CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING

This chapter presents a discussion on the background of the study,

statement of the problem, conceptual and theoretical framework, constraints that

were considered, significance of the study and the definition of relevant terms

used in the study.

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Around the world, waste volume continues to rise with the increase in

population, improvement of living standards, rapid economic growth, and

industrialization. According to World Bank, in 2016, the worlds’ cities

generated 2.01 billion tons of solid waste, amounting to a footprint of 0.74

kilograms per person per day. With rapid population growth and urbanization,

annual waste generation is expected to increase by 70% from 2016 levels to 3.40

billion tons in 2050.

Wastes are generated from residential, commercial, industrial and

institutional sources. Disposed waste is dominated by biodegradable waste with

52 percent, followed by recyclable waste which accounts for 28 percent and

1
residuals at 18 percent. Residential wastes account for more than half (57%) of

the total solid wastes. (Senate Economic Planning Office, 2017)

Considering the percentage of waste generated, most solid wastes

consisting of household wastes and biodegradable wastes represent the largest

fraction of these household wastes. Solid wastes include food wastes, kitchen

wastes, garden wastes, papers, cards, and natural textiles.

Biodegradable waste or Biowaste is waste material which comprises of

fast degrading biogenic materials including kitchen and food waste, garden and

crop derived wastes, manures, and slurries from agriculture and other wastes

such as sewage and other organic process sludges. (Fisher, K., et al., 2006)

Proper biowaste management could produce good quality compost and

bio-gas that contribute to enhanced soil quality and resource efficiency, as well

as a higher level of energy self-sufficiency (European Commission, 2019). This

biological process can be further sped up by managing temperature, oxygen, and

moisture content. The result will be rich, earthy, sweet-smelling humus that can

be mixed into garden beds, added to flower pots, or used as mulch. (Panter,

2006)

Studies show that some health conditions in places near composting

facilities may be caused by the odor or emissions produced from that composting

facility. Compost piles give off excess nitrogen (N) in the form of ammonia.

(Composting Problems, n.d) When ammonia is released, there is a great chance

that a strong and foul odor is perceived. (Migridients, 2019) In a study conducted

2
by Helen Ward and Michele Wiens in 2018, which includes compounds that

easily become vapors or gases called Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), it

was stated that exposure to VOCs has the potential to induce acute toxicological

effects such as inflammatory and immune effects, as well as sensory irritation in

the eye, nose, or throat.

Greenhouse gases (GHG) is one of the causes of global warming. (NASA,

2019) Decomposition of organic wastes produces a lot of GHG with carbon

dioxide being at the top of the chart that causes global warming. (Environment

Victoria, 2016) An open dumpsite will contribute a significant amount of GHG into

the environment.

Methane is also produced from biowastes. The formation of methane from

landfills is estimated as 60% of total landfill gas. (Pawlowska, M and  Pawlowski,

L, 2007) Because of the high methane content and its high global warming

potential, landfill gas emissions are of paramount importance at a global scale for

contributing to the manmade greenhouse effect. In Europe, an estimated 30% of

anthropogenic methane emissions are from landfills. (Europe Economic Area,

2001)

With all these hazards that go with improper management of biowaste, the

United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires that modern

landfills are well-engineered and well-managed facilities for the disposal of solid

waste. Landfills must be designed to protect the environment from contaminants,

which may be present in the waste stream. Landfills cannot be built in

3
environmentally-sensitive areas, and they must be placed using on-site

environmental monitoring systems. These monitoring systems check for any sign

of groundwater contamination and for landfill gas, as well as provide additional

safeguards. Modern landfills must meet stringent design, operation and closure

requirements established under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

(RCRA) of the United States.

Compared to those in developed nations, however, residents in

developing countries, especially the urban poor, are more severely impacted by

unsustainably managed waste. In low-income countries, over 90% of waste is

often disposed in unregulated dumps or openly burned. These practices create

serious health, safety, and environmental consequences. Poorly managed waste

serves as a breeding ground for disease vectors, contributes to global climate

change through methane generation, and can even promote urban violence.

(World Bank Group, 2019)

In the Philippines, for example, open dumping remains the general

practice of waste disposal for biowaste as controlled dumpsites and sanitary

landfills (SLFs) are very limited. Although RA 9003 or the "Ecological Solid

Waste Management Act 2000” requires local government units (LGUs) to close

their existing open dumpsites by the year 2006 and to establish controlled

disposal facilities or SLFs, as of 2016, there are still 403 open dumpsites and 108

controlled dumpsites in operation. The number of SLFs is also insufficient to

service all LGUs. While SLFs increase from 48 in 2010 to 118 in 2016, LGUs

4
with access to SLFs remain below 15 percent. (Senate Economic Planning

Office, 2017)

With limited sanitary landfills, the hazard of open and uncontrolled

dumpsite can even lead to life-threatening situations. The dumpsite in Payatas,

Metro Manila for example, has earlier been found to leak leachate through to the

Marikina River tributaries and in 2000, an enormous pile of garbage collapsed,

killing over 200 people and injuring hundreds more in Payatas, Metro Manila

dumpsite. (Asian Development Blog, 2017)

In Baguio City, the suspension of waste processing operations was earlier

mandated due to the worsening condition of the Irisan dumpsite which forced the

city government to look for an alternative dumpsite. According to the interview

with Manolo L. Llaneta, Barangay Captain of Scout Barrio, there were even times

when biowaste in barangays was no longer accepted by garbage collectors due

to the difficulty and cost in transporting it to a distant dumpsite. With that,

households and establishments were caught by surprise and did not know where

to dump their biowaste. At present, Baguio City was able to secure a transfer

facility along Marcos Highway but it still has a difficulty in acquiring a suitable

land for its sanitary landfill within the city’s boundary such that it opted to get into

contract with a distant landfill provider that is able to accommodate the waste of

Baguio City.

An audit report that was made by the Commission on Audit (COA) in 2018

states that the city government of Baguio City spent P254.52 million in hauling

5
and P217.941 million in tipping fees, respectively, to bring its waste outside the

city. The COA’s state auditor affirms that a Solid Waste Management Disposal

Facility was not established due to lack of suitable area to put up the integrated

solid waste system contrary to the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of

2000 resulting in expenditures for hauling and tipping fees totaling P472,

462,097.19 for the calendar years 2011 to 2017. (Dumlao, A. and Marcelo,

E.,2018)

           In 2018, the COA stated that garbage collectors were being paid for

P935.50 and P550 in hauling and tipping fees, respectively, for each ton of

wastes; on the other hand, COA urged that Baguio City’s P427 million

expenditure is still significant and could have been used for other development

projects. (Roxas, 2018)

On July 4, 2019, Karlston Lapniten from the Inquirer reported that about

30,000 metric tons of biodegradable waste that had accumulated at the

decommissioned Irisan dump would be gone within three months after Mayor

Benjamin Magalong ordered city officials to convert the area into an ecological

park. Meanwhile, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources

(DENR) stopped the operations of the machines in the dumpsite and suspended

the hauling of biodegradable waste to Irisan which lead to Baguio’s nearly

plunged into garbage crisis. To date, the temporary suspension of waste

processing operations was lifted by Baguio City’s Mayor Benjamin Magalong;

however, no one really knows when the local government will again impose the

6
suspension of biowaste collection if the current means of disposing biowaste is

expended and if the concerned government agencies are not able to comply with

the mandate of the mayor.

Meantime, the Irisan dumpsite is still utilized to process biowaste but only

for those from the city market. According to the interview with Joe Guererro,

supervisor of Irisan dumpsite, Irisan dumpsite uses two (2) machines in

processing compost, namely, the Environmental Recycling System (ERS)

machine and the Hammer-Mill. The output of the ERS machine produces foul

odor when piled in contrast to that of the new Hammer-Mill machine.

Nonetheless, both machines are active in the dumpsite. The dumpsite has limited

facilities such that even with the introduction of the new machine, batch

production which is equivalent to about 13 to 14 tons of raw biowaste from the

city market per day may take 1 to 2 days depending on the workload of the

machine. The dumpsite facility does not allow both machines to run continuously

because of the greater power requirement. The ERS machine requires both

electric and diesel fuel to work, requiring up to 4000 gallons per month, which is

very expensive. The Hammer-Mill works on electric power and is operated up to

3 hours straight, but needs to be stopped for at least 30 minutes, to prevent

overheating and to prolong its life. Furthermore, the storehouse of piled biowaste

is not ventilated and covered so that the foul odor stinks from both the inside and

outside of the storehouse. During rainy days, soaked biowaste is harder to

process and will need the ERS machine, which in exchange, will halt the

7
operation of Hammer mill since the facility does not allow them run

simultaneously. With the aforementioned limitations in the Irisan dumpsite,

residents of Baguio are not assured that their biowaste will continuously be

collected by the city government. Somehow, an alternative means to manage

biowaste is significantly necessary.

In-vessel composting, for example, employs a contained vessel with an

operator to maintain close control over the process. It is not affected by weather

conditions. In-vessel system allows for detailed containment and treatment of air

to remove odors before release. It requires a relatively smaller space which

makes it more suitable for suburban and urban locations compared to the other

composting technologies. However, this method is generally more expensive

than the other methods.

Windrow’s composting requires that organic waste is placed into rows of

long piles called windrows and is aerated by turning the pile periodically by either

manual or mechanical methods. This method has the advantage that it is

applicable to large volumes of diverse wastes, including yard trimmings, grease,

liquids and animal byproducts. However, this requires frequent turning of the pile

and careful monitoring. The technique is suitable for large quantities such as that

generated by entire communities and collected by local governments and high-

volume food-processing businesses. (Aerated (Turned) Windrow Composting,

n.d) However, with heat involved in the process, high temperature can drastically

8
inhibit the process and composting process may stop. (Fin-stein and Hogan

1993)

The drawbacks of the aforementioned large scale methods for disposing

biowaste have led to the advent of ways to manage biowaste in a smaller scale.

However, the usual reason why household owners are apprenhensive with

composting even in a smaller scale is because of the notion that this method

would still require a huge area of lot. This can be proven by the answers of some

of the household owners who were interviewed by the researchers (see

Appendix A). That may be true for large scale composting. However, with small

scale composting such as in the home, a small backyard area with soil as

mixture for the biowaste may suffice. Soil in pots may also be utilized for this

process. (Vanderlinden, 2019) If there is really no space available in the home,

then perhaps tit would be a good project for the barangay to come up with a

common area for composting which will eventually benefit the community.

Biowaste management at the point of origin such as in the home is now

becoming an inclination. One of the familiar methods that is currently in

consideration is the Bokashi Method.

The Bokashi method is fermentation known as anaerobic digestion. It is

one of a range of Effective Microorganisms (EM) products developed by Prof.

Teruo Higa in 1982. The Bokashi method uses microorganisms to anaerobically

ferment organic matter in an acidic environment so it can then be rapidly

assimilated into the soil. Anaerobic process involves the decomposition of

9
organic material in an environment that is without air and normally inside a

sealed container. The Bokashi method is a fermentation process, not a

composting process, of food waste that can be fermented anaerobically and

where unfavorable by-products, such as the foul odor, can be avoided by using a

specifically selected group of micro- organisms that neutralize harmful bacteria

and encourage the proliferation of beneficial bacteria. During fermentation, an

acidic leachate containing organic acids, alcohols and other metabolites

accumulates at the bottom of the container. (Alattar 2012) This acidic leachate is

commonly known as the Bokashi tea. It contains microbes that are highly

favorable in gardens when added to the soil. Though Bokashi tea serves as a

very nutritious fertilizer, it must be drained off in order to prevent development of

foul odor. (Pavlis, 2014) According to a Bokashi Bucket user, Nikki Casley, if the

tea is not drained regularly then a couple of things may happen. First, the tea

may go bad as the Bokashi microbes in the tea are exposed to aerobic

conditions in the reservoir of the Bokashi bucket. And, second, too much liquid

may build up in the bottom of the fermenting food waste, causing the Bokashi

bucket to go bad. In conclusion, these liquids must be drained off to maintain

microbial activity. (Christel, 2017)

With the Bokashi method, food waste is placed in a plastic container that

has a perforated plate allowing excess liquid to drain away. As the food waste is

placed in the container it is added the starter microorganisms that are inoculated

onto wheat bran. The container is then kept sealed to reduce the introduction of

10
oxygen and kept at room temperature. As the fermentation proceeds some

components are broken down and are leached out in a fluid. This has a high

content of organic acids as well as nutrients. After around 2 weeks the fermented

food waste is mixed at about 50/50 into soil and the degradation then proceeds

faster, yielding a garden soil product. (Tambwe, n.d)

Bokashi’s method of fermenting organic matter anaerobically in a closed

system has numerous benefits: (1) it can compost all types of food waste except

for oil; (2) it does not have a specific ratio in mixing greens and browns; (3) no

insect or rodent issues. (4) no putrid odors; and (5) minimal greenhouse gasses

are produced. (New Society Publishers, 2013)

According to the study conducted by Dana Christel entitled “Exploring the

Use of Bokashi as a Soil Fertility Amendment in Northeast Vegetable Production

Systems”, Effective Microorganism (EM) Bokashi applications significantly

improved soil fertility characteristics of a loamy sand soil and increased spinach

yields during field and greenhouse studies in the Northeastern U.S. Based on the

results from the present study, the following conclusions were drawn from the

use of EM Bokashi made from food waste as a soil fertility amendment: (1)

Bokashi provided a more prolonged supply of inorganic nitrogen to plants than

vermicomposting, and a more readily supply of inorganic nitrogen than

thermophilic compost, (2) marketable yield was slightly greater in Bokashi

treatments compared to regularly used compost and vermicompost, (3) the high

available nitrogen content of Bokashi and the positive effects its application had

11
on spinach yield made it competitive economically with vermicompost and

thermophilic compost despite additional hand labor required in its application, (4)

the microbial community in Bokashi treatments had a carbon-substrate utilization

pattern distinct of all other treatments for most of the experiment which we

attribute to a combination of feedstock, anaerobic process, and delayed

decomposition processes. In conclusion, EM Bokashi made from food waste may

be a suitable supplement or alternative to compost and vermicompost in soil

fertility management in organic vegetable production systems, though it is likely

better suited to small-scale operations such as in the home.

The Bokashi method employs a tightly sealed bucket or bin where the

biowaste are deposited. The bucket must be tightly sealed so that air is

prevented from getting in. However, preventing air from entering the bucket is

really impossible everytime a new batch of biowaste is loaded in. Furthermore,

fermentation of biowaste inside the Bokasi bin generates a leachate or tea which

is liquid in form that is a mixture of everything that went into the bucket. The

Bokashi tea is acidic and contains organic acids, alcohols and other metabolites

that accumulate at the bottom of the bucket. This accumulated tea must be

drained off daily to maintain microbial activity and to prevent the formation of foul

odor inside the bucket. The tea that is drained is rich in nutrients and beneficial

microbes which is highly nourishing for plants and can even be used to combat

limescale, sludge and odors.

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 There are however some challenges with the Bokashi bin or bucket.

According to a Bokashi Bucket user, Jenny Harlen, one of biggest frustration

people have with their Bokashi bin is that now and then it smells and that it

smells really off. The reason a Bokashi bucket starts to smell is, nearly always,

because of the moisture inside the bucket. The easiest way to remove the

moisture is to put a newspaper inside the bin for a few days in order to absorb

the humidity and then eventually, most of the smell will disappear. (Harlen, 2014)

Another source of the foul odor is the Bokashi tea that is not drained on a daily

basis.

The primary problem faced by anaerobic digester or system users is its

inherent instability as a complex biochemical process. Anaerobic digester is

alarmingly sensitive to changes of operating and feed conditions. Accidental or

unavoidable oxygen loading is one aspect of this problem. To cope with this

inherent instability, it is essential to develop sufficient control techniques.

(Botheju et al, 2011)

An attempt to come up with a controlled environment inside the Bokashi

bucket was conducted by a group of student researchers from the University of

Perpetual Help System College of Engineering and Tech-Voc in Biñan, Laguna.

The came up with a thesis entitled Automated Bokashi Composting Monitoring

System in 2016 that featured a Bokashi bucket monitoring system with moisture

level sensor, humidity sensor, water level sensor, Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), a

camera with OpenCV software that detects the growth of white molds and a

13
Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) notification system that sends

messages to the owner if fermentation is done and if the Bokashi by-products are

ready for harvest. The project was conclusively successful as results showed

that the output of the project was better than the traditional process. However,

the project was quite bulky because of the numerous devices that were installed

inside the bucket. There was also a problem with lighting inside the bucket that

required numerous adjustments in the detection of white molds.

