Use of Organic Waste From the Slaughter Process and Its Incidence in the Reduction of the Pollution of the Tejar River in the Otavalo Canton, Ecuador, South America

Docente UECB “Benito Juárez”, Otavalo, Ecuador

Abstract: The study was to take advantage of the blood residues and ruminal contents of the cattle slaughtering processes in the municipal slaughterhouse of Otavalo, by means of an alternative treatment to reduce the contamination of the Tejar River, the elaboration of compost. The waste generates wastewater that is discharged into the river, which represents an evident environmental damage, and a great waste of resources that can be used. The methodology was mixed: documentary, field, laboratory, literature review, and collection of information on the slaughter site, laboratory analysis of wastewater samples and a compost process. For the analysis of wastewater, 3 samples were taken on different days of 3 consecutive weeks. The analyzed samples showed the presence of excess Nitrogen in a 19 mg/l, 15mg and 20 mg/l each day, and Biochemical Oxygen Demand BOD5 with excess of 140 mg/l on the third day, so it was determined that there is a higher concentration of organic matter. The compost obtained showed a pH value of 9.05, humidity of 17.37% and Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and Potassium (k) of 1.06; 0.98 and 0.18 respectively, values that are adjusted to ideal valuesexcept for potassium whose ideal value is 1. Organic matter (OM), obtained 21.24% figure that approaches the minimum value required, and the C/N ratio 9.98 which is low with respect to the ideal minimum value. Therefore, we observed the need to include another organic waste that contributes an additional 5% to reach the ideal 15%, and to avoid nitrate depression. In addition, alternative methods were proposed such as: use of vampire knife, use of meshes and channels, improvement of facilities and total collection of waste before evacuation. In conclusion, the elaboration of the compost product of the mixture of blood, rumen, sawdust of laurel and fodder (hay of barley) constitutes the most adequate proposal to take advantage of the residues of the slaughter and to diminish the organic contamination of the Tejar River generating an economic income.