Co-composting of fecal matter in Mongolia using two different technologies

Sanitation is one of the most pressing issues faced by the population in the peri-urban Ger areas of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Poorly constructed pit latrines have caused environmental, socioeconomic and health problems especially Hepatitis A, among the residents, which is predominant among children less than 5 years old. This research aimed to investigate the feasibility of co-composting fecal matter with different recipes using two different technologies, i.e. composting facility and greenhouse (GH) technology. All the trials conducted met the international sanitary requirements for compost, i.e. World Health Organization (50 °C ≥ 1 week). Conclusively, GH technology with the addition of food waste allowed the temperature to increase up to 70 °C, which proved to be a better option for co-composting of fecal matter under specific local conditions.