The current challenges in the biowaste disposal of the City of Baguio and

the benefits of the Bokashi method as a convenient solution, although with its

existing issues on the Bokashi bucket, has led the researchers to propose the

Smart Bokashi Bucket (SmartBoket): Biowaste Bin with Air and Tea Monitoring

and Extraction and Remote Notification. The researchers came up with a simpler

and yet efficient Bokashi bucket to aid in biowaste management especially in

places where controlled dumpsites and landfills are difficult to be realized.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The study aimed to design and construct a Smart Bokashi Bucket

(SmartBoket): Biowaste Bin with Air and Tea Monitoring and Extraction and

Remote Notification and it aimed to answer the following questions:

1. How did the Smart Bokashi Bucket (SmartBoket) operate in terms of :

a) its ability to monitor and extract the amount of air inside the

bucket,

14
 b) its ability to daily dispose of the Bokashi tea,

c) its ability to keep track of the duration of the fermentation of the

biowaste,

d) its ability to alert the owner in case of air leak in the system,

e) its ability to remotely inform the owner on the status of air

extraction, drain of Bokashi tea and duration of fermentation.

2. What are the minimum hardware requirements in the design and

construction of the Smart Bokashi Bucket (SmartBoket) in terms of:

a) its ability to monitor and extract the air inside the bucket,

b) its ability to daily dispose of the Bokashi tea,

c) its ability to keep track of the duration of the fermentation of the

biowaste,

d) its ability to alert the owner in case of air leak in the system,

e) its ability to remotely inform the owner on the status of air

extraction, drain of Bokashi tea and duration of fermentation.

3. How was the microcontroller programmed to be able to:

a) monitor and extract the air inside the bucket,

b) daily dispose the Bokashi tea,

c) keep track of the duration of the fermentation of the biowaste,

d) alert the owner in case of air leak in the system,

e) remotely inform the owner on the status of air extraction, drain of

Bokashi tea and duration of fermentation.

15
 4. How was the Smart Bokashi Bucket (SmartBoket) tested for proper

functionality in terms of:

a) monitoring and extracting the air inside the bucket,

b) daily disposal of the Bokashi tea,

c) keeping track of the duration of the fermentation of the biowaste,

d) its ability to alert the owner in case of air leak in the system,

e) its ability to remotely inform the owner on the status of air

extraction, drain of Bokashi tea and duration of fermentation.

5. What are the maintenance procedures undertaken to maximize the

operational life of the Smart Bokashi Bucket (SmartBoket)?

CONCEPTUAL AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

The research conducted by this group pursued the input-process-output

correlation. The content of the input included the projected or expected operation

of the project, including its needed hardware and software requirements and

specifications for the Smart Bokashi Bucket (SmartBoket).

The inputs mentioned were used in the construction of the proposed project.

These inputs were put to a series of processes in the construction of the

proposed project. Tests were conducted to guarantee that the specifications

were carried out. The results of the test has met the minimum specifications and

requirements for the project to be deemed effective in its purpose.

16
 INPUT
Operation of the proposed Smart Bokashi Bucket (SmartBoket)
Minimum hardware requirements in terms of
a) its ability to monitor and extract air inside the bucket, b) its ability to daily dispose of the Bokashi tea,
c) its ability to keep track of the duration of the fermentation of the biowaste, d) its ability to alert the
owner in case of air leak in the system, and e) its ability to remotely inform the owner on the status of air
extraction, drain of Bokashi tea and duration of fermentation.
Program algorithm to be able to:
a) monitor and extract the air inside the bucket, b) daily dispose of the Bokashi tea, c) to keep track of
the duration of the fermentation of the biowaste, d) alert the owner in case of air leak in the system, and
e) remotely inform the owner on the status of air extraction, drain of Bokashi tea and duration of
fermentation

17
 PROCESS
 Design and construction of the Smart Bokashi Bucket (SmartBoket) in terms of: a) its ability to
monitor and extract the air inside the bucket, b) its ability to daily dispose of the Bokashi tea, c) its ability to
keep track of the duration of the fermentation of the biowaste, d) its ability to alert the owner in case of air leak
in the system, and e) its ability to remotely inform the owner on the status of air extraction, drain of Bokashi tea
and duration of fermentation.
 Construction and assembly of the materials needed for the proposed project.
 Program Writing for the Smart Bokashi Bucket (SmartBoket) to be able to: a) monitor and extract the
air inside the bucket, b) daily dispose of the Bokashi tea, c) to keep track of the duration of the fermentation of
the biowaste, d) alert the owner in case of air leak in the system, and e) remotely inform the owner on the
status of air extraction, drain of Bokashi tea and duration of fermentation.
 Testing the proposed research to ensure its working capability in terms of: a) monitoring and
extracting the air inside the bucket, b) daily disposal of the Bokashi tea, c) keeping track of the duration of the
fermentation of the biowaste, d) alerting the owner in case of air leak in the system, and e) remotely informing
the owner on the status of air extraction, drain of Bokashi tea and duration of fermentation?
 Formulating maintenance procedures maximize the operational life of the Smart Bokashi Bucket with
Automatic Air and Tea Extractor

18
 OUTPUT
 Functional Smart Bokashi Bucket (SmartBoket)
 User’s Manual

19
 Figure 1. Paradigm of the Smart Bokashi Bucket (SmartBoket)

SCOPE AND DELIMITATION

The Smart Bokashi Bucket (SmartBoket) is an apparatus that is designed

for the home for depositing kitchen biowaste. The SmartBoket was constructed

from food-grade containers such as pickle containers or milk containers. The

bucket have a capacity of 19 liters.

The bucket has two operations manual and remote. The toggle switch is

used to identify the mode of operation of the bucket. The function of the second

switch is to set the timer for two weeks fermentation. The third switch starts or

stops the system operation. The vacuum pump reduces the air pressure to a very

minimal level and at the same time it indicates the level of the air pressure in the

bucket. The current sensor is used to monitor the level of air pressure inside the

bucket. The removal of air inside the bucket decreases the level of oxygen as

required by an anaerobic system. Motorized ball valve is incorporated for the

daily disposal of the Bokashi tea. The real time clock (RTC), included in the

project, tracks of the duration of fermentation of the biowaste inside the bucket.

The GSM Shield compatible with the microcontroller is employed to send SMS

message to the owner every 6pm when the system is in remote mode. The

Liquid Crystal Display is used in the manual mode to indicate the status of the

extraction of air and Bokashi tea from the bucket, the fermentation due date and

alert signal when air leak is present in the system. The buzzer is used to sound

20
off when there is air leak into the bucket. The Arduino Uno was utilized in the

project to monitor input parameters and drive the output devices based on preset

conditions.

The Smart Bokashi Bucket (SmartBoket) shall be situated preferably

indoors. If it is situated outdoors, the area must be shaded and protected from

any form of liquid that may leak into the bucket.

The supply is from an AC line source but a backup rechargeable battery

was employed in case of power outage. The specification of the battery depends

on the actual power requirements of the various components used in the

proposed project. This specification will be identified when the final design is in

place. The capacity of the bucket is more or less 19 liters which is the size of a

regular trashbin for a household.

The system cannot be able to correct errors or malfunctions on its own.

However, it could provide alert signal for a specific fault when there is air leak

into the bucket. Alert signal for other malfunctions in the system are no longer

supported.

CONSTRAINTS OF THE STUDY

The operation of the proposed project shall be limited to the following

restrictions:

21
SUSTAINABILITY CONSTRAINTS

The Smart Bokashi Bucket (SmartBoket) should support the Republic Act

9003 (Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000) mandating provision for

ecological solid waste management program. The proposed project should offer

alternative management of solid waste specifically biodegradable waste so that

this waste type may no longer be brought to landfills. However, the amount of

biodegrable waste that the proposed project could accommodate depending on

the size of the bucket that was available.

MANUFACTURABILITY CONSTRAINTS

The layout design and the production of the Smart Bokashi Bucket

(SmartBoket) should conform to the standard given by the Bureau of product

standards (BPS) that was formulated by the Philippine National Standards (PNS)

regarding electronic products. Electronic device design starts with the selection

of components, including the processor, meant for embedded circuitry. These

components typically support low power operation, low power modes. Designers

could make the reasonable trade-offs to shrink the area of circuitry while not

sacrificing performance. The device packaging design must utilize materials and

secure all components that enable the device to survive stresses such as

extreme temperatures, vibrations and shocks, moisture, and dust.

22
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRAINTS

When the Smart Bokashi Bucket (SmartBoket) fail it produces nitrous

oxide, ammonia, and hydrogen sulfide that causes the compost piles to stink; the

smell was a combination of the gasses mentioned. The ammonia not only smells

but also leaches out of the pile into the ground. Greenhouse gasses could be

produced only when the fermentation of the bokashi bucket fail. In order to

lessen the possibility for the bucket to fail, the automation process should be

successful. This should conform to the standards on “Philippine Clean Air Act of

1999” stated in Republic Act No. 8749, which aims to achieve and maintain clean

air that meets the National Air Quality guideline values for criteria pollutants,

throughout the Philippines while minimizing the possible associated impacts to

the economy.

SOCIAL CONSTRAINTS

The Smart Bokashi Bucket (SmartBoket) should conform to Republic Act

9003 specifically on Section 2 about people who stated the declaration of policies

on citizenry which promoted the product’s integration of ecological solid waste

management and resource conservation and recovery topics into the academic

curricula of formal and non-formal education that should be strengthen for the

promotion of environmental awareness and action among the citizens. The

SmartBoket should conform to the agenda of this Republic Act for non-formal

23
education which could be done through seminars for the constituents of

barangays that would integrate the strengthening of ecological solid waste

management during the seminar.

MARKETABILITY CONSTRAINTS

The marketing of the product Smart Bokashi Bucket (SmartBoket) would

met with several constraints, one of which was keen competition from other

products that did almost the same as the SmartBoket which were already in the

market. The researchers went through this constraint by adding the Smart

features, like the automation of extraction of tea and air to the finished product.

Moreover, this product would possibly result to a competitive and cost-effective

price. Another challenge with the marketability of the SmartBoket was that the

Bokashi fermentation and composting process is not a well-known way of

composting locally. Thus, people may not appreciate the device initially. In order

to provide substantial knowledge to recipients, the researchers would include a

brochure containing a discussion of pre-composting process with the use of the

Bokashi method with its advantages and disadvantages.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This Smart Bokashi Bucket (SmartBoket) helped solve the challenges with

regard to the management of biodegradable waste specially kitchen wastes in

areas where there is very limited space for biowaste disposal.

24
 The proposed project helped households turn their biowaste into another

useful item that they can be used in growing plants for sustainability. The

fermented biowaste from the Bokashi bucket can be mixed with soil, whether in

open space or in containers, to increase soil fertility. The Bokashi tea that is

extracted from the bucket may be used as fertilizer to plants or to clean drains

and de-clog pipes that are blocked.

The significance of Smart Bokashi Bucket (SmartBoket) can also extend to

the Barangay level to help local officials in managing their constituent’s

biodegradable wastes given that most barangays in Baguio city are having a

hard time disposing biodegradable waste. The bucket, though, will have to be

bigger in capacity compared to the 19 liters for households. The by-products of

the proposed project can be used in their community projects such as community

gardening.

Making this project gave the researchers a chance to apply their knowledge

in electronics in actual applications such as the SmartBoket. The researchers

gained awareness on how serious the problem on waste management is and be

able to contribute an alternative solution.

In addition to that, this project also met one of the Sustainable Development

Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations. SDGs are a set of goals that would help

in getting rid of poverty and hunger, and also help impede the effects of climate

change. The SmartBoket falls under the category of Responsible Consumption

and Production because this bucket aid users have control over their kitchen

25
waste and not add to the growing problem of garbage around the world. Apart

from that, they also have a compost product at the end of the whole process that

they can use in their own gardens or even sell it when they produce a large

volume of it.

In conclusion, this proposed project contributes to the management of the

growing volume of biowaste starting from the local perspective. The proposed

project gave the Local Government Units and especially urban residents another

option in disposing their kitchen wastes which is very necessary given the

problems brought about by the huge volume of biodegradable waste in a city.

OPERATIONAL AND THEORETICAL DEFINITION OF TERMS

Air Extraction

Air is removed from the bucket to ensure that oxygen is removed as it is

necessary for an anaerobic system. The removal of air is done with a vacuum

pump with a hose whose other end is prodded near the rim of the bucket so that

it will not be obscured by layers of biowaste and bran.

Alert Device

A buzzer is used to make the user aware of air leak in the bucket and

when the 2-week fermentation period is completed.

26
Biowaste

Biowaste are materials that may compose of kitchen scraps which are

biodegradable materials. It would be decomposed under anaerobic process.

(Friends of the earth, 2004)

Biowaste Bin

A container for collection and storage of biodegradable wastes.

Bokashi

Bokashi is the process of composting kitchen scraps of all kinds, including

meat and dairy products banned from aerobic systems. Bokashi originated from

Japan that means “fermented organic matter”. (Plane natural research center,

2014)

Bokashi Tea

Bokashi Tea refers to the juice of the biodegradable waste that would be

extracted through the ball valve. (Vanderlinden, 2019)

Bucket

A deep, cylindrical vessel, usually of metal, plastic, or wood, with a flat

bottom and a semicircular bail, for collecting, carrying, or holding water, sand,

fruit, etc. (Dictionary.com, n.d.)

Current Spike

A sudden increase in current flowing through the current sensor when the

vaccum pump has already removed almost all the air inside the bucket resulting

to very high pressure as well.

27
Daily Disposal of the Bokashi Tea

Removal of the Bokashi tea through a ball valve when the tea level has

reached a predetermined level on a daily basis.

Fermentation

Fermentation refers to an enzymatically controlled transformation of

an organic compound. (Merriam-Webster's collegiate dictionary, 1999)

High Tea level

A predetermined level of the Bokashi tea to be experimented on which is

needed to be attained on a daily basis in order to trigger the daily disposal of

Bokashi tea.

Keeping Track of the Duration of the Fermentation

A Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) will be used to update the user regarding

the period of fermentation of the biowaste inside the bucket and until the 2-week

fermentation period is completed.

Low tea level

A predetermined level of the Bokashi tea to be experimented on that is

needed to be attained in order to stop the disposal of Bokashi tea.

Manual Operation

A mode of operation of the project that the owner may select when he is

home and he able to monitor the state of the bucket from the attached Liquid

Crystal Display. In the manual mode, the GSM module is deactivated.

28
Monitor of the Amount of Air

A current sensor shall be attached in series with the vaccum pump to

monitor the current that runs through the motor. As the vacuum pump would

suck air from the bucket, pressure inside the bucket would increase and current

through the motor is also expected to increase. When air is almost out, the

maximum pressure would have been attained and maximum current would also

flow through the motor. This is very high current would present itself as loading

on the motor which will be the significant condition that the current sensor needs

to detect.

Monitor of the Amount of Tea

A non-contact level sensor shall be attached outside the bucket to monitor

whether the amount of tea inside the bucket is high or low.

Remote Operation

A mode of operation that the owner selects when he is away from home

and he is not able to monitor the state of the bucket from the attached Liquid

Crystal Display. The owner shall be able to monitor the bucket from his cellular

mobile screen in the form of an SMS message on a daily basis particularly at

6pm.

Remotely Inform the Owner

A GSM module shall be used to send SMS messages to the owner in

case he is away from home about the state of air and tea extraction. Whether or

not the procedures were successfully done or not, due date of fermentation and if

29
it already completed. Part of the SMS message will be alert information if air has

not been successfully extracted and if the 2-week fermentation period is already

completed.

Smart Device

A device that provides some level of automation and can be programmed

for some specific use. (Y. Malik, 2017)

Smart Bokashi Bucket

It is the apparatus that shall be designed and constructed by the

proponents which aims help in composting biodegradable waste of households.

This device will extract air in an hourly basis everyday to make sure that the

bucket is free from oxygen. The device will also extract Bokashi tea that would be

done electronically based on the level of the tea inside the bucket. It will also

keep track of the duration of fermentation and inform the user if extraction of air

and tea are successful or not.

SmartBoket

It is a brand name given to the apparatus that will be designed and

constructed by the proponents to help in the composting of biodegradable waste

of households. SmartBoket is short for Smart Bokashi Bucket.

30
 CHAPTER II

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

This chapter discusses the various research design as well as the

methodologies that shall be used to complete the proposed project.

RESEARCH DESIGN

The design and implementation of the project shall employ descriptive and

applied research methodology.

The descriptive research methodology has been used to gather

information on the background of the proposed project as well as on the basic

concepts and components necessary in the construction of the project.

Descriptive research has been accomplished through the conduct of research

from various literature and interviews with concerned government agencies and

barangay captains in Baguio regarding their current methods in managing

biowaste in the barangay. There was a need to conduct interview in the barangay

level so that the researchers will have a picture on what the current system of

biowaste management is in that barangay. Also, personnel from the General

Services Office (GSO) of the city of Baguio was interviewed to gather their

31
insights on the current management of biowaste. The researchers also

interviewed personnel

32
from the Irisan Dump Site in order to gather information on the existing

machineries for composting which are employed in that area. The researchers

also gathered important information on the capability of the capability of these

machines as to whether they could support the entire volume of biowaste of

Baguio City. An online research was also undertaken in order to find out if there

has been similar studies and the group found out that there is indeed one from

Laguna. The group were able to communicate with the researchers from Laguna

that resulted to a more unique coverage for this proposed project.

