COMPOST MATURITY ANALYSIS BASED ON TYPE OF ORGANIK MATERIAL AND EM4 CONCENTRATE WITH C/N RATIO TEST

Waste has become a major issue, particularly in large cities around the world, including Indonesia. The Free Nutritious Meal Program (MBG) in Indonesia aims to reduce malnutrition among children. While the program provides clear benefits in improving access to nutritious food, it also faces significant challenges related to food waste or leftovers generated. This study aims to analyze the effect of EM4 concentration and organic materials on composting duration, determine the compost maturity time, and describe the characteristics of compost fertilizer from various treatments. The study employed an experimental approach with eight treatment combinations, each repeated four times, resulting in a total of 32 experimental units. Data were analyzed using a descriptive analysis method. The results show that differences in EM4 concentration significantly affect the duration of the decomposition process. Higher EM4 concentrations accelerate the conversion of organic materials into compost. This is evidenced by the faster decomposition time observed at a 20% EM4 concentration compared to 10%, 8%, and the control (without treatment). In addition, differences in decomposition time were observed based on the type of organic material used. Organic waste derived from the Free Nutritious Meal Program decomposed more rapidly than organic material in the form of dry leaf litter. This study recommends further research focusing on the direct application of organic fertilizer produced at similar concentrations to plants in order to evaluate its effectiveness in improving plant growth and soil quality.