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'''Decomposed excreta is rich in nutrients (NPK nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium) and organic material. The organic material in compost acts as soil conditioner. It also improves the structure and water holding capacity of sandy soils and adds structure and permeability to clay soils. Composted excreta, on its own or combined with other biodegradable material, enhances the fertility of topsoil.'''
Composting is the term used to describe the controlled aerobic degradation of organics into a soil-like substance called compost. ‘EcoHumus’ is a term taken from Peter Morgan (see references) and is a more appropriate word to use for the material removed from a Fossa Alterna because it is produced passively underground and has a slightly different composition.
[[Image:Compost_as_soil_conditioner.PNG|thumb|right|150px200px|[[Compost as soil conditioner |Compost as soil conditioner]], in Malawi (for credits, click the picture)]]
The process of thermophilic composting generates heat (50 to 80°C) which kills the majority of pathogens present. For the composting process to occur there must be adequate carbon, nitrogen, moisture, and air. The [[Fossa Alterna]] and [[Fill and Cover - Arborloo|Arborloo]] are ambient temperature variations of high-temperature composting. In these technologies, there is almost no temperature rise because vegetable matter is lacking. For that reason, the end material is not actually ‘compost’ and is therefore referred to as ‘EcoHumus’.
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===Adequacy===
Compost/EcoHumus can be mixed into the soil before crops are planted, used to start seedlings or indoor plants or simply mixed into an existing compost pile for further treatment.
For poor soils, equal parts of compost and top soil have shown to improve productivity. The output from one Fossa Alterna should be sufficient for two 1.5m by 3.5m beds. Vegetable gardens filled with the Eco- Humus from the Fossa Alterna have shown dramatic improvements over gardens planted without compost, and has even made agriculture possible in areas which would have not otherwise supported crops.
===Health Aspects/Acceptance===
A small risk of pathogen transmission exists, but if in doubt, any material removed from the pit can be composted further in a regular compost heap, or mixed with additional soil and put into a ‘tree pit’, i.e. a nutrient-filled pit used for planting a tree.
Acceptability may be low at first, but demonstration units and hands-on experience are effective ways of demonstrating the non-offensive nature of the material.
===Maintenance===
The material must be allowed to mature adequately before it is removed from the system and then it can be used without further treatment.
===Field experiences===
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===Manuals, videos, and links===
* General information about Compost as soil conditioner [http://www.ecosanres.org www.ecosanres.org]
===References===
* Del Porto, D. and Steinfeld, C. (1999). The Composting Toilet System Book. A Practical Guide to Choosing, Planning and Maintaining Composting Toilet Systems, an Alternative to Sewer and Septic Systems. The Center for Ecological Pollution Prevention (CEPP), Massachusetts, USA.
* NWP (2006). Smart Sanitation Solutions. Examples of innovative, low-cost technologies for toilets, collection, transportation, treatment and use of sanitation products. Netherlands Water Partnership, The Netherlands. pp 49.
===Acknowledgements===
{{:Acknowledgements Sanitation}}
