ACI plans waste management tech by producing bio-fertiliser

Infographics: TBS

ACI Fertilizer is planning to introduce a waste management technology in Bangladesh which will convert organic wastes into bio-fertilisers – a key substance to improve soil fertility.

According to ACI sources, the company is working to bring this technology, called EcoDigester, to Bangladesh in collaboration with the Netherlands.

In addition to large-scale waste management, the machine will produce organic fertilisers, which are important for sustainable agriculture.

Using a specific type of bacteria, the EcoDigester can process any decomposable waste in just 24 hours. It is possible to produce 5-10 tonnes of organic fertiliser a day with this industrial grade machine.

This eco-friendly technology is widely used as a waste management tool in the Netherlands and in many other parts of the world.

Though ACI is working to bring the technology to the country directly, the fertiliser production process will be a bit different. The company will work with the city corporations to produce organic fertilisers from the wastes they collect. As a marketing company, ACI will then market the product to customers.

Bashir Ahmed, business director of ACI Fertilizer, told TBS, "We have had initial discussions with the city corporations in Dhaka and Rajshahi. The Dhaka City Corporations are currently running another project on waste management where they need a much larger amount of waste. But, Rajshahi City Corporation has shown interest and a meeting was held in this regard. We want to work with other city corporations as well."

A Dutch delegation will arrive in Bangladesh in a few days and a meeting with all stakeholders will be held soon. Work on setting up this technology will commence after the meeting. The Netherlands will provide ACI with technical support, he added.

Dhaka North City Corporation is working on setting up a 42.5 MW renewable energy-based power plant using wastes from its area. China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) is the contractor for the construction of the plant at Aminbazar in Dhaka. A lot of waste will be needed for this plant.

According to ACI, it is mainly a model of waste management as per the initial plan. So it will be most effective if city corporations process the wastes as they are in charge of the waste management. With this machine, fertilisers will be produced in the waste disposal sites of the corporations. Later, ACI will collect and market the product at a fixed price.

It will cost Tk6 crore to set up a machine with a processing capacity of 10 tonnes of waste per day. Around 3-3.5 tonnes of bio-fertiliser can be produced from 10 tonnes of waste. Moreover, a smaller version of the machine will cost around Tk30-35 lakh which will be able to process 50 kg of waste a day.

EcoDigester will yield organic fertilisers by decomposing the wastes with a specific type of bacteria which farmers can use in their crop fields to boost fertility.

According to people concerned, countrywide waste management will be much easier with the use of this technology. There is no need to take the waste to the landfills, and they can be processed in areas determined by the city corporations.

Around 60-70,000 tonnes of organic fertilisers are being used in Bangladesh every year. Mainly produced in the factory through using cow and chicken excrements, the fertiliser market is valued at Tk105-120 crore, and is growing by a staggering 30% every year.

ACI, Kazi Farms, Mazim and Annapurna are notable among the companies producing organic fertilisers in Bangladesh. 

However, in collaboration with various non-government organisations across the country, many farmers are making organic fertilisers at low cost by using different technologies at home.

ACI has said the machine will work on all types of decomposable waste, such as food, vegetable, fish and meat waste, leftover hay after paddy harvest, and chicken droppings. For example, if bacteria is sprinkled on residual straws in the land after paddy harvest, they will rot and turn into fertilisers.

Dr FH Ansarey, managing director of ACI Agribusiness, told TBS, "If we can use this technology, there will be a paradigm shift in waste management in the country. This technology will play an important role in protecting the environment as well as increasing soil fertility. Additionally, availability of organic fertilisers at low cost will be ensured."

Asked how ACI would work if the city corporations do not abide by the agreement for some reason, he said, "Then we have to work with various small organisations. It may be through agreements with residential areas. We will also work with hotels, restaurants, universities, and different offices."

According to the Environment and Social Development Organization (ESDO), an average of 25,000 tonnes of solid wastes are generated per day in the urban areas of Bangladesh. By 2025, the amount will reach about 46,000 tonnes. The per capita waste generation rate in 1995 was 0.49 kg, which will stand at 0.69 kg in 2025.