Applied research methodology shall be employed in the course of the

design, construction, and test of the proposed project. In particular, the Rapid

Application Development (RAD) approach has been used. The concept of rapid

application development (RAD) emphasizes the fast and iterative release of

prototypes and applications. Below are the following steps involved in Rapid

Application Development (RAD):

33
Figure 2. Rapid Application Development (RAD)

34
Analysis and Quick Design. This stage involved the researchers in

conceptualizing the project on how should it be constructed. The input and output

should be considered in terms of their relationship. The input for the proposed

project includes a selector switch for manual or remote operation. The air

extractor should be in the form of a vacuum pump which will operate for a

predetermined period until air is almost out from the bucket. Upon selection of

the mode of operation, the air extractor along with a current sensor initially

operated to test if the lid of the bucket is tightly closed. This test procedure

should be accomplished by the vacuum pump which extracts air for more or less

5 minutes for 3 successions.

If the lid is tightly closed, a loading condition should be indicated by a

sudden increase in the current after sometime of air extraction which is assumed

to be about less than 5 minutes.

19 Liters
=3.8 min
5 Liters /minute

≅ 4 minutes minimum∧is rounded up ¿5 minutes .

6 Watts 1hour 0.1Watt

x =
1 hour 60 minutes minute

0.1Watt 15 minutes 1.5 watts

x =
minute 1 hour hour

1.5 watts 24 hours 36 Watts

x =
hour day day

In this assumption the researchers have computed that the power

consumption of the Vacuum pump only was 36 Watts/day. But because of the

35
other parts of the SmartBoket like the buzzer, LCD, GSM, ball valve, current

sensor, level sensor and the Arduino Uno Microcontroller, the researchers

estimated an 80 watts/day power consumption of the whole system.

Power
Current=
Voltage

80 watts
Current= =6.667 Amperes
12 volts

In order for the system to work, the ampere hour rating of the battery must

be higher than the current computation. The system worked even though the

ampere hour rating of the battery is equal or slightly higher than the current. If the

lid is not tightly closed then there is a probability that no loading condition will be

indicated in the 3 successive sampling procedures. Once the system detects that

the lid is not tightly closed, air extraction is suspended and an alert signal is

generated. Every hour, thereafter, the vacuum pump and current sensor pair will

perform air extraction in the bucket. The researchers initially considered the 1-

hour interval for every extraction because of the assumption that for 1 hour there

would be a considerable amount of air build up especially when there is even a

small leak in the bucket. This initial consideration is yet to be tested, however, in

order to come up with a more practical schedule of air extraction if possible. Air

extraction shall also be conducted after every extraction of the Bokashi tea.

The determination of the presence of air inside the bucket shall depend on

the loading effect on the motor pump. The current through the motor should be

specifically monitored such that a sudden increase in it during extraction should

36
mean that air is almost out. A level sensor also used for the Bokashi tea so that

at certain specified level, the system should be able to drain the tea on a daily

basis. A Real Time Clock has been employed to generate continuous timing

requirements and to be able to keep track of the duration of fermentation of the

biowaste. An Arduino Uno microcontroller was used for the proposed project to

read from all input devices and drive the output devices. The extraction of the

Bokashi tea should be accomplished with the use of a motorized ball valve which

will close or open a pathway for the tea to drain depending on its level at the

catch chamber. The extraction of the Bokashi tea should end after a

predetermined period depending on the size of the bucket. Further

experimentation is still needed in order to determine this variable. Also, the

system should be design so that after every extraction of the Bokashi tea, the

vacuum pump has to extract air.

An external monitor in the form of a Liquid Crystal Display should

indicate if air has been successfully extracted, the tea has been drained,

fermentation due date and alert notice on the due date and when there is air leak

into the bucket. A buzzer should be included to sound off upon detection of air

leak into the bucket and when the fermentation process is completed. A GSM

module is also attached to the bucket for remote monitoring by the owner. An

SMS message on the successful extraction of air and draining of the tea,

fermentation due date and alert notice on the due date and when there is air leak

into the bucket should be sent the owner at 6pm each day for as long as the

37
system is in remote mode. The researchers chose 6 pm to send notification via

SMS when the system is in remote mode because at 6 pm, the owner would

most likely be past work schedule thus work interruption in the form of an SMS

message from the system may not likely to happen by this time.

When the bucket is finally filled, the lid is again replaced tightly and a

trigger switch is set to commence the monitor of the 2 weeks fermentation period.

And the bucket shall be stored in a cool place until the fermentation is completed.

When air leak is detected, the operation of the vacuum pump is suspended while

all others will operate as usual. A stop button is set when there is a need to fix

an error in the system and the same switch will be used to start normal operation

once again. Hardware requirements will adapt to the prescribed operation of the

project. Software requirements would follow the hardware requirements and

features. Block diagram of the system and initial circuit diagrams should be

completed at this stage.

Prototype Cycles. This stage already involves the actual construction of what

has been designed. Modifications on the circuit diagram are still likely to happen

quite often at this stage as new and better options may surface. The

construction of the project should adhere to set minimum hardware requirements.

With the hardware construction complete, program writing should commence.

Also, software and program considerations should adhere to the set minimum

software requirements.

38
Testing. Initial testing procedures should be undertaken for each module in the

Bokashi bucket. The vacuum pump module should be tested for its capacity to

pump air out of the bucket. A current sensor was tested to indicate loading of the

motor which corresponds to a state of minimum level of air in the bucket. The

motorized ball valve was tested for its timely opening and closing in the

extraction of the Bokashi tea. The level sensor should be tested to determine its

capability to sense the level of Bokashi tea settled at the bottom of the bucket.

The Arduino module should be tested for its capability to handle the number of

input and output peripherals. The Real-Time Clock (RTC) should be tested for

accurate time generation. The power supply was tested for its regulated output

voltage that will power up the system. The Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) was

tested for its ability to display successful extraction of air, the draining of tea,

fermentation due date and alert notice on the due date and when there is an air

leak in the system. The buzzer should be tested for its ability to alert the owner

in case of an air leak and when the fermentation period is completed and the

GSM module was tested for its communicating ability to a mobile phone.

The initial test procedures would impose additional modifications in the

circuit design or even with the physical layout of the SmartBoket. The objective of

this testing stage is to ensure that the project will function according to

expectations. Testing of all electrical and electronic parts has been done with

care and precaution to ensure the safety of the researchers.

39
Deployment. At this stage, the SmartBoket has been made available for use in

a household kitchen where it was purposely made for.

METHODOLOGY

Methodology is the determination of a group of processes or steps that may be

used to achieve a certain goal. In this methodology, the researchers have been

come up of ways on how to make the research be possible to achieve by

considering only one problem. The researchers cannot conduct actual

experiment due to enhanced community quarantine; instead, a comprehensive

online research was conducted. Moreover, the researchers considered

answering the second problem because of the availability of data.

Management Aspect

Management is essential for an organized life and necessary to run all

types of management. Good management is the backbone of successful

organizations. Management helps in acquiring group goals such as doing a

project study. It arranges the factors of production, assembles and organizes the

resources, efficiently integrates the resources to achieve goals. It directs group

efforts towards the achievement of pre-determined goals. Management

processes include planning, organizing, directing and controlling. An important

aspect of management’s function is the allocation of finite resources.

Management utilizes all the physical & human resources productively. This leads

40
to efficacy in management. Effective group work does not happen by accident, it

is a result of good group management and teamwork. Some of the steps to good

group management are having clear objectives, setting ground rules for the

members to follow, communicating with the group members properly and clearly,

and sticking to deadlines. These are essential when doing group activities and

projects. The management of this project was led by the group promoter. Every

week the promoter met the group to talk about what happened during the past

week concerning the project. Also, the group was assigned tasks and agendas

for the following week. The group leader delegated said tasks to the whole group

and gave them a submission date within that week to meet what was talked

about during their meeting with their promoter. The group treasurer also collected

a certain amount to each of the members weekly for safekeeping. The collection

was used for the group expenses while making the project.

Planning

Planning is essential in research to be able to manage resources well. It is

the stage where various approaches to problems are laid out in order to

determine the best possible solutions or answers. The researchers have actually

conducted initial interviews with certain barangays in Baguio in order to have an

overview on the current method of biowaste management in the barangay level.

The General Services Office (GSO) and the staff from Irisan dumpsite were also

interviewed in order to gain insight on how capable the city is in managing

41
biowaste citywide. Having gathered sufficient background for the proposed

project from these initial interviews and literature researches on how the Bokashi

method works and if there are similar studies already undertaken, the

researchers started laying out the essentials of this research.

The researchers identified several problems that the study focused on and

in this planning stage, methods on how each of the identified problems is going

to be laid out. To answer the first problem, the researchers referred to online and

printed resources. An inquiry from the researchers of a similar study was already

conducted in order to determine the novelty and deficiency of their project. To

answer the second question, extensive literature research was conducted in

order to come up with practical minimum hardware and software requirements for

the proposed project. To answer the third problem, research on the

microcontroller’s interface requirements and program scripts from both online

and printed resources was undertaken. The answer to the fourth problem was

based on the specifications of the devices or components used in accordance to

how the proposed project is supposed to operate. Finally, the answer to the last

problem was also based on the specifications of the components used and on

literature that specifies recommended set-up parameters for Bokashi pre-

composting.

Organizing

42
 Organizing is the function of management which follows planning. It is the

process of grouping activities and identifying the responsibilities and achieving

coordination among them. The team together with their promoter held meetings

for the discussion of the proposed project. The team determined the activities

needed to be done for the proposed project to be a success. By dividing the

activities to be done in order, the team created an efficient schedule for the

activities to be accomplished. This led to organized step by step activities that

lead to the attainment of the desired output of the research.

Leading

Every researcher of the group has his own area of expertise. The

researchers lead each other with their own expertise. The team leader divided all

of the work for the team and gave deadlines so that the team will accomplish the

work to give time for revisions. The promoter guided all members of the research

team making the team more efficient in doing the research. The promoter

ensured that each of the members of the team helps the others by giving tasks

that are handled by not just only one member but all of the members. The

promoter gave a fair amount of attention to the team as to guide them in the

project, but not too much as to letting the team be dependent on the promoter.

The promoter thoroughly watched how the team develops and make

improvements as they continue to progress on the research.

43
Controlling

The group met with the promoter on a regular basis for updates and

distribution of a new set of work assignment. The promoter made sure that the

team does not deviate from the research topic. The promoter seen to it that the

group is able to meet the target goals in terms of output and duration. The

promoter with the help of the group leader seen to it that every member of the

group does his part in the completion of the research.

44
A. Team Management

Delegation of Task

The table below presents the task accomplished by each member of the

group. The activities are for the manuscript of the project proposal.

45
Table 1. Delegation of Task
NAME
BORROMEO, JAN KARLO T.
NOE, CARLO R.
PARAJAS, NATHANIEL I.
TOLENTINO, JONATHAN C.
UNGOS, RHODNEY T.
TACLAOAN, LEMOREE ANNE F.
TUMULAK, ANGELICA E.
ACTIVITY
 Conducted interviews
 Did the RRL for the operation of the bucket
 Did the Leading and Controlling on Methodology
 Did the Conceptual and Theoretical Framework,
Constraints of the Study, Definition of Terms,
RRL on the operation of the project and
Revisions on Background of the Study
 Conducted interview at Irisan and GSO
 Transcribed the interview on Scout Barrio,
Irisan, and EMB.
 Did the Planning on Methodology, RRL on
Testing, and Constraints of the Study
 Arranged the Powerpoint Presentation
 Conducted interview at Irisan and GSO
 Transcribed the interview on Irisan
 Did the Conceptual and Theoretical Framework,
RRL on testing, Constraints of the Study and
Revisions on Background of the Study
 Conducted interview at Irisan and GSO
 Did parts on the Constraints of the Study,
Analysis and Quick Design, RRL on hardware
requirements, Model of the Bucket, and
Revisions on the Background of the Study.
 Conducted interview at Irisan and GSO
 Conducted interview at GSO
 Did revisions on the Background of the Study,
Research Design, RRL on hardware,
Constraints of the Study, and Process Flowchart
 Conducted interview at Irisan, GSO, and Scout
Barrio
 Did revisions on the Background of the Study,
Multidisciplinary, Paradigm of the Projetct, RRL
on programming and Maintenace prcedures
 Arranged the Powerpoint Presentation
 Conducted interview at Irisan and GSO
 Did the RRL for the operation of the bucket,
Constraints of the Study, Methodology, revisions
of the Background of the Study, Chronogram of
Activities and Team Management, Overview of
the Project and Conceptual and Theoretical
Framework
 Arranged and Compiled the Manuscript
46
 WAGE, ROZEL M.  Conducted interview at EMD
 Did revisions on the Background of the Study,
Prototype Cyles of Research Design, RRL How
the Microcontroller be programmed for the
project, parts on the Constraints of the Study,
Completed the Scope and Delimitations of the
Project

Multidisciplinary

Projects usually involve several areas of discipline. As for the

SmartBoket, the researchers needed the help of Chemical Engineers in verifying

the chemical composition of the Bokashi tea that provides nutrition to plants, the

chemical components of the pre-composted biowaste that provides nutrition to

the soil and that of biowaste and other possible considerations that may later on

arise. Help is also needed from Agriculturists for the proper management of the

fermented soil and for production of commercial grade compost. Entreprenueral

support may also essential in order to come up a market competitive compost

and, of course, the SmartBoket itself.

B. TIME MANAGEMENT

Chronogram of Proposed Activities

The table below shows the lists of activities that are done and will be done

from the month of August to December 2019. These activities are all in

preparation for the proposal defense for the project. The actual construction

of the project will be continued from the month of January to May 2020.

47
Table 2. Chronogram of Proposed Activities

ACTIVITIES MONTH

OCT

DEC

JAN

MAR
SEP

NOV

FEB

MAY
AUG

APR
A. Finalization of research groups X X
lecture on research, approval of project
topic
B. Preparation of research proposal X
1. Literature review, preliminary X
interviews, needs assessment
2. Writing of the introduction (problem X
objective/s research questions,
significance, etc.)
3. Writing of the methods section (with X
identified research design, preliminary
overview of operation of the proposed
project, preliminary block diagram)
4. Identification of minimum X
hardware/software requirements,
preliminary design of circuits/modules
needed)
5. Finalization of proposal and defense X
proposal
6. Incorporation of suggestions/ X
recommendations
C. Project Design and Construction
1. Finalization of block diagram, circuit X
design of modules
2. Procurement of electronic X
components, construction of modules
D. Testing/Troubleshooting of modules
1. Testing individual modules according X
to specifications
2. Interfacing of modules, X
testing/troubleshooting to complete
project, recording of results
E. Preparation of final report/output
1. Writing the manuscript X
2. Editing X
3. Presentation and oral defense X
4. Revisions X

48
C. SCHEDULE OF OUTPUTS

Table 3 shows the outputs to be completed for every activity along with

the submission dates. The aim of this is to endure proper time management so

that the proposed project will be completed within the allotted time frame.

Table 3. Schedule of Outputs

Activity Outputs to be Submitted Deadline

First meeting with the  Individual researches on Bokashi Bucket August 24,
promoter  Proposed title for the project 2019
Sharing of knowledge on  Research on August 31,
bokashi bucket &  Maximum level of oxygen per length and size 2019
Discussion on how to  Extracting oxygen
automate the bucket  Bokashi tea
 Past Researches on Bokashi
Further discussion on  Research on September 7,
Bokashi Bucket  Correlation of oxygen and methane 2019
 Duration of aeration
 Interview
 General Services Office
 Environmental Management Bureau
Reported to the promoter  Research on September
the result of the interviews  Concept of vacuum sealer 14, 2019
 Crib Composting
 Methane and Oxygen
 Start the write up on Background of the Study
Discussed the Background  Revision of the Background of the Study September
of the Study  Interview 28, 2019
Discussed the Background  Revision of the Background of the Study October 5,
of the Study  Interview 2019
 Head Barangay of Philippine Military
Academy
 Operation Supervisor of Irisan Dumpsite
Discussed the Background  Revision of the Background of the Study October 12,
of the Study and the  Interview 2019
Statement of the Problem  Head Barangay of Scout Barrio
 Operation Supervisor of Irisan Dumpsite
Discussed the Background  Revision of the Background of the Study October 19,
of the Study  Start the write up for Chapters I, II, and III 2019
 Transcribe the interviews
Discussed Chapters I, II  Revision November 2,
and III 2019
Discussed revisions on  Revision November 12,
Chapters I,II, and III 2019
Discused initial plans for
the project defense
Discused plans for the  Final revisions November 16,
project defense 2019

49
Overview of the Operation of the Smart Bokashi Bucket (SmartBoket):

Biowaste Bin with Air and Tea Monitoring and Extraction and Remote

Notification

The SmartBoket operates in two modes, namely, manual mode and

remote mode. The difference between the manual mode and the remote mode is

on the display monitor and the alert device to be used. The manual mode will

make use of an LCD which is attached to the bucket for the presentation of

designated variables, whereas, the remote mode makes use of mobile cellular

screen to display the same variables. An additional alert device in the form of a

buzzer is added to the bucket for the manual mode. Alert signal for the remote

mode is displayed on the cellular mobile screen.

