Circular Economy Approach for Utilizing Organic Waste in Cat Litter and Compost to Support Plant Growth
This study introduces a novel two-stage circular economy model to transform organic waste materials—bean dregs and coffee grounds—into functional products: eco-friendly cat litter and organic fertilizer. The hypothesis was that integrating vermicompost and diatomaceous earth with these waste materia...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-02-01
|
| Series: | Waste |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2813-0391/3/1/8 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850087688037728256 |
|---|---|
| author | Pin-Han Chen Jun-Yi Wu |
| author_facet | Pin-Han Chen Jun-Yi Wu |
| author_sort | Pin-Han Chen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study introduces a novel two-stage circular economy model to transform organic waste materials—bean dregs and coffee grounds—into functional products: eco-friendly cat litter and organic fertilizer. The hypothesis was that integrating vermicompost and diatomaceous earth with these waste materials would enhance the functional properties of cat litter while ensuring its recyclability into high-quality fertilizer. In the first stage, a combination of bean dregs, coffee grounds, vermicompost, and diatomaceous earth was optimized using the Taguchi method, achieving cat litter with superior water absorption and clumping performance. In the second stage, the spent cat litter was rapidly composted, producing a nutrient-rich organic fertilizer. The fertilizer’s efficacy was validated through a potting experiment with lettuce, where a 10% application rate promoted optimal growth without causing nutrient toxicity. This innovative approach offers a sustainable solution to waste management challenges while contributing to environmentally friendly agricultural practices. Future research could investigate incorporating additional waste streams and enhancing composting efficiency for broader implementation. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e466cdd9a0de435bb93f43285daea8e2 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2813-0391 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Waste |
| spelling | doaj-art-e466cdd9a0de435bb93f43285daea8e22025-08-20T02:43:10ZengMDPI AGWaste2813-03912025-02-0131810.3390/waste3010008Circular Economy Approach for Utilizing Organic Waste in Cat Litter and Compost to Support Plant GrowthPin-Han Chen0Jun-Yi Wu1College of Science, Providence University, Taichung City 43301, TaiwanDepartment of Intelligent Automation Engineering, National Chin-Yi University of Technology, Taichung City 411030, TaiwanThis study introduces a novel two-stage circular economy model to transform organic waste materials—bean dregs and coffee grounds—into functional products: eco-friendly cat litter and organic fertilizer. The hypothesis was that integrating vermicompost and diatomaceous earth with these waste materials would enhance the functional properties of cat litter while ensuring its recyclability into high-quality fertilizer. In the first stage, a combination of bean dregs, coffee grounds, vermicompost, and diatomaceous earth was optimized using the Taguchi method, achieving cat litter with superior water absorption and clumping performance. In the second stage, the spent cat litter was rapidly composted, producing a nutrient-rich organic fertilizer. The fertilizer’s efficacy was validated through a potting experiment with lettuce, where a 10% application rate promoted optimal growth without causing nutrient toxicity. This innovative approach offers a sustainable solution to waste management challenges while contributing to environmentally friendly agricultural practices. Future research could investigate incorporating additional waste streams and enhancing composting efficiency for broader implementation.https://www.mdpi.com/2813-0391/3/1/8agriculture sustainabilitycat litter recyclingcircular economycomposting efficiencyorganic waste transformation |
| spellingShingle | Pin-Han Chen Jun-Yi Wu Circular Economy Approach for Utilizing Organic Waste in Cat Litter and Compost to Support Plant Growth Waste agriculture sustainability cat litter recycling circular economy composting efficiency organic waste transformation |
| title | Circular Economy Approach for Utilizing Organic Waste in Cat Litter and Compost to Support Plant Growth |
| title_full | Circular Economy Approach for Utilizing Organic Waste in Cat Litter and Compost to Support Plant Growth |
| title_fullStr | Circular Economy Approach for Utilizing Organic Waste in Cat Litter and Compost to Support Plant Growth |
| title_full_unstemmed | Circular Economy Approach for Utilizing Organic Waste in Cat Litter and Compost to Support Plant Growth |
| title_short | Circular Economy Approach for Utilizing Organic Waste in Cat Litter and Compost to Support Plant Growth |
| title_sort | circular economy approach for utilizing organic waste in cat litter and compost to support plant growth |
| topic | agriculture sustainability cat litter recycling circular economy composting efficiency organic waste transformation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2813-0391/3/1/8 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT pinhanchen circulareconomyapproachforutilizingorganicwasteincatlitterandcomposttosupportplantgrowth AT junyiwu circulareconomyapproachforutilizingorganicwasteincatlitterandcomposttosupportplantgrowth |