Abstract:Composting and amendment of compost to soil can improve the sustainability of an ecosystem and community. However, composting processes, especially those treating wastes that are readily degradable, require energy to aerate and water to maintain biological activity, and can emit greenhouse gases (GHG). Some organic residue sources, including many that originate from food processing and handling operations, contain organic matter fractions that can be readily converted to energy through anaerobic digestion. The overall goal of the proposal is to develop tools that allow organic waste management specialists to evaluate digestion and composting conversion scenarios to sustainably convert organic residues to valuable soil amendment. This goal will be met through coordinated research and training efforts at UC Davis and the American University of Beirut that will involve laboratory studies to elucidate the potential for methane and heat production from organic wastes followed by validation studies in the field.