To start operation, biowaste needs to be deposited into the bucket.

However, it is necessary to initially spread Bokashi bran whose amount should

be enough to cover the surface of the screen support. The Bokashi bran is

responsible for the introduction of desirable bacteria during fermentation. The

bran will be followed by about 2 inches of biowaste regardless of the diameter

and then followed by a layer of bran again, and the process repeats until all

biowaste in a given batch is deposited into the bucket or until the bucket is filled

with biowaste. It is important to note that when the bucket is already filled or even

when it is not yet full such that a succeeding batch may follow, the top layer

should always be a layer of the bran prior to the replacement of the lid. It is

50
suggested that the loading of biowaste into the bucket would be done in bulk

volume in order to minimize the opening of the lid.

After every deposit of biowaste into the bucket, the lid must be replaced

tightly to prevent air from entering. Air inside the bucket will disrupt the normal

process of fermentation and may produce the presence of undesirable bacteria

instead of the desirable ones.

Once the lid is replaced, a selector switch for the manual or the remote

mode must be set. In the manual mode, the vacuum pump will start to extract air

for 5 minutes. A sudden increase in the current as detected by the current

sensor will mean that there is loading effect in the motor and that air is almost out

from the bucket, thus the lid must be tightly sealed. If there is no sudden

increase in the current, air extraction will continue for the next 5 minutes and then

repeats for another 5 minutes. If there is no sudden increase in the current for

the entire 15-minute duration, the system stops air extraction and an alert signal

is generated. Air extraction shall happen every hour and in case the cause of the

malfunction was determined and resolved, a Start button will commence normal

operation once again. In case there is an air leak into the bucket, only the

operation of the vacuum pump will be suspended, all other parts of the system

shall continue to operate. A stop button was set when there is a need to fix an

error in the system or during maintenance procedures and the same switch will

be used to start normal operation once again.

51
 Having successfully extracted air from the bucket, the system will

subsequently extract the Bokashi tea which is deposited at the bottom of the

bucket just under the screen support. The screen support could be a plastic or

stainless material with small holes in it so that tea may drain through while at the

same time supporting the entire layer of bran and biowaste on top.

A non-contact level sensor was attached to the bucket from the outside.

The non-contact level sensor was necessary in order to avoid corrosion of its

metallic parts since the Bokashi tea is basically acidic. The setting of the valid

level for detection must be a bit lower in order to ensure that this level will

definitely be attained everyday since it is necessary to remove the tea everyday,

otherwise it will serve as the source of undesirable bacteria and foul odor. A ball

valve was also used to drain the tea. This valve will open when the valid level for

extraction is achieved and closes after a predetermined period. The exact time

of closure of the ball valve cannot yet be determined as it is depedent on the size

of the bucket. This will be identified specifically after experimentation. The

Bokashi tea that will be drained shall be deposited to a sealed container in order

to contain its foul odor.

A Liquid Crystal Display was also attached to the bucket to display if air

extraction is successful or not, if Bokashi tea extraction is successful or not, the

fermentation due date, an alert signal if fermentation is already due, and an alert

signal if there is some error in the set-up such as when air is never depleted

which could mean that the lid is not sealed.

52
 A buzzer was included which will sound off when the fermentation is due

or when there is error in the set-up.

Once the bucket is filled with biowaste, the lid should again be sealed

tightly and a switch is set to start the timing for fermentation. It should take 2

weeks to fully ferment the biowaste in the bucket. The microcontroller must be

able to monitor this duration from the time that the switch to trigger fermentation

was set. Within the two weeks period, the bucket must never be opened and it

must be stored in a cool place. Also, during the fermentation period, both air and

tea extraction shall still be undertaken. The display of the aforementioned

variables on the LCD shall still continue and alarm device will still be in active

mode.

With the remote mode of operation, the same process wll follow except

that the operation of the LCD and buzzer shall be suspended. The information

on the state of extraction of both air and tea, the fermentation due date, the alert

signal if fermentation is already due and the alert signal if there is air leak into the

bucket shall be displayed on the cellular mobile screen. This information shall be

sent by the system in the form of an SMS message via the GSM module to the

owner at 6pm each day for as long as the system is in the remote mode.

With the fermentation process completed, the owner can already mix the

fermented biowaste with soil. The Bokashi tea is mixed with water and may be

used as organic fertilizer for plants. The bokashi bucket can then be reused for

the next batch of biowaste.

53
Perspective of the Smart Bokashi Bucket (SmartBoket): Biowaste Bin with

Air and Tea Monitoring and Extraction and Remote Notification

Figure 3.

Model of the Smart Bokashi Bucket (SmartBoket): Biowaste Bin with Air

and Tea

Monitoring and Extraction and Remote Notification

54
 Figure 4. Layering of Biowaste Inside the SmartBoket

Figure 3 shows the model of the SmartBoket which will start as an empty

bucket. A screen support was installed from the bottom of the bucket with a given

clearance. The clearance will serve as a catch chamber for the Bokashi tea that

is produced during fermentation. This chamber contains the motorized ball valve

to drain the tea, whereas a non-contact level sensor was installed in the region of

the catch chamber but on the outside of the bucket. A non-contact level sensor

was used in order to prevent corrosion of the metallic parts of the sensor. The

vacuum pump hose was installed at the upper portion of the bucket close to the

lid and on the same side as the microcontroller module. The current sensor has

been integrated to the vacuum pump. The microcontroller and its GSM shield,

the LCD and the buzzer shall all comprise the control module and it is outside of

the bucket on the same side as the vacuum pump. This orientation will allow

tilting of the bucket for discard of the biowaste on just one side opposite the

location of the electronic modules. A toggle switch for the selection of mode of

operation and a Reset button to commence normal operation following a

malfunction was both included in the control module.

Figure 4 demonstrates the layering of the Bokashi bran and the biowaste.

The surface of the screen support must initially be covered with Bokashi bran

prior to depositing the first layer of biowaste which is about 2 inches regardless of

the bucket diameter. On top of the biowaste will be another layer of bran and the

process repeats until all biowaste in a given batch is deposited into the bucket or

55
until the bucket is filled with biowaste. It is important to note that when the bucket

is already filled or even when it is not yet full such that a succeeding batch may

follow, the top layer should always be a layer of the bran prior to the replacement

of the lid. It is suggested that the loading of biowaste into the bucket would be

done in bulk volume in order to minimize the opening of the lid.

PRELIMINARY BLOCK DIAGRAM

Figure 5 is an illustration of the preliminary block diagram. The input

components needed are the current sensor, the non-contact level sensor, the

fermentation switch the selector switch, the Stop button and the Arduino Real

Time Clock (RTC). The Arduino microcontroller will read from the input

elements and correspondingly drive the output elements. The output shall

comprise of a motorized ball valve, vacuum pump, GSM Shield, Buzzer, and

Liquid Crystal Display.

56
 INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

Selector Switch
Motorized Ball Valve

Non-contact
Level sensor
Vacuum Pump
(Check Valves)
Microco
RTC
(DS1302 Module) ntroller
(Arduino
GSM Shield
UNO) (Sim800L Module Gsm)

Stop Button
LCD I2C
Fermentation Switch
Buzzer
(Piezo Buzzer)

Current Sensor

Figure 5. Preliminary Block Diagram of the SMART BOKASHI BUCKET

(SmartBoket): Biowaste Bin with Air and Tea Monitoring and Extraction and

Remote Notification

DESCRIPTION OF EACH BLOCK

INPUTS

Non-contact Level Sensor

57
 This is a device that will be used for the monitor of the level of the

Bokashi tea from outside of the bucket.

Arduino Real Time Clock (RTC)

This is a device that keeps track of the current time and that can be

used in order to program actions at a certain time. This device will be used

for the timing requirements in monitoring of the fermentation due date, the

daily disposal of the of the Bokashi tea as well as in the daily SMS update

to the owner when in remote mode.

Current sensor

This is a device that detects the sudden increase in the current

through the vacuum pump motor which is an indication that there is

minimal air in the bucket.

Fermentation Switch

This is a switch that will commence the start of the 2-week

fermentation process monitored by the microcontroller.

Start/Stop Switch

This switch will be used to start normal operation of the system or

to stop its operation for maintenance purposes.

Selector Switch

This switch will be used to set the operation of the bucket to manual

or remote mode.

58
PROCESS

Microcontroller

An Arduino Uno will be used which has 20 I/O terminals that could

sufficiently support the number of input and output peripherals of the

proposed project.

OUTPUT

Motorized Ball Valve

A motorized ball valve is a shut-off valve that controls the flow

of liquids. This device will be used for the disposal of the Bokashi tea.

Vacuum pump

This is a device that will be used in the proposed project to extract

air from the bucket.

GSM Shield

This is an Arduino-compatible communication module that sends

SMS messages between cell phones, or from a PC or handheld to a cell

phone. This will be used to update the owner of the status of the bucket at

remote operation.

Buzzer

59
 This is an audio device that makes a buzzing or beeping

sound. This device will operate as an alarm to alert the owner when

fermentation is already completed or when malfunctions or errors are

present in the system.

Liquid Crystal Display

A device which displays the information on a screen, it uses liquid

crystals that become visible when electricity is passed through them

(Collins Dictionary). This will be used to indicate if air extraction is

successful or not, if Bokashi tea extraction is successful or not, the

fermentation due date, an alert signal if fermentation is already due, and

an alert signal if there is air leak into the bucket.

60
PROCESS FLOWCHART

61
 Figur

e 6. Process Flow chart of the Smart Bokashi Bucket (SmartBoket): Biowaste

Bin with Air and Tea Monitoring and Extraction and Remote Notification

62
At the start, the user will choose between manual mode and remote mode. In

manual mode, the LCD, buzzer, level sensor, is activated and the GSM module

is deactivated while in remote mode, LCD and buzzer are the ones that is

deactivated and the other modules are activated. In either of the two modes of

operation, the system will initialize C1 which is counter that determines whether

there is an air leak in the bucket or not. It counts up to three before the

microcontroller recognizes it as an air leak. The initialized counter C1 will be

used for air extraction to zero and will start both the one hour and five minute

monitoring from the RTC.

After the initializations, the pump will start extracting air as and will only

stop if there is a current spike or the value of counter C1 is equal to three. As the

pump starts extracting air, the five minute timer is counting down. After the

countdown, the value of the counter C1 will be incremented by 1. This process

will repeat until there is a current spike or counter C1 reaches a value of three. If

C1 does reach the value of three, this means that there is an air leak in the

bucket. The system will now determine what mode is the SmartBoket on. If it is

manual mode, the buzzer will turn on and the LCD will display a warning about

the air leak to inform the owner. The system will now check if the stop button is

pressed. If the said button is pressed, which means the owner knows now that

there is an air leak and is doing something about it, the system will stop all

operations for maintenance. If the button is not pressed, the vacuum pump will

be deactivated. If the bucket is in remote mode, the vacuum pump will be

63
deactivated immediately. In the case of a current spike before C1 reaches the

value of 3, the vacuum pump will also deactivate because there is no more air

inside the bucket to be pumped out.

Next, the microcontroller will check on the level of the Bokashi tea. If the

tea level is low, the system will check if there is an air leak by looking into the

value of counter C1. If the value of C1 is three, the system will check the tea level

repeatedly until the level becomes high. In the case of C1 is less than three,

there is no air leak and the LCD will display the state of the air and tea extraction

as well as the number of air and tea extractions done during the whole cycle and

also the fermentation due date if available. If the tea level is high, the ball valve

will drain the tea until it reaches the low level sensor.

After the draining of tea, the system will again look into the current mode

of operation of the SmartBoket. If it is manual mode and there is no air leak, C1

is less than three, the LCD will display the state of the air and tea extraction as

well as the number of air and tea extractions done and also the fermentation due

date if available. If it is remote mode, the system will check the time from the

RTC and if it is Six o’clock pm, the system will again look into the value of

counter C1. If C1 is equal to three, the Arduino will send a Warning SMS to the

owner through the GSM module informing the owner about the air leak, and the

information about the extraction of tea and also the fermentation due date if

available. If C1 is not equal to three, the Arduino will send a Success SMS to the

owner about the state of the air and tea extraction as well as the number of air

64
and tea extractions done and also the fermentation due date if available. After

the warning SMS has been sent, the system will now check if the stop button is

pressed. If the said button is pressed, which means the owner knows now that

there is an air leak and is doing something about it, the system will stop all

operations for maintenance. In the case of the button being not pressed, the

system will return to checking the volume of the tea because there is still an air

leak that has not been solved yet. If the time from the RTC is not at Six o’clock

pm, the system will check on the timer of one hour from the initialization done at

the start.

After the step of LCD displaying various information about the operation of

the bucket with no extraction failure, and also after the Arduino had sent a

Success SMS, the system will check on the status of the one hour timer from the

initialization done at the start. If one hour has passed, another round of air

extraction will happen and the process mentioned above will be repeated.

If the one hour timer is not yet reached, the system will now check on the

status of the bucket in terms of fullness. The bucket is read as full by the system

if the trigger switch is on. If the bucket is not yet full the LCD will display the state

of the air and tea extraction as well as the number of air extractions done and

also the fermentation due date if available, after the LCD has displayed the said

information, the system will go back to start. If the bucket is full, the arduino

microcontroller will start monitoring two weeks from the time that the trigger

switch is activated. From that point on, the system will now detect if there is an

65
ongoing timer for two weeks to avoid resetting the current two week countdown.

Once the two weeks is reached, the LCD will display the state of the air and tea

extraction as well as the number of air extractions done and also that the

fermentation is now complete. After the LCD has displayed the said information,

the bucket will stop all operations to give way for the unloading of biowaste and

cleaning of the bucket in preparation for the next batch then it will return to start.

66
PROGRAM FLOWCHART

67
Figure 7. Program Flow chart of the Smart Bokashi Bucket (SmartBoket):

Biowaste Bin with Air and Tea Monitoring and Extraction and Remote Notification

The program of the SmartBoket is divided into two main programs: one for

when the user is near (manual) and the other for when the user is far (remote).

When the bucket is in manual mode, all operations done is displayed in the LCD.

When the bucket is in remote mode, all operations done are sent to the user via

GSM module once a day. Same set of operations is done through both.

68
 The set of operations for both modes is further subdivided into two types:

the bucket is “full” and the bucket is “not full”. For the bucket is “not full”,

First the mode of operation is chosen by a means of a switch. Next the

vacuum automatically starts extracting the air when it does not detect an air leak.

When it detects an air leak, it proceeds to check the tea level as extraction of air

will not be effective. When it has started extracting the air, the microcontroller

monitors the time. When five minutes has gone by and the current is still low, it

continues to suck out the air. When the five-minute extraction has been repeated

three times and the current is still low, the vacuum pump stops extracting the air

and proceeds to notify the user of the malfunction by displaying it in the lcd and

turning on the buzzer in the manual mode. When the mode is on remote, it waits

until six in the evening before notifying the user through sms. If the current is

high, the vacuum pump stops sucking the air, stores in a variable the number of

extractions done, and proceeds to the checking of the tea level. When the tea

level is low, the microcontroller proceeds to checking the RTC if one hour has

passed since the last air extraction. When the tea level is high, it opens the valve

for tea extraction and stores in a variable the number of times of tea extractions.

If the tea level is not low, it continues to open the valve until the level sensor

detects a low amout of tea. After that it closes the valve and checks the RTC if

one hour has passed since the last extraction of air. If one hour have passed, it

goes back to extracting air. If one hour have not passed, it checks the status of

the bucket whether it is full or not. When the bucket is not full, in the manual

69
mode, it displays in the LCD the number of air extractions and tea extractions if

the it does not detect air leak and goes back to choosing a mode of operation.

When it detects an air leak, it displays a failed air extraction and the number of

tea extracions and goes back to choosing a mode of operation. In the remote

mode, it checks if it is six already six in the evening. If it is six in the evening,

when the bucket has no air leak, the user is notified on the number of air

extractions and tea extractions and then goes back to and goes back to choosing

a mode of operation. When the bucket has air leak, it notifies the user on that air

extraction has failed and shows the number of tea extractions and then goes

back to and goes back to choosing a mode of operation. When the bucket is full,

it checks the RTC if 2 weeks has passed since triggering the “full” switch. If two

weeks have not passed, the bucket does the same as that when the bucket is not

full. When the two weeks have passed, the LCD displays that the fermentation is

complete in the manual mode. In the remote mode, the GSM notifies the user

that fermentation is complete.

When error is detected, stop button is pushed to reset all functions and the

whole process starts again from the beginning.

