During the last seven months, the waste recovery plant of **Peuma** managed to produce **30 tons of compost**, a natural and ecological fertilizer made **[from organic waste](https://noticiasambientales.com/compromiso-ambiental/rafaela-apuesta-por-el-compostaje-presentacion-de-la-campana-mil-composteras/)** such as fruit peels, yerba mate leftovers, and leaves. The obtained compost will be destined for provincial nurseries, as these places will use the soil to improve soil quality and enhance plant production.
This achievement was highlighted during the **International Compost Awareness Week**, celebrated from May 4 to 10, which aims to educate the population about the benefits of composting and its positive impact on the environment.
“All the compost we generate comes from waste that people separate correctly in their homes. It is a slow but very valuable process,” explained **Rocío Pereyra**, head of the Peuma plant. The process requires very specific temperature and humidity conditions and extends between six and seven months from the entry of the waste until the final product is obtained.
## A Biological Process with Multiple Benefits
The procedure begins with the **aerobic fermentation** of the waste, in a first stage where the temperature rises to 60 °C and is maintained through constant irrigation. Then, the compost goes through a **maturation** phase, where the mixture cools down and continues to receive daily moisture and aeration until stabilizing at room temperature.
At the end of the process, the material goes through a machine called **trommel**, which separates the non-composted remains from the **[fertile soil](https://noticiasambientales.com/residuos/el-compostaje-y-sus-beneficios-para-la-ciudad-y-el-medio-ambiente/)**, leaving a natural fertilizer ready to enrich soils without the need for chemical fertilizers.
Peuma demonstrates that, with **citizen commitment and appropriate waste management policies**, waste can become a resource. Separating organic waste at the source is the first step towards an environmentally responsible development model.
## Why Is Compost Key for the Future?
Composting is one of the most effective ways to apply the **circular economy** at home. By transforming organic waste into fertilizer, the volume of garbage sent to landfills is reduced, soil health is improved, and greenhouse gas emissions such as methane, generated in landfills by anaerobic decomposition, are reduced.
Furthermore, compost acts as a **natural source of nutrients**, improving soil structure, promoting microbial biodiversity, and increasing its water retention capacity. This is especially relevant in **[climate crisis](https://noticiasambientales.com/residuos/el-compostaje-y-sus-beneficios-para-la-ciudad-y-el-medio-ambiente/)** contexts, where fertile soils are scarce, and droughts are becoming more frequent.
Source: Secretary of State for Environment and Sustainable Development of San Luis.
