This research study will entail the collection of both qualitative and quantitative research data. As such, it will be based on the mixed research approach (Creswell, 2014). A descriptive statistics technique will be employed in analyzing the data collected. The use of descriptive statistics will aid in providing summaries regarding the research sample and the measures collected. Descriptive statistics will aid in integrating the quantitative analysis of the research data. Moreover, it will be possible to present the research findings using tables, charts, and graphs. The process of conducting data analysis will be enhanced by incorporating the Statistical Package for Social Science as the data analysis tool. The use of this tool will aid in ensuring that the qualitative and quantitative data collected are effectively analyzed and presented. The use of the SPSS will aid in the determination of the different measures of central tendency that include the mean, median, and mode. As such, it will be possible to compare the average height of the sample plants being tested about the two types of fertilizers. Additionally, it will be possible to examine the measure of dispersion, such as the standard deviation and the variance (Weinberg & Abramowitz, 2002). Thus, analyzing these statistics will provide critical insight into the most effective method of manufacturing organic fertilizer from food waste with respect to the composition of the quality of water used in the production process.
Conclusion
In light of the large volume of food waste generated across the UAE coupled with the government’s commitment to reduce wastage by 50% by 2030, the UAE government must consider developing a sustainable method to achieving this end. The production of organic fertilizer from food waste through composting presents one of the most feasible approaches. Producing fertilizer from organic food waste will also aid in minimizing the pollution associated with the production and use of inorganic fertilizers on farms. However, it is imperative to ensure that the organic fertilizer produced is of high quality. It should, therefore, be ensured that the most effective method of manufacturing the fertilizer is adopted. This research study will provide insight into how the quality of the organic fertilizer produced from organic food waste varies depending on the composition of the water used in the organic fertilizer production process.
Future studies
This study specifically compares the quality of organic fertilizer produced from food waste using different compositions of water. To encourage the production of organic fertilizer from food waste, it is imperative for further studies involving the comparison of the best organic fertilizer produced from organic food waste determined in this study against other inorganic fertilizers. This will aid in assessing the performance of organic fertilizer from food waste against fertilizers produced using industrial chemicals.
References
Creswell, J. (2014). Research design; qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approach. Thousand Oaks: Sage.
Bellamy, C. (2012). Principles of methodology; research design in social sciences. London: Sage.
Weinberg, S., & Abramowitz, K. (2002). Data analysis for the behavioral sciences using SPSS. Cambridge: University Press.
David, M., & Sutton, C. (2010). Social research; an introduction. London: Sage.