D. BUDGET MANAGEMENT

Bill of Materials

The table below shows the lists of components needed for the proposed

project. It also shows the projected cost taken cost taken from local suppliers.

70
Table 4. Breakdown of Costs

QUANTITY ITEM UNIT TOTAL COST SOURCE

COST
1 Arduino Uno Microcontroller P399 P399 Layad Circuits
1 LCD I2C 20x4 P350 P350 Shopee
2 Rechargeable Battery P40 P80 Shopee

12VDC)
1 Ball Valve P850 P850 Shopee
1 Sim800L Module Gsm with P763 P763 Lazada

shield
1 Vacuum Pump P110 P110 Shopee
1 Regulated Power Supply P176 P176 Lazada
1 Current Sensor P250 P250 Layad Circuits
2 Non-contact Level Sensor P250 P500 Lazada
1 Buzzer P95 P95 Lazada
10m Wires P10 P100 Protown
1 Casing P100 P100 Lazada
1 19 Liter Bucket P100 P100 Lazada
4m 4mmx2.5mm Pneumatic P70 P70 Shopee

Polyurethane Air Hose Tube

1 Reset switch P20 P20 Protown
2 Selector Switch P30 P60 Protown
P4023

71
 CHAPTER III

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter discusses the different literatures that helped in the

construction of the Smart Bokashi Bucket (SmartBoket): Biowaste Bin with Air

and Tea Monitoring and Extraction and Remote Notification. This contains the

basics of design from other research topics and their relevance to the project

study.

Operation of the Smart Bokashi Bucket (SmartBoket): Biowaste Bin with

Air and Tea Monitoring and Extraction and Remote Notification

a. Extraction of Air in the Bucket

The main process of the bokashi composting is

the fermentation. For this to happen, minimal oxygen or

no oxygen (if possible) is required.

Fig. 8 is a photo of a check valve. The check valve

working principle is based on allowing flow in one

Fig. 8. Check Valve direction and automatically preventing flow in the

reverse direction. Check valves are one of the only

valves that are completely

72
self-automated and do not require human interaction to manually cycle them. The

construction of a check valve is normally quite simple including components such

as a body, seat, disc and cover. These valves are

flow sensitive and depend on media to open and

close the seat. The internal disk allows media to

flow forwards, which forces the valve to open. The

flow is then reversed, closing the valve. Fig. 9. Vacuum pump

Fig. 9 shows a vacuum pump that removes

the air from an enclosed system by suction to progressively decrease the air

density within the confined space so that vacuum is created. It evacuates the air

contained within a system due to which the mechanical input energy of a rotating

shaft is converted into pneumatic energy.

RESEARCHERS’ NOTE:

From the processes that the vacuum pump and the check valve offer, both

are suited for the SmartBoket but the researchers used a vacuum pump for its

operation which is more suitable to the project. Vacuum pump is more suitable

than check valve because it is designed to extract air out of a container.

b. Monitor of Air in the Bucket

Fig. 10 shows a Barometric pressure sensor which

measures the absolute pressure of the air around them.

This pressure varies with both the weather and altitude.

It measures the absolute pressure of the air around it. It

Fig. 10. Barometric
pressure sensor

73
 has a measuring range from 300 to 1100hPa with accuracy down to 0.02 hPa.

It can also measure altitude and temperature. Depending on how the data is

interpreted, changes in the weather can be monitored, altitude measurement, or

any other tasks that require an accurate pressure reading.

Fig. 11 shows a current sensor which is a

device that detects electric current in a wire and

generates a signal proportional to that current. This

serves as an air sensor by measuring the current

taken by a motor. A high amount of current will be Fig. 11. Current

Sensor
drawn to the motor when air is not present in the

system.

RESEARCHERS’ NOTE:

The researchers used the current sensor for monitoring the air inside the

bucket because it is more appropriate for the proposed project than the

barometric pressure.

c. Disposal of Bokashi Tea

Bokashi tea is known to have a great importance as it

is said to be full of nutrients. It is accumulated at the bottom

of the bokashi bucket as the process of fermentation occurs

inside the bokashi. However, when this tea is left inside the

bucket, it starts to smell. Therefore, it is adviced to dispose

the tea out of the bucket once in a while.

Fig12.Solenoid Valve

74
Fig. 12 shows a solenoid valve which is known as an electromechanical

controlled valve. The valve features a solenoid, which is an electric coil with a

movable ferromagnetic core in its center. This core is called the plunger. In rest

position, the plunger closes off a small orifice. An electric current through the coil

creates a magnetic field. The magnetic field exerts a force on the plunger. As a

result, the plunger is pulled toward the center of the coil so that the orifice opens.

This is the basic principle that is used to open and close solenoid valves.

Fig. 13 shows Gate valves work by inserting a

rectangular gate or wedge into the path of a flowing fluid.

They are operated by a threaded stem which connects

the actuator (generally a hand wheel or motor) to the

stem of the gate. It is generally used to completely shut

off fluid flow or, in the fully open position, provide full flow
Fig13.Gate Valve
in a pipeline. Thus it is used either in the fully closed or

fully open positions.

Fig. 14 shows a Stainless ball valve which is a shut-

off valve that controls the flow of a liquid or gas by

means of a rotary ball having a bore. By rotating the

ball a quarter turn (90 degrees) around its axis, the

medium flows through or is blocked. They are

Fig 14. Ball Valve characterized by a long service life and provide a

75
reliable sealing over the life span, even when the valve is not in use for a long

time.

RESEARCHERS’ NOTE:

Researchers chose to use a stainless ball valve as it is more appropriate

for the project. Stainless Ball Valves are used for corrosive media and aggressive

environments that is why it is more suitable because it handles the acidic nature

of bokashi tea. Also, the ball valves are better at avoiding leakage as it seals

much tighter and does not require pressure to operate.

d) Tracking the Duration of the Fermentation Process of the Biowaste

The process of the bokashi bucket is simple. Place food scraps in the pail

and sprinkle bokashi bran on top. Squish it down tight to get the air out. Close the

lid. The method will repeat until the bucket is full. After a few weeks, when the

pail is full, contents of the bucket must be taken outside, and use it as a compost.

Fig. 15 shows OpenCV (Open Source Computer

Vision Library) which is an open source computer vision

and machine learning software library. OpenCV was built to

provide a common infrastructure for computer vision

applications and to accelerate the use of machine

Fig 15.Open CV
perception in the commercial products. It has C++, Python, logo

76
Java and MATLAB interfaces and supports Windows, Linux, Android and Mac

OS.

The library has more than 2500 optimized algorithms, which includes a

comprehensive set of both classic and state-of-the-art computer vision and

machine learning algorithms. These algorithms are used to detect and recognize

faces, identify objects, classify human actions in videos, track camera

movements, track moving objects, extract 3D models of objects, produce 3D

point clouds from stereo cameras, stitch images together to produce a high

resolution image of an entire scene, find similar images from an image database,

remove red eyes from images taken using flash, follow eye movements,

recognize scenery and establish markers to overlay it with augmented reality,

etc. Moreover, it can be installed in a computer device in order to view the picture

and analog count of a certain color detected.

Fig. 16 shows An RTC or Real Time

Clock which is a Timekeeping device,

usually in the form of an Integrated Circuit

(IC). An RTC is battery powered and

Fig. 16. Real Time Clock keeps track of the current time even when

there is no power. Real Time Clock ICs are

present in computers, servers, and many embedded systems and in fact they are

used wherever it is required to keep an accurate time.

77
 A real-time clock is a clock that keeps track of the current time and that

can be used in order to program actions at a certain time. RTC can continue to

operate in any sleep mode, so it can be used to wake up the device from sleep

modes in a programmed way. Every time the board is powered, the RTC resets

and starts from a standard date. To keep the time and the RTC running it is

necessary to keep the board powered. A button sized lithium battery or any

battery in the 3V range, connected through a diode to the 3.3V pin, is enough to

keep RTC alive if the CPU is put in sleep mode before the standard USB or VIN

power is disconnected. RTC module is compatible with Arduino microcontroller.

RESEARCHERS’ NOTE:

The researchers used a Real Time Clock (RTC). RTC is cheaper than an

OpenCV which needs a camera for monitoring.

e) Alert Devices for Fermentation Due Date and in case of Air Leak in the

System

Bokashi Bucket is required to sit sealed and undisturbed for a minimum of

2 weeks. Within those weeks, bokashi bucket may encounter problems; one

example is failure to properly close the lid that results to air entering the bucket.

Fig. 17 shows Piezo buzzers which are simple devices that can generate

basic beeps and tones. They work by using a piezo crystal,

a special material that changes shape when voltage is

applied to it. If the crystal pushes against a diaphragm, like

Fig 17.Buzzer

78
a tiny speaker cone, it generates a pressure wave that the human ear picks up

as sound.

Figure 18 shows a Light-Emitting Diode (LED)

which is an electronic device that emits light when an

electrical current is passed through it. LEDs are

commonly used for indicator lights (such as power

Fig 18.Light Emitting on/off lights) on electronic devices. The energy

Diodes efficient nature of LEDs allows them to produce

brighter light than other types of bulbs while using less

energy.

RESEARCHERS’ NOTE:

The researchers used a Piezo buzzer because audio alarms are more

noticeable compared with visual alarms like LED.

f) Remote Messaging on the Status of the System

SMS stands for short message service. Simply put, it is a method of

communication that sends text between cell phones, or from a PC or handheld to

a cell phone. It is non-real-time text messaging. Mobile phone allows small

message window where text messages are being typed and transmitted to select

one or multiple recipients. The messages can typically be up to 160 characters in

length. SMS was originally created for phones that use GSM (Global System for

Mobile) communication, but now all the major cell phone systems support it.

79
 Wi-Fi is a popular wireless networking technology. Wi-Fi stands for

“wireless fidelity”. By this technology, information exchange between two or more

devices happens. Wi-Fi has been developed for mobile computing devices, such

as laptops, but it is now extensively used for mobile applications and consumer

electronics like televisions, DVD players and digital cameras. There are two

possibilities in communicating with the Wi-Fi connection; that may be through

access point to the client connection or client to client connection. Wi-Fi is a one

type of wireless technology. It is commonly called as wireless LAN (local area

network). Wi-Fi allows local area networks to operate without cable and wiring.

RESEARCHERS’ NOTE:

The researchers used SMS for remote messaging on the status of the

bucket because it is more readily available.

Hardware requirements for the Smart Bokashi Bucket (SmartBoket):

Biowaste Bin with Air and Tea Monitoring and Extraction and Remote

Notification

THE AIR SENSOR

The current sensor (ACS712) Module uses the famous ACS712 IC to

measure current by the Hall Effect principle. The module gets its name from the

IC (ACS712) used in the module, so for the final products the IC was used

directly instead of the module.

80
 Measuring voltages (DC Voltages) with Arduino is very easy. If the

requirement is to measure less than or equal to 5V, then it can directly measure

using the Arduino Analog Pins. When it comes to measuring current, Arduino

needs assistance from a dedicated Current Sensor. So, an interfaced ACS712

Current Sensor with Arduino helped the researchers in measuring current with

the help of Arduino. As ACS712 can be used for measuring either AC or DC

currents, Arduino can be implemented to measure the same

Figure 19. Current Sensor (ACS712 ELC-30)

There are three variants of ACS712 Sensor based on the range of its

current sensing. The ACS712 ELC-05 which has a range of +/- 5 A. The ACS712

ELC-20 which has a range of +/- 20 A. The ACS712 ELC-30 which has a range

of +/- 30 A in fig 19. A right range should be selected for the project since it must

have a trade-off accuracy for higher range modules. This modules outputs

Analog voltage (0-5V) based on the current flowing through the wire; hence it is

very easy to interface this module with any microcontroller.

RESEARCHERS’ NOTE:

81
 The researchers used the current sensor ACS712 ELC 30 which is in Fig

19 because of it is current range of +/- 30 amperes which is compatible for the

motor of the ball valve.

THE VALVE

Motorized valves, commonly called "actuated valves", are used in

applications requiring automated valve control. Unlike manual valves which

involve manually turning a handle or gearbox, motorized valves open or close the

valves automatically by energizing an electric motor after receiving a control

signal. The combination of a valve mounted to an electric actuator is called an

"electrically actuated valve."

Motorized ball valve is usually applied to control the on-off of air-

conditioning water system. It consists of the actuator and the valve body. The

actuator adopts the synchronous motor driver to the valve body move with 90-

degree rotation. It has built-in limit relay contact, which cuts off the power when

the valve is fully opened or closed. The specifications of this motorized ball valve

are as follows: the supply must be 12 V, the working temperature ranges from 2

to 90 degrees-Celsius, the control method of the valve is 2 way 3-wire, it can

rotate 90-degrees, its body pressure is 1.6MPA.

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 Fig 20. Electric actuated lead-free brass ball valve

Fig 20 is a photo of electric actuated lead-free brass ball valve. Valworx

567654A electric actuated lead-free brass ball valve is used for on-off control of

water, air, oil, and other media compatible with the materials of construction.

Ideal where lead free and NSF construction are required for potable drinking

water as well as other industrial applications. These actuated valves use power-

to-open and power to close, stays in last known position with loss of power. On

receipt of a continuous voltage signal, the motor runs and via a self-locking all

metal gear drive rotates the ball. The motor is stopped by internal cams striking

limit switches. On receipt of a reversing continuous signal, the motor turns in the

opposite direction reversing the valve position. Here are some specifications of

the Valworx 567654A electric actuated lead free brass ball valve: it is a 2-way

On-off, 24VDC, current rating of 2.03A at full load, cycle time of 30 seconds per

90-degrees rotation, an actuator temperature rating of 22 to +140 °F (-30 to +60

°C), a valve temperature rating of 0 to 366 °F (-18 to +185 °C), and a valve body

of Lead Free Brass C69300.

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 Valworx multi-voltage electric actuated PVC ball valves are used for on-off

control of water and other media compatible with the materials of construction. A

digital positioner and battery failsafe backup are available as an option.

Advantages of electric actuated ball valves over other type valves includes:

higher flows, higher pressures, higher temperatures, straight through flow path

and wider media compatibility. Typical applications include industrial/process

piping, pulp and paper, food processing, water/sewage treatment and irrigation.

1/2 to 2 inch sizes include IPS glue sockets and NPT end connectors.

RESEARCHERS’ NOTE:

The researchers used an electric actuated lead-free brass ball valve

because it is controlled electronically and cheaper than the PVC ball valves.

[ CITATION Val191 \l 13321 ]

THE LEVEL SENSOR

This is simple and small portable water level/water droplet identification,

detection sensor water that have high cost performance. Complete water yield

and analog conversion, the output value apply to the custom function. It is low

power consumption and high sensitivity. It makes better performance with

Arduino 328 controller and sensor relay shield.

Water Sensor water level sensor is an easy-to-use, cost-effective high

level/drop recognition sensor, which is obtained by a series of parallel wires

exposed traces measured droplets/water volume in order to determine the water

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level. Easy to complete water to analog signal conversion and output analog

values can be directly read Arduino development board to achieve the level

alarm effect.

Here are some specifications of the water level sensor: the working

voltage of the sensor is 4-5 Vdc, its working current is lesser than 20

milliamperes, its detection is 40mm x 16mm and its working humidity is 10 to 90

percent without condensation.

Figure 21. Non-contact level sensor (XKC-Y26-PNP)

Intelligent contactless level sensor/detector (Hereinafter referred to as

Level Sensor/detector), adopts advanced signal processing technology and high-

speed signal processing chip, the container thickness is less relevant to the level

measuring, and to the level height of the sealed container, the real non-contact

measurement is realized. The level sensor (detector) is mounted in the high/low

of the outer container (the high level and the low level), it is unnecessary for

drilling a hole to the non-metal container, the installation is very easy. This

sensor is the most ideal level measuring sensor for various toxic material, strong

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acid, strong alkali and various liquid in the high pressure sealed container. There

are no special requirements for the liquid medium and vessel material, it is widely

used.

Figure 21. is a photo of XKC-Y26-PNP contactless liquid level detector

which has the following features. Non-contact liquid level sensors for non-metallic

wall of the container without direct contact with the liquid, are not subject to

corrosion acid and alkali and other corrosive liquids, or other debris from the

scale effect. Intelligent level adjustment and level memory function, level status

display, multi-point serial connection; supports NPN Output, high-low level

output, PNP output, RS485 signal output. Detection is accurate and stable, can

detect boiling water level. Pure electronic circuit structure, non-mechanical work,

life durability and stable performance. High stability, high sensitivity, strong

interference ability, free from external electromagnetic interference, there are

special treatment for frequency interference and common mode interference,

compatible with all 5 ~ 24V Power Adapter in the market. Strong compatibility,

penetrate various non-metallic containers, such as plastic, glass, ceramics and

other containers, sensing distance up to over 10mm; liquid, powder, particulate

matter can be detected. Open collector output, wide voltage range (5V ~ 12V or

12V ~ 24V), Suitable for connecting various circuits and product applications.

