EXCEL’s technology adopts controlled aerobic composting. It involves two strategies:
a.   Waste sanitization treatment at points of generation.
b. Controlled aerobic composting and mechanical screening of digested compost, at project sites.

Solid waste is treated by spraying a biological innoculum at the collection points. The treatment material developed by the company and known as “Celrich substrate DF-BC-01” is a mixture of biological enzymes and herbal extracts. Hence, this material is non-toxic, eco-friendly and non-hazardous. Within a couple of hours after the application, the solid waste becomes free from foul smell and hazardous pathogens. The treated solid waste can be safely collected, transported and disposed off without creating health hazards to the public in general and the workers in particular, benefits can be summarized as below:

1. Foul smell from garbage is quickly removed.
2. Waste becomes free from flies, mosquitoes and other disease carrying vectors.
3. Waste collection and dumping points are hygienically upgraded.
4. Birds and vultures are non attracted to treated waste, hence their nuisance is reduced.
5. Treated waste provides better working conditions to municipal workers as well as rag-pickers.
6. Waste treatment prevents production of methane and other bad smelling gases, thus lesser chances of smoke, fire and explosion hazards at the dump yards.

Process consists of two stages – a biological process for decomposition of organic matter and a mechanical process for screening the decomposed organic matter.

A mixture of mesophillic and thermophillic micro-organisms identified to be more effective in speedy decomposition of organic waste will be used as an innoculum. The innoculum will be prepared using the mixture of bacteria, cow-dung and water. Solid wastes collected by Municipal Corporation will be delivered at project site regularly. Soon on arrival, innoculum will be sprayed on the garbage and the treated garbage will be stacked in the form of windrows. Separate windrows will be formed for each day’s collection. These windrows will be turned once a week for proper aeration, so that aerobic process continues uninterrupted. Progress of composting will be monitored by measuring the inside temperature of the heap and the level of moisture. For optimum results, the temperature has to be between 65-70 degree centigrade and the moisture should be 25%. Composting will be completed in 25-30 days.

Compared to other options like pelletisation, power generation through anaerobic digestion and composting through vermiculture, EXCEL’s technology has following merits:
1. Treatment of garbage with specially developed biological innoculum upgrades the garbage hygienically providing better working conditions to processing unit as well as rag pickers.
2. Capital investment is considerably less compared to other processes.
3. Power requirement is around 20% compared to pelletisation project.
4. Indian garbage is highly heterogeneous in composition, texture, physical and chemical properties, hence proper separation of organic matter from the fresh garbage is difficult, if not impossible and costly. Pelletisation and power generation projects are attempting to separate the organic matter from the fresh garbage. In EXCEL’s process, fresh garbage is treated with an effective biological innoculum which helps in fast decomposition of all organic matter available in the garbage which can be economically and easily screened out using mechanical peocessing equipments. Thus EXCEL’s technology is the most appropriate for non-segregated garbage as it is cost eeffective and practically adaptable.
5. The end product, the organic manure is equally useful for agriculture and horticulture crops. Hence, marketability of the end product is very good and the project is economically viable,
6. The refuse rejected in the process is free from dirt, bad odor and harmful pathogens, thanks to the sanitization treatment of the garbage and processing conditions, and hence can be safely used for open land filling without creating any hazard to public health.

Benefits to the corporation:

1. Requirement of area for disposal of solid waste will be considerably reduced.
2. Corporation will get reasonable annual lease rent as well as royalty on regular basis to meet the collection cost partially.
3. Clean and segregated refuse will be available for reclamation of low lying areas through land filling.
4. Moral satisfaction of organizing systematic collection and disposal of urban solid waste.

Co-operation from municipal corporations:

Whole hearted co-operation is solicited from the Municipal Corporations on the following issues:
1. Provision of required land at the dumping yard on 30 years lease on reasonable annual lease rent.
2. Regular collection and delivery of garbage at the processing site against which the corporation will be paid reasonable royalty on the basis of actual production of organic manure.

Technical consultancy:

M/s. EXCEL Industries Limited, Mumbai can provide technical consultancy to any entrepreneur for setting up a project for conversion of urban solid waste into organic manure.