RESEARCHERS’ NOTE:

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 The researchers used the XKC-Y26-PNP contactless liquid level detector

to isolate the actual Bokashi tea from the sensor in order to prevent corrosion in

the metallic parts of the level sensor.

THE TIMER

Figure 22. Real Time Clock

Figure 22 is a photo of a Real time clock (DS1302) that counts minutes,

seconds, date, hour, month, day of the week, year and leap – year compensation

up to 2100. It has a single and multiple (Burst mode) data transfer for read and

write of clock or RAM data. It operates from 2VDC to 5VDC. Its I/O (data line) is

bi-directional data pin to 3-wire interface.

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 DS1302 uses serial communication to interact with microcontrollers. Also,

it automatically adjusts the date for the month with fewer days. Clock operates in

24hr or 12hr format with an AM/PM indicator. DS1302 chip is also commonly

used as DS1302 RTC module which comes with a 32 kHz crystal and on-board

battery backup all in a small SIP module that is compatible with a breadboard.

DS1302 module is used by makers with Arduino, Raspberry Pi and other Micro-

controllers. The DS3231 is a low-cost, extremely accurate I2C real-time clock

(RTC) with an integrated temperature compensated crystal oscillator (TCXO) and

crystal. The device incorporates a battery input, and maintains accurate

timekeeping when main power to the device is interrupted. The integration of the

crystal resonator enhances the long-term accuracy of the device as well as

reduces the piece-part count in a manufacturing line. The DS3231 is available in

commercial and industrial temperature ranges, and is offered in a 16-pin, 300-mil

SO package.

The Arduino microcontroller could be programmed as a real time clock

with the aid of additional libraries. The additional libraries would be a counter in

terms of seconds.

RESEARCHERS’ NOTE:

The researchers used a Real Time Clock (RTC) because of its efficiency

in providing timing information and its stand-alone capability instead of a

programmed microcontroller to provide timing information.

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THE DISPLAY

Figure 23. Liquid Crystal

Display (LCD)

Fig. 23 is a photo of a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) that the display is

composed of pixels made up of liquid crystals. Liquid crystals exist in a state

that’s between a solid and a liquid. At any time liquid crystals can be in a variety

of phases, most notably the nematic phase or the smectic phase. In the nematic

phase the crystals act more like a liquid, allowing the molecules of the crystals to

rearrange themselves while remaining oriented in a uniform direction. In the

smectic phase, the molecules can form into layers that can move past one

another relatively easily. Molecules of a certain layer can move freely within that

layer, but cannot move to adjacent layers.

When the liquid crystals exist in the nematic phase they tend to adapt a

twisted up structure, which can be straightened out when electricity is applied to

them. In an LCD, a liquid crystal pixel lies between two glass filters, one behind it

and another in front at 90 degrees. When electricity is applied to the liquid

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crystals the twisted structures that have naturally formed are straightened out.

This rotates any light passing through 90 degrees, thus allowing it to pass

through the two glass filters.

I2C_LCD is an easy-to-use display module. It can make display easier.

Using it reduces the difficulty of the makers so that makers can focus on the core

of the work.

An Arduino library was developed for I2C_LCD, user needed a few lines of

the code and the user achieves complex graphics and text display features. It

replaces the serial monitor of Arduino in some place; it gets running information

without a computer.

More than that, a dedicated picture data convert software (bitmap

converter) was developed now and is available to support PC platform of

windows, Linux, Mac OS. Through the bitmap convert software a picture is

displayed on I2C_LCD, without the need for complex programming.

The features of the I2C LCD Screen are only 2 Arduino pins are occupied

(Use I2C interface), supports standard I2C mode (100Kbit/s) and fast I2C mode

(400Kbit/s), compatible with multiple communication logic levels: 2.8~5VDC,

Arduino library supported, use a line of code to complete the display, integrate 7

sizes of ASCll fonts, 5 graphics functions, Provide dedicated picture data convert

software (Bitmap Converter), most of the complex operation is processed by

I2C_LCD independent controller, saving user controller resources, supports 128

level backlight lightness adjustment, supports 64 level screen contrast

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adjustment, supports device address modification, supports 127 I2C_LCD work

in parallel. When debugging code, it can take the place of the serial monitor to

monitor the program running state. Two abnormal recovery methods are

provided: reset and restore the factory settings, compatible with Grove interface

and 4Pin-100mil interface (under the Grove socket), 4 symmetrical fixed hole

design for easy user installation

Winstar WF43MTIBEDRGD is a LCD TFT Display 4.3" M Series (All in

one TFT) with Projected Capacitive Touch Panel (PCAP). This display has built-

in control board which supports UART and SPI interface. The display module

dimension is 125.5 x 67.2 mm and AA size of 95.04 x 53.856 mm. This

UART/SPI TFT LCD Display can be operated at temperatures from -20℃ to

+70℃; its storage temperatures range from -30℃ to +80℃. Winstar designs an

optional development board which Part no. is WWTFT-10# for customers to

accelerate the project for test function.

RESEARCHERS’ NOTE:

The researchers used the I2C LCD because of its simplicity and

compatibility with the microcontroller. It is simple because unlike Winstar

WF43MTIBEDRGD which displays colored images and texts, it only displays

black-colored text that is only needed for this project.

THE ALARM SYSTEM

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 Figure 24. Buzzer

Fig. 24 is a photo of a buzzer or beeper that is an audio signaling device,

which may be mechanical, electromechanical, or piezoelectric. Typical uses of

buzzers and beepers include alarm devices, timers and confirmation of user input

such as a mouse click or keystroke.

Brisky Car 12V Beep Piezo Electronic Buzzer Alarm 95DB Continuous

Sound Beeper has the following specifications: Frequency 3900±500Hz, Max

Current Rating 10mA, Buzzer Type: Piezoelectric, Sound Pressure Level 95 dB,

Operating Voltage: 3 - 24V, Alarm Diameter:22mm/0.86", Alarm

Height:10mm/0.39”, Rate Voltage: 12V DC, Sound:"Di" Continuous.

DC 12V 85dB Mini Electronic Alarm Buzzer Constant Tone has a

specification as follows: Rated Voltager: 12V DC, Operating Voltage: 8-15V DC,

Min. Sound Pressure Level: 75dB at 12VDC/20cm, Resonant Frequency:

400±100Hz, Operating Temperature: -20℃~+60℃, Size:

3.2x1.2x0.9cm/1.26x0.47x0.35"

RESEARCHERS’ NOTE:

The researchers used the Brisky Car 12V Beep Piezo Electronic Buzzer

Alarm 95DB Continuous Sound Beeper because it produced louder sound that

can notify the user immediately.

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REMOTE NOTIFICATION SYSTEM

Figure 25. Gsm module (Sim800L)

Fig. 25 is a photo of Sim800L. At the heart of the module is a SIM800L

GSM cellular chip from SimCom. The operating voltage of the chip is from 3.4V

to 4.4V, which makes it an ideal candidate for direct LiPo battery supply. This

makes it a good choice for embedding into projects without a lot of space.

The module needs an external antenna to connect to a network. The

module usually comes with a Helical Antenna and solders directly to NET pin on

PCB. The board also has a U.FL connector facility in case the antenna must be

kept away from the board.

There is a SIM socket on the back and any activated, 2G micro SIM card

would work with it. Correct direction for inserting SIM card is normally engraved

on the surface of the SIM socket. This module measures only 1-inch² but

contains a lot of features into its little frame; Supports Quad-band: GSM850,

EGSM900, DCS1800 and PCS1900, Connect onto any global GSM network with

any 2G SIM, Make and receive voice calls using an external 8Ω speaker &

93
electret microphone, Send and receive SMS messages, Send and receive GPRS

data (TCP/IP, HTTP, etc.), Scan and receive FM radio broadcasts, Accepts Micro

SIM Card.

GSM Shield Sim900 provides a way to use the GSM cell phone network to

receive data from a remote location, it delivers GSM/GPRS

850/900/1800/1900MHz signals for Audio, SMS and GPRS Service. This

GPRS/GSM shield is configured and controlled via its UART using AT

commands. The GPRS Shield provides a way to communicate using the GSM

cell phone network. The shield allows to achieve SMS, MMS, GPRS and Audio

via UART by sending AT commands (GSM 07.07 ,07.05 and SIMCOM enhanced

AT Commands). This module power supply for: 5V~26V, if more than 5V power

supply must be in 2A, recommend a 9V power supply. Plug in the Arduino

motherboard, power supply must be able to provide 2A current.

RESEARCHERS’ NOTE:

The researchers used the SIM800L module because it is cheaper than

SIM900 which has the same function as the SIM800L.

THE MICROCONTROLLER

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 Figure 26. Microcontroller (Arduino Uno)

Fig. 26 is a photo of an Arduino Uno. An Arduino Uno is a microcontroller

board based on 8-bit ATmega328P microcontroller. Its power pins – Vin, 3.3V,

5V, and GND – uses an external power supply which are regulated to power it.

Along with its power pins, it also contains six (6) analog pins (A0 – A5) which is

used to provide analog input in the range of 0-5V and fourteen (14) digital I/O

pins (Digital pins 0 – 13) which can be used as input or output pins. Arduino

UNO’s digital pins consist of five (5) pulse width modulation (PMW) pins –

3,5,6,9,11 - which provides 8-bit PMW output.

An Arduino Nano is a microcontroller board based on 8-bit ATmega328P

microcontroller. Its operating voltage is 5VDC. It has eight (8) analog input pins

and fourteen (14) digital I/O pins. The board can be powered via the Mini-B USB

connection.

By using the Arduino board (uno or nano), the researchers may use it the

way they want for their proposed project. Arduino uno microcontroller can sense

the environment from the data received through its input, from variety of sensors.

The microcontroller is programmed through arduino language; the arduino

language composed of a set of C/C++ functions that can be called from the

codes needed. The sketch – a sketch is the name that Arduino uses for a

95
program. It’s the unit of code that is uploaded to and run on an Arduino board –

and passes directly to a C/C++ compiler (avr-g++). All standard C and C++ are

compiled by avr-gcc and avr-g++ according to the variables in the boards.txt file

of the selected board's platform.

RESEARCHERS’ NOTE:

The researches used the Arduino UNO because it accommodates the

number of input and output devices that are necessary in the proposed project

and its familiarity to the researchers.

THE AIR EXTRACTOR

Fig. 27 Electric Vacuum Pump

Figure 27 shows a photo of the vacuum pump (Z512-604). This pump is

usually used for pumping and sucking air. It is supplied by a dc voltage of 12

volts and a wattage of 6 watts. Its free flow range is up to 5 liters per minute. Its

maximum pressure is 120 kpa. Its vacuum degree is 65 kpa. The micro-pump is

driven by a miniature DC motor drive, an internal mechanical eccentric

96
movement drive controlled by eccentric movement inside the diaphragm of the

reciprocating mechanism.

AIRPON D2028 is a vacuum pump that is usually used for pumping and

sucking air. It is supplied by a dc voltage of 12 volts and a wattage of 12 watts.

Its free flow range is from 9 liters per minute up to 15 liters per minute. Its

pressure is from 25 psi up to 32 psi and has vacuum range of 70 kpa up to 250

kpa.

Usually, motors have their specifications written on the packaging. The

specifications often include the size, operating voltage and current, power output,

and for a vacuum pump, the rating of how much liters per minute it can pump out.

Measuring manually the current on a motor requires a digital multimeter

and a supply. The circuit is connected in series so that the current passes

through the meter. At this stage, the current measurement of the motor is called

the loading current. This loading current may vary, depending on the load of the

supply.

Using current sensor like the ACS712 also measures the current like a

digital multimeter. These are designed to be easily used with micro controllers

like the Arduino. Using the function AnalogRead(A0), where A0 is the Arduino pin

where the current is being measured, the loading current of the motor will be

measured. A threshold will be set to use as a limiting function to determine the

stable current being drawn and the sudden increase of the current. This sudden

increase of current is caused by the loading effect. Loading effect specifies the

97
maximum change in steady-state DC output voltage (or current) resulting from a

specified change in the load current (or voltage), with all other influence

quantities maintained constant. (Lee, 2016)

The values from the AnalogRead() function can also be used for Serial

plotting. The Arduino Serial Plotter function allowed to natively graph serial data

from the Arduino to the computer in real time. (Pereira, 2019) This graph showed

how stable the current being drawn by the motor, depending on the load it drives.

This is an effective way to measure the current spike from the motor, which

indicates that the motor needs more driving current to operate at a stable rating.

RESEARCHERS’ NOTE:

The researchers used the Z512-604 instead of AIRPON D2028 because a

larger battery is needed if the power consumption is higher.

Program Writing for the Smart Bokashi Bucket (SmartBoket): Biowaste Bin

with Air and Tea Monitoring and Extraction and Remote Notification

The program algorithm was written in the C/C++ programming language

since the microcontroller used is an Arduino Uno. The machine codes runs from

the programs which are compiled into a C/C++ language.

Programming the Microcontroller for:

a) Extraction of air in the bucket

98
 Since air is a major problem for the bucket, it is best to extract it out to

make the fermentation process of the bucket effective. For this process, it was

performed by using a device that sucks air out of the bucket.

The algorithm that is used was programming the vacuum pump to

continuously suck air out of the bucket. With the current sensor constantly

measuring the current while the vacuum pump extracts the air out, the current

sensor is then programmed to read the value from its analog pin using the

function AnalogRead() . When all the air is almost out, the current from the

ACS712 which is constant suddenly spiked and be used as a variable for an

algorithm to stop the pump.

Another device that can be used is a solenoid valve that can push

everything inside of the bucket. This was programmed so that the valve pushes

all the food inside the bucket, thus making the food separated to the unfilled part

of the bucket. In this algorithm, a switch is used to set up a value of ‘1’ for

CLOSE and ‘0’ for OPEN. The valve activates when the lid of the bucket is

closed, sending a signal of ‘1’ to the Arduino from a sensor between the lid and

the bucket itself. This value of ‘1’ is then translated to “PUSH”, a variable set to

activate the valve and push the contents of the bucket. An opposite algorithm

happens when a logic ‘0’ is detected from the sensor between the lid and the

bucket

RESEARCHERS’ NOTE:

99
 For this parameter, the researcher used the algorithm that uses a current

sensor together with the vacuum pump. The vacuum pump is more efficient and

cost effective compared to solenoid valve. The algorithm also uses no library,

which translates to an easier programming for its purpose and debugging when

an error occurs.

b) Monitor of Air inside the Bucket

The microcontroller will be programmed to detect the current on the air

pressure extractor. The microcontroller measures the amount of current being

drawn on the motor by the readings of the ACS sensor. A specific microcontroller

Input pin was assigned for the ACS sensor equated with a certain initial value.

Void setup instruction was used to indicate the logic output pins to be followed by

a loop program that continuously process the analog ACS readings. If the

monitored current value starts to overload, such that the current had a sudden

increase and exceeds the predetermined value, the microcontroller deactivates

the air pressure extractor using an if-statement instruction.

Another way that the microcontroller is programmed is by a set of duration

of the extraction time using the ‘delay’ instruction. A delay of certain duration

follows upon the start of the air pressure extractor. Once the delay is done, the

microcontroller shuts down the air pressure extractor.

RESEARCHERS’ NOTE:

100
 The researchers programmed the microcontroller in such a way that it

monitors the state of the current being drawn by the motor. An If statement

detects motor overloads and the readings dissatisfied the low current condition.

To be followed by the microcontroller deactivating the air pressure extractor. This

program is more convenient than the delay program since the extraction duration

of the air differs with the amount of biowaste inside the bucket.

c) Dispose Bokashi Tea

The bokashi tea is one of the most important by-products of the bucket, as

it can be used as a fertilizer for plants and cleaning material for toilet and kitchen

sinks. Since the bokashi tea must be used and extracted properly out of the

bucket, the SmartBoket is programmed to extract the tea as efficient as possible.

Since the module XKC Y25 T12V, which is a non-contact level sensor,

can detect the bokashi tea perpendicular to its position, one way that the

microcontroller received the signal that the capacity of the bucket reached its

threshold is by the module’s ability reading “HIGH” and “LOW” using the function

AnalogRead() that is built into the Arduino library. The microcontroller controls

the automatic ball valve to be opened, thus extracting the tea out of the bucket

Another way that the bucket is programmed is by daily extractions using

the Arduino’s built in Real-time clock (RTC). The RTC was used so that the

microcontroller controls the extraction of the tea every day with the same time as

101
the owner wanted to. This made sure that the tea does not reach the threshold

that the bucket is capable of.

RESEARCHERS’ NOTE:

The researchers applied AnalogRead() algorithm that is used for the

module XKC Y25 T12V because of the simplicity of the program for the bucket.

The program is simple because it only uses up to 4 lines of algorithm and it only

runs during extraction of the bokashi tea. The algorithm is only to be activated

when it reaches the preset threshold level.

d) Keep Track of the Duration of the Fermentation of the Biowaste

The microcontroller is programmed such that it detects the readings of the

RTC module. Adafruit_RTClib library which is a readily available code for a Real

Time Clock module was installed to the microcontroller. The microcontroller

loaded the serial console where the first part of the program was setting the time

using an if-statement that takes the Date and Time of the computer being used.

A void loop instruction follows, which continuously counts and prints the time

passed into the LCD screen.

Another library code entitled “Wire” library from Time Clock Module was

also used to program the microcontroller. The microcontroller uploads the

program that contains code that setups initial values for the time counter and

converts the decimal values to binary and vice versa. Void set instruction follows

and writes the time counter and to be followed by a void read instruction that is

102
used for the Void display instruction. The void display prints the data and

continuously display values on the serial monitor using the void loop instruction.

To alert the owner when fermentation is over, Simple RTC Alarm from the

RTC library implied. First is to set values of current initial time and date, to be

followed by a Void Setup instruction where the desired alarm is set. When the

time match the alarm set using the match type MATCH_HHMMSS is reached,

the attached interrupt function prints on the serial monitor “Fermentation done!”

and activates the code for the buzzer.

RESEARCHERS’ NOTE:

The researchers used the serial code Wire Library because it is accurate

RTC IC with communication over I2C Interface. Simple RTC Alarm library is used

for the notification of fermentation due date since it is a short algorithm and is

compatible to the Arduino Uno.

e) Alert the Owner about the Air Leak in the System

The ability of the system to identify what is wrong is an advantage for

those who are using the bucket and for the developers that created the bucket.

Since the bucket has multiple modules included into it, it is a good thing that the

bucket detects air leak, which is a malfunction, by itself rather than checking

every component by the person that has it.

A way to program the Arduino is through the existing devices connected to

it to detect error. An example is that the microcontroller was programmed such

as it detects continuous low current on the air pressure extractor for a certain

103
range of time. The microcontroller monitors the duration of drawn current on the

motor by a ‘while’ and ‘if’ statement instruction. ‘While’ statement followed the

loop program of air monitor and control, with conditions of current always in the

low state and a limit counter less than the maximum time extraction. An ‘if’

statement follows, activating the buzzer when the conditions are no longer

satisfied.

Another way that it was programmed is through the Arduino’s built in

library to detect error on the module that is connected into it. The error detection

program consists of series of checkers that are available at the Arduino library.

The more module that is connected into it, the more error programs is written.

But since this time, the Arduino is checking all the device connected into it, it is

impossible to use a buzzer for certain notifications since it is also being checked

by the series of program.

RESEARCHERS’ NOTE:

The researchers used the existing devices connected to it to implement

the error detection, because that would be more accurate and detects specific

errors rather than by the built-in library for Arduino which only detects software

errors, like incorrect algorithm, on the modules. Also, error detection with

notification using the buzzer made the error more noticeable.

f) Remotely Inform the Owner on the Status of the Bucket

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 During this process of sending information from the bucket to the owner’s

device, a transmitter which is a module for the Arduino can be used. With these

modules, the owner can leave the bucket but still functions properly and can also

receive notifications from the bucket.

One way to send information to the owner is by the module called

ESP8266 which is a WiFi module. This module was programmed to connect to

an available network within the bucket’s vicinity. When connected to a network,

the module is then ported to a software that is linked to the owner’s device to

receive real-time notification from the bucket.

Another good way that send notifications from the bucket is by another

module called SIM800L. The module was programmed to send SMS to the

owner’s device, depending on what was happening inside the bucket. This

module is power efficient because it only works during the process of sending the

SMS to the receiver.

RESEARCHERS’ NOTE:

The researchers used the algorithm that uses the Rx (receive) and Tx

(transmit) pins of the Arduino that is connected to the SIM800L to send the

notifications to the owner. The algorithm is based on the Adafruit_FONA library

which uses Tx and Rx pins as an I/O (input/output) that sets SIM800L module as

a transceiver. This was programmed so that it sends the notifications from the

bucket to the owner when it is activated. In addition to that, it is easier to program

105
a GSM module because of the existing library and comparing to the WiFi module,

it does not need external device like internet router.

Test Procedures for the Smart Bokashi Bucket (SmartBoket): Biowaste Bin

with Air and Tea Monitoring and Extraction and Remote Notification

a. Control of air in the Bucket

One parameter that the researchers used for testing the functionality of

the air monitor feature of this project is looking through to the mold formation

inside the bucket. Among the many types of molds, mold reproduces via the

production of small spores. These spores were compared to the seeds of a plant,

though they are much smaller than seeds or even pollen grains. Mold requires

water, food, and oxygen to grow. It also required an environment with a

temperature it can survive. While mold cannot spread without these conditions,

its spores may survive in a dormant state until conditions are suitable. Molds

thrive in damp, humid, and wet conditions like that of inside the bucket. Molds

are obligate aerobes. This means that they need oxygen to survive. Mold grows

even at very low concentrations of oxygen, however, which makes it difficult to

fight mold growth by limiting oxygen.

Among the many types of molds that could grow, white molds or

Trichoderma molds are the ones who are beneficial to the fermenting process

inside the bokashi. Other colors of mold are what are disadvantageous to the

system. These include Aspergillus and Penicillium. On an experiment done by D.

106
D. Millera and N. S. Golding, regarding the oxygen requirements of Aspergillus,

Penicillium and Oospora molds, it is stated that the oxygen supply must be quite

low before any restrictions in the growth of molds take place. With that statement,

the researchers could use the mold formation as a test point of air presence

inside the bokashi bucket because oxygen is approximately 20 percent of the

composition of air.

The researchers also had the option of monitoring the remaining air

content inside the SmartBoket. One way that they did was checking the current

that is flowing through the vacuum pump using a current sensor. The current

flowing through the pump was higher than normal once the volume of the air

inside is low because it will be overloaded. There are also a lot of current sensors

available commercially that’s why the researchers had no hard time finding a

hardware to fit with the design.

RESEARCHERS’ NOTE:

The researchers opted into using the method of testing the extraction of air inside

the bucket by a current sensor in the vacuum pump because it is more efficient

than manually checking the mold formation inside the bin which requires opening

the bucket or a transparent top cover to do so. Also, the extraction of air and the

checking of current was done three times so as to check if the system is

extracting air.

b. Monitor of Air inside the Bucket

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 The researchers planned to monitor the air inside the bucket by a current

sensor to check on the current flowing through the air pump in which the current

spikes up when the pump can’t suck out air from the bucket anymore, which

means the volume of air inside the bucket is low. One way that they tested to

confirm that the system functionned as designed is checking the calibration of the

current sensor from time to time by comparing its output to an ammeter. By doing

so, the researchers ensured that the monitoring of air feature of the SmartBoket

is functioning properly.

Another way that they did to check the monitoring of air inside is using an

actual air pressure sensor. The researchers used this sensor to ensure that when

the current flowing through the pump is high, the volume of air inside the bucket

is low. The researchers compared the outputs of the current sensor and the air

pressure sensor with each other to see if the results are somehow matching up.

RESEARCHERS’ NOTE:

The researchers used an ammeter in testing the control of air inside the bucket

because it does not require any hardware and circuitry changes like that of using

an air pressure sensor.

c. Daily Disposal of Bokashi Tea

An automated system using a microcontroller, a sensor and a ball valve to

drain the bokashi tea into an airtight container while the owner of the bucket does

not have a plan of using it. The system designed was tested by checking in on

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the volume of the bokashi tea every day to check if the system is functioning

properly. One way that they did to check if the automated system is functioning

properly is through an option of monitoring the volume of the tea by an LED to

indicate if the level of the tea was below a certain level. The researchers did this

by using the existing non-contact level sensor module for Arduino microcontroller

and modify the program for the LED to light up if the tea reached the certain

volume. The researchers also checked if the tea is successfully extracted by

looking at the LCD when it displays the number of successful extractions of air

and tea. When the LCD displayed a certain number of successful tea extraction,

the researchers are then sure that the tea level is low.

Another option was to design the bucket so that there is a transparent part

on the tea reservoir so the researchers can manually check the volume of the tea

inside. The Bokashi tea should always be harvested every day because it will

cause a foul smell coming out of the Bokashi Bucket. This concept can also be

used as a testing point on if the automated disposal of tea is properly functioning.

RESEARCHERS’ NOTE:

The researchers checked the display of the LCD because this was already

implemented in the system and it does not require additional software or

hardware for this to be done.

d. Tracking the Duration of Fermentation

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 The fermentation process greatly depends on the food that is introduced

into the bucket. The vinegary or beery smell in the open bucket, which should not

be noticeable when the bucket is closed, is an indication that the fermentation

process has begun. Fermentation using the Bokashi Bucket typically lasts two to

four weeks and after that, the wastes inside the bucket are ready to be buried

underground for the composting proper. The researchers used an RTC or Real

Time Clock as a time keeping device that keeps track of how long the actual

fermentation lasts.

One way so that it is ensured that the RTC had worked is that the

researchers can use a backup timer every once in a while to check if the RTC is

still properly functioning. This ensured that the RTC is properly functioning.

Another way to test the tracking feature of the SMART BOKASHI

BUCKET (SmartBoket): Biowaste Bin with Air and Tea Monitoring and Extraction

and Remote Notification was if the timer, which is set for 2 weeks after the bucket

was full, is synchronized with the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) in terms of

the time and date in which the timer is calibrated. In doing so, the researchers

were able to check if the RTC is calibrated as it should be.

RESEARCHERS’ NOTE:

The researchers referred timing information to the Coordinated Universal

Time (UTC) in the set-up and monitor of the RTC in order to make sure that the

timing information from the RTC is accurate.

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e. Alerting the owner about the Air Leak

A malfunction is a state in which something functions incorrectly or is

obstructed from functioning at all. All air leaks, which caused a malfunction in the

system, should be detected and let the owner know that something is not

working. Failure to do so have an effect on the efficiency of the SmartBoket that

is why the bucket was equipped with a Piezo-type buzzer that sounds off when

the system detects an air leak which is crucial in the fermentation process. Piezo

buzzers are constructed by placing electrical contacts on the two faces of a disk

of piezoelectric material and then supporting the disk at the edges in an

enclosure. When a voltage is applied across the two electrodes, the piezoelectric

material mechanically deforms due to the applied voltage, causing it to create

sound. With that said, the researchers tried to power the buzzer multiple times to

check if the buzzer operates properly and if it is able to alert the owner in case of

an air leak.

Another option that the researchers have is to use the random feature of the

Arduino microcontroller to generate pseudo-random numbers. Pseudo-random

numbers are set of values or elements that is statistically random, but it is

derived from a known starting point and is typically repeated over and over. They

provide necessary values for processes that require randomness, such as

creating test signals or for synchronizing sending and receiving devices in a

spread spectrum transmission. These numbers could be assigned to be a

successful air extraction or an air leak in the bucket. When the number that

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corresponds to an air leak was generated, the system can detect it and sound off

the buzzer. This ensures that the leakage detection and the buzzer is working.

RESEARCHER’S NOTE:

The researchers employed the pseudo-random number generator feature

of the Arduino microcontroller because this method allowed the researchers to

simulate failures that may happen in the air extraction. Those simulated failures

caused the buzzer to sound off thus testing the alarm system of the SmartBoket.

f. Remotely notifying the owner on the SmartBoket status.

A way that the researchers did to check if the GSM module worked

properly was by looking into its status LED. This tells a lot about the status of the

module. Powering the module at 5 volts, the status LED blinks with one blink per

second cycle. This means that the module was attempting to connect to the

network. The LED also showed that the module was connected when the blinking

slows down at one blink for 3 seconds. The researchers checked the module

using AT (Attention) Commands which is another easy way to know that the

module had worked properly. The commands gave feedback to the computer

that the module connected was having problems that status LED can't show. An

example is it shows an "undervoltage warning" as a response to AT commands.

Though this takes some patience and programming skills, it is a better way to

show the status of the module.

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 Sometimes, a module may not need AT Commands to know that it works

properly. By a simple test program that was included at the Arduino library, the

module was tested by inserting a SIM card then sending a series of SMS to the

receiving SIM. At that moment that when the receiving end received the SMS

sent by the module that means that the module had worked properly.

RESEARCHER'S NOTE:

The researchers used the Arduino library to test the module because it is

the easiest way to know that the module is working properly. And since the

module is used to send SMS, the best test to know that it has worked was using

it to send SMS.

Maintenance Procedures for the Smart Bokashi Bucket (SmartBoket):

Biowaste Bin with Air and Tea Monitoring and Extraction and Remote

Notification

The following procedures were employed to maintain the SmartBoket:

To clean LCD screens, manually rubbing them in gentle circles using just

a dry microfiber cloth is applicable. The cloth picks up most of the smudges on

the screen, as it picks up both dirt and oil. Another way that the researchers did

is by dampened cloth by adding some water and wring out any excess liquid.

Rub down the screen in gentle circles with the cloth, focused on areas that are

particularly smudged. Never spray water or cleaner directly on the screen, as it

can seep into areas it's not supposed to go.

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 The cover should not be cleaned with soap and water since this part

contains the power supply and microcontroller which are not waterproof, and it

harms the unit.

The researchers also used Compressed Air that frees up any dust resting

on the electronics or inside of the system and blow it out. Insert the nozzle of the

compressed air canister into the hole on the casing of the components. Keep the

canister upright upon spraying, and spray in short, contained burst. Avoid

spraying the canister upside-down or spraying for too long for it can cool the air

and can risk freezing the components. This removes grime and prevent corrosion

of the system but leaves good amount of moisture inside the system that may

eventually corrode the components.

Another way that the researchers did was the use of Ultrasonic PCB

cleaning. Ultrasonic cleaning machines use frequencies to cause cavitation.

Cavitation is the violent implosion of billions of minute bubbles in the cleaning

solution contained in an ultrasonic tank. The implosion of theses bubbles blast

away the contaminants on the surface of the parts being cleaned. Even though

ultrasonic cleaning process can reach the most difficult and hard to reach places

underneath high-density components on most any parts of a circuit board, this

technique has lost some favor as a method for cleaning as it can cause damage

to components or loosen connection, along with dirt and grime. Ultrasonic

cleaning can inadvertently cause separation of components end caps and cause

damage to bond wires of the circuit.

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 PCV Vacuum cleaner can also be use to remove dirt and grime but not

capable of accessing the internals of the system. Also, Vacuum cleaner is not

recommended because it creates a large static build up that could discharge into

the sensitive electronics inside of the system.

For the motorized ball valve, rub it gently using the toothbrush for

cleaning. Make sure to rub the edges and the inside. Wash it with warm water

and let it dry. If it is not too dirty, hot water should be enough otherwise, use the

good old baking soda or white vinegar. Cleaning the valve prevent it from

clogging and ensures that no microbial growth exist. Maintenance of a ball valve

involves replacing worn components and ensuring that parts are clean and free

of debris. All valves should be cleaned periodically depending on the water

quality and service conditions. When the valve was cleaned, a small metallic click

is heard as the armature operates. Excessive noise, sluggish operation or

leakage indicates that cleaning is required. Replace any worn or damaged

components

For the bucket, wash the bokashi bucket out after each use using natural

cleaner or plain water. Harsh chemical cleaners are not recommended. However,

if the waste is producing an unpleasant smell, fully empty the bucket within a

couple of months. Clean the bucket out well and leave the bucket out in the sun,

for a day, this helps to get rid of any remaining odor. Another way they did was to

rinse it with vinegar. After the bucket was washed with warm water and soap,

115
rinse it with white vinegar and let it sit for at least three minutes to remove icky,

lasting smells. Then, pour out the vinegar and wash again with soap and water.

RESEARCHERS’ NOTE:

For the unit to last longer, regular maintenance is needed to ensure longer

operating life. Since the unit is run by electronic components, the cover and the

inside of the system should only be wiped with dry cloth and not be cleaned

using water and soap. Only the bucket itself should be washed with soap and

water to remove dirt and prevent odor.

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 Chapter IV

Overview of the Operation of the Smart Bokashi Bucket (SmartBoket):

Biowaste Bin with Air and Tea Monitoring and Extraction and Remote

Notification

The SmartBoket operates in two modes, namely, manual mode and

remote mode. The difference between the manual mode and the remote mode is

on the display monitor and the alert device to be used. The manual mode will

make use of an LCD which is attached to the bucket for the presentation of

designated variables, whereas, the remote mode makes use of mobile cellular

screen to display the same variables. An additional alert device in the form of a

buzzer is added to the bucket for the manual mode. Alert signal for the remote

mode is displayed on the cellular mobile screen.

To start operation, biowaste needs to be deposited into the bucket.

However, it is necessary to initially spread Bokashi bran whose amount should

be enough to cover the surface of the screen support. The Bokashi bran is

responsible for the introduction of desirable bacteria during fermentation. The

bran will be followed by about 2 inches of biowaste regardless of the diameter

and then followed by a layer of bran again, and the process repeats until all

biowaste in a given batch is deposited into the bucket or until the bucket is filled

with biowaste.

117
 It is important to note that when the bucket is already filled or even when it

is not yet full such that a succeeding batch may follow, the top layer should

always be a layer of the bran prior to the replacement of the lid. It is suggested

that the loading of biowaste into the bucket would be done in bulk volume in

order to minimize the opening of the lid.

After every deposit of biowaste into the bucket, the lid must be replaced

tightly to prevent air from entering. Air inside the bucket will disrupt the normal

process of fermentation and may produce the presence of undesirable bacteria

instead of the desirable ones.

Once the lid is replaced, a selector switch for the manual or the remote

mode must be set. In the manual mode, the vacuum pump will start to extract air

for 5 minutes. A sudden increase in the current as detected by the current

sensor will mean that there is loading effect in the motor and that air is almost out

from the bucket, thus the lid must be tightly sealed. If there is no sudden

increase in the current, air extraction will continue for the next 5 minutes and then

repeats for another 5 minutes. If there is no sudden increase in the current for

the entire 15-minute duration, the system stops air extraction and an alert signal

is generated. Air extraction shall happen every hour and in case the cause of the

malfunction was determined and resolved, a Start button will commence normal

operation once again. In case there is an air leak into the bucket, only the

operation of the vacuum pump will be suspended, all other parts of the system

shall continue to operate. A stop button was set when there is a need to fix an

118
error in the system or during maintenance procedures and the same switch will

be used to start normal operation once again.

Having successfully extracted air from the bucket, the system will

subsequently extract the Bokashi tea which is deposited at the bottom of the

bucket just under the screen support. The screen support could be a plastic or

stainless material with small holes in it so that tea may drain through while at the

same time supporting the entire layer of bran and biowaste on top.

A non-contact level sensor was attached to the bucket from the outside.

The non-contact level sensor was necessary in order to avoid corrosion of its

metallic parts since the Bokashi tea is basically acidic. The setting of the valid

level for detection must be a bit lower in order to ensure that this level will

definitely be attained everyday since it is necessary to remove the tea everyday,

otherwise it will serve as the source of undesirable bacteria and foul odor. A ball

valve was also used to drain the tea. This valve will open when the valid level for

extraction is achieved and closes after a predetermined period. The exact time

of closure of the ball valve cannot yet be determined as it is depedent on the size

of the bucket. This will be identified specifically after experimentation. The

Bokashi tea that will be drained shall be deposited to a sealed container in order

to contain its foul odor.

A Liquid Crystal Display was also attached to the bucket to display if air

extraction is successful or not, if Bokashi tea extraction is successful or not, the

fermentation due date, an alert signal if fermentation is already due, and an alert

119
signal if there is some error in the set-up such as when air is never depleted

which could mean that the lid is not sealed.

A buzzer was included which will sound off when the fermentation is due

or when there is error in the set-up.

Once the bucket is filled with biowaste, the lid should again be sealed

tightly and a switch is set to start the timing for fermentation. It should take 2

weeks to fully ferment the biowaste in the bucket. The microcontroller must be

able to monitor this duration from the time that the switch to trigger fermentation

was set. Within the two weeks period, the bucket must never be opened and it

must be stored in a cool place. Also, during the fermentation period, both air and

tea extraction shall still be undertaken. The display of the aforementioned

variables on the LCD shall still continue and alarm device will still be in active

mode.

With the remote mode of operation, the same process wll follow except

that the operation of the LCD and buzzer shall be suspended. The information

on the state of extraction of both air and tea, the fermentation due date, the alert

signal if fermentation is already due and the alert signal if there is air leak into the

bucket shall be displayed on the cellular mobile screen. This information shall be

sent by the system in the form of an SMS message via the GSM module to the

owner at 6pm each day for as long as the system is in the remote mode.

With the fermentation process completed, the owner can already mix the

fermented biowaste with soil. The Bokashi tea is mixed with water and may be

120
used as organic fertilizer for plants. The bokashi bucket can then be reused for

the next batch of biowaste.

Picture of the Project with Parts

Figure 28. Model of the Smart Bokashi Bucket (SmartBoket): Biowaste Bin

Figure 28 shows the model of the SmartBoket which will start as an empty

bucket. A screen support was installed from the bottom of the bucket with a given

clearance. The clearance will serve as a catch chamber for the Bokashi tea that

is produced during fermentation. This chamber contains the motorized ball valve

to drain the tea, whereas a non-contact level sensor was installed in the region of

the catch chamber but on the outside of the bucket. A non-contact level sensor

was used in order to prevent corrosion of the metallic parts of the sensor. The

vacuum pump hose was installed at the upper portion of the bucket close to the

lid and on the same side as the microcontroller module. The current sensor has

121
been integrated to the vacuum pump. The microcontroller and its GSM shield,

the LCD and the buzzer shall all comprise the control module and it is outside of

the bucket on the same side as the vacuum pump. This orientation will allow

tilting of the bucket for discard of the biowaste on just one side opposite the

location of the electronic modules. A toggle switch for the selection of mode of

operation and a Reset button to commence normal operation following a

malfunction was both included in the control module.

Test Results

BUZZER

The researchers used a buzzer to inform the SmartBoket user either when

there is an air leak in the bucket or the 14-day fermentation is over, given that the

bucket is in manual mode. The buzzer that was used was a 13.8mm diameter

piezoelectric buzzer with a height of 7.5mm. The buzzer has a rated voltage of

12Vdc but operates within the range of 3-16 Vdc. The maximum rated current for

the piezo buzzer is 7mA. The buzzer was chosen mainly because of its sound

intensity. The buzzer has a maximum Sound pressure level (SPL) of 85dB at

12Vdc/10cm. The 85dB level is loud enough to be heard 15 meters away from

the buzzer.

r1
L2=L1−¿ 20−log ( )∨¿
r2

10 cm
L2=85 dB−¿ 20−log ( )∨¿
15 m

L2=21.47 dB

122
 Where:

r1=reference distance from the buzzer

r2=second distance from the buzzer

L1=SPL at distance r1

L1=SPL at distance r2

The SPL at a distance 15 meters from the buzzer is 21.47dB which is on

average, still an audible sound based on the graph below.

Other factors that were considered in choosing this buzzer is that the rated

current is low at only 7mA and also because it was cheaper than other types of

buzzers.

CURRENT SENSOR

123
 The current sensor that the researchers used is an ACS712 ELC 30 bi-

directional hall-effect current sensor chip that detects positive and negative

flowing currents in the range of minus 30 Amps to positive 30 Amps. The current

sensor board operates at 5V DC and the current flow through the sensor is

converted to an output voltage starting at 1/2Vcc (or 2.5V) for no current flow and

moves up 66mV per amp for positive current or down -66mV per amp for

negative current.

For the given parameters, current sensor detects the sudden increase in

the current through the vacuum pump motor which is an indication that there is

minimal air in the bucket. Moreover, the current sensor recognizes electrical

current in a vacuum pump motor whether it is high or low and creates an

indicator relative to it.

GSM Shield

The GSM Module that the researchers used is the SIM800L, a quad-band

GSM/GPRS module with power supply range from 3.4 volts to 4.5 volts. The

module supports baud rate from 1200bps to 115,200 bps with Auto-Baud

detection.

The GSM Module powers on when the system is in remote mode and it

can only operate from 3.4 volts to 4.5 volts. The worst condition is during the

burst period transmission, where current consumption is at its highest. During

this period, the GSM Module supply (VBat) is reduced to the lowest level. An

input voltage below 3.4 volts when the current consumption rises to 2 amperes

for maximum operation shuts down the module automatically. SIM800L is

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designed with power saving technique so that the current consumption is as low

as 0.7 mA in sleep mode.

The voltage drop is present between the power supply output and the

GSM Module supply pin (VBat). The distance between the power supply and the

GSM module behavior is described as the circuit line between power supply input

to VBat. A distance of at least 60 mm between the power supply to the Vbat

avoid interferences of other source signals and decreases voltage drop in the

transmit burst.

125
 For the given parameters, it is shown that the power supply voltage

must be 3.4 volts to 4.5 volts with a 60 mm distance from the GSM Module

supply (VBat). During the Manual mode the current consumption is as low as 0.7

m. During the remote mode the transmitting burst causes voltage drop and the

power supply must be able to provide sufficient current up to 2 amperes full

operation.

MICROCONTROLLER

The microcontroller is an important part of the project because it is the

main brain of the SmartBoket. There are many things that were considered in

choosing what microcontroller is used like the number of IO pins, the power

consumption, and compatibility with other components. Arduino Uno is a

microcontroller board based on the ATmega328P (datasheet). It has 14 digital

input/output pins (of which 6 can be used as PWM outputs), 6 analog inputs, a 16

MHz ceramic resonator (CSTCE16M0V53-R0), a USB connection, a power jack,

an ICSP header and a reset button. It contains everything needed to support the

microcontroller; simply connect it to a computer with a USB cable or power it with

a AC-to-DC adapter or battery to get started. The operating voltage of the

microcontroller is 5V and a recommended input voltage range of 7-12V. This

Arduino Uno ATMEGA328P microcontroller was powered by an5 Volts external

power supply, either battery or power bank.

Here are the specifications of Arduino Uno Microcontroller ATMEGA

328P:

126
 Table No._.Arduino Uno Atmega 328P table specification

NON CONTACT LEVEL SENSOR

Intelligent non-contact type level detector(Hereinafter referred to level

detector) adopts advanced signal processing technology and high speed signal

processing chip, break through the effects of vessel wall thickness, realized the

real non-contact measurement for the level height in the sealed vessel. Level

sensor (probe) installed on the top and bottom (the high level and the low level)

of the measuring vessel wall, non-metal vessel do not need to drill a hole, easy

installation, good for the production. Can be used and can detect the level of

various toxic substances, strong acids, alkalis and various liquids in high

pressure airtight containers. The application of this product is very wide, no

special requirements for liquid media and vessel material. XKC-Y26-PNP

suitable for non-metal pipe wall, and do not need to contact the liquid, will not

corrode by strong acid, strong alkali, and other corrosive liquid. It will not be

127
affected by incrustation or other impurities. It has intelligent level adjustment and

level memory function, level status display method, and can realize multipoints

series connection.

Bokashi tea, juice or leachate is the liquid that can be tapped from your

bokashi kitchen composter. It contains a mixture of all the goodness from your

bokashi kitchen composter; bokashi microbes, liquids from the food scraps and

liquids produced during the fermentation process. It is acidic and corrosive in

nature. XKC-Y26-PNP is the most suited level sensor for the project because as

stated on the specifications, it can detect level of strong acids.

The bucket that will be used is a plastic container, and the level sensor will

be placed outside the bucket. As stated on the specifications, XKC-Y26-PNP

level sensor is appropriate for the bucket because it doesn’t need to contact the

liquid, will not corrode by strong acid, strong alkali, and other corrosive liquid.

Vacuum Specifications

The vacuum that the researchers used is a Z512-604 3000N Vacuum that

operates at 9 to 12 volts DC. This vacuum can extract 5 liters per minute,

consuming 6 watts of power in an hour. For the given parameters, the container

that the vacuum will be used is a plastic bucket that can hold up to 19 liters,

which will result into a consumption of at most 144 watts, if will be run

continuously. For a relatively small bucket, this power consumption of a single

component that runs on DC when the power runs out is too much. To reduce the

power consumption, the operation is to run the vacuum pump hourly, with a

maximum operation of up to 15 minutes per operation. On this method, the

128
vacuum will run for at most 6 hours daily, reducing the power consumption of 36

watts instead of 144 watts at 65 kilopascals.

Vacuum pumps can only operate at its maximum operating wattage for a

short time because of issues like thermal throttling and inconsistent power drawn

from the power source. These issues will affect the vacuum’s operating voltage

and flow rate. Considering these conditions, the researchers can use the data

that the manufacturers set but limited and/or decreased. The specifications for

the vacuum pump will peak at 3.3 liters per minute, operating at 12 volts at 200

kilopascals with maximum load temperature of 40 degrees Celsius.

With these specifications, the flow curve will look like this:

Where: 1 mbar = 0.1 kpa

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 The flow curve shows the peak flow rate of the vacuum pump (3.3 liters

per minute) drawing about 0.36 Amperes of current at a consistent 12 volts of

operation. With this flow curve, the maximum current of 0.62 Amperes can be

used to determine the maximum power usage of the vacuum pump running daily

at 12 volts.

Considering the same parameters of the bucket:

19liters
=5.7575minutes ≈ 6 minutes
liters
3.3
minute

0.62 A x 12V =7.44 W

7.44 W 1 hr
x =0.124 W per minute
1 hr 60 min

0.124 W 15 min
x =1.86 W per hr
1minute 1 hr

1.86W 24 hr
x =44.64 W per day
1 hr 1 day

For the given parameters, it is computed that the vacuum needs about 6

minutes to extract the air inside a 19-liter bucket. Referring to the flow curve, the

maximum current drawn for the operation is 0.62 Amperes at 12 volts, which will

make a higher power drawn than the manufacturer’s rated wattage of 6 watts.

For the whole operation, the vacuum consumed more power that can reach up to

130
44.64 Watts per day, assuming a 15 min per hour operation. The higher wattage

is the effect of slower flow rate due to the issues mentioned above.

Motorized Ball Valve Specifications

Motorized valves, commonly called "actuated valves", are used in

applications requiring automated valve control. Unlike manual valves which

involve manually turning a handle or gearbox, motorized valves open or close the

valves automatically by energizing an electric motor after receiving a control

signal. The combination of a valve mounted to an electric actuator is called an

"electrically actuated valve."

The researchers used CWX – 25S motorized ball valve which operates

from 3V up to 6V. The ball valve used was a CR01 type of the CWX – 25S which

specifically a two wire ball valve. The maximum power of the valve is 2W which

also has a current of 100 ma that would drive the ball.

Figure 29. Schematic diagram of a CR01 CWX-2S

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 The figure above shows how the motorized ball valve works. If SW

(Switch) is connected to OPEN, the ball valve’s hole is open, rotating the ball 90

degrees, and in line with the flow. Getting in the position automatically turns the

power off, but the valve remain fully open in position. The SW automatically

connects in OPEN if the tea level is high; whereas the sensor triggers the switch.

And the ball valve will drain the tea until it reaches the low level sensor.

Draining the tea until it reaches the low level sensor triggers the switch

which would reverse the polarity of the circuit. SW will automatically connect to

CLOSE and the ball will also rotate 90 degrees back into its close position.

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 Chapter V
Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations
SUMMARY
The purpose of this project study was to create a modification on the

Bokashi Bucket. It was a study of what alteration can be made to the bucket to

achieve efficiency and automation.The researchers looked into additional

software and hardware to accomplish the said purpose.

Garbage disposal and management has always been a problem in our

world mainly because of population growth and industrialization. According to the

National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWMC), disposed waste in

our country is dominated by biodegradable waste with 52 percent, followed by

recyclable waste which accounts for 28 percent and residuals at 18 percent.

Biodegradable waste is waste material which comprises fast degrading biogenic

materials including kitchen and food waste. Proper biowaste management could

produce good quality compost and biogas that contribute to enhanced soil quality

and resource efficiency, as well as a higher level of energy self-sufficiency

(European commission 2019).

Bokashi composting is an example of good waste management because it

produces tea during the fermentation and composts after the fermentation period.

With the Bokashi method, food waste is placed in a plastic container, along with

a starter microorganism wheat bran, that has a perforated plate allowing excess

133
 liquid to drain away. The drained liquid, called a bokashi tea, should be

constantly taken out to prevent the bucket from smelling bad. The tea can be

disposed by using it as fertilizer for plants. The whole bokashi method should be

kept as an anaerobic process for it to produce high quality compost.

The researchers introduced five problems focused around the bucket to

be a guide in finishing the project. Due to the COVID19 pandemic, the

researchers were met with limitations in doing the project and could only focus on

the minimum hardware requirements to attain the goal.

During the course of the designing, construction, and testing of the

project, the Rapid Application Development (RAD) was imposed. The concept of

rapid application development (RAD) emphasizes the fast and iterative release of

prototypes and applications until an acceptable product is produced. Flowcharts

of the process and the software program were made in order to show the initial

operation of the project. The researchers were able to use parts of a similar study

from the University of Perpetual Help System in Laguna as a reference in the

research. They then came up with the proper hardware that can achieve the

bucket’s operation through intensive research and some computer simulations.

CONCLUSION

This project study aimed to design and construct a Smart Bokashi Bucket

(SmartBoket): Biowaste Bin with Air and Tea Monitoring and Extraction and

Remote Notification. Based on the study and individual researches conducted by

the researchers and the limitations of the study due to COVID 19 pandemic, it

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can be concluded that the expected minimum hardware requirements identified

on chapter III of this research paper were the requirements

Due to the COVID 19 pandemic happened on the duration of this project

study, the researchers were able to use some parts of the similar study from the

University of Perpetual Help System in Laguna as a reference. Based on this

study, it can then be concluded that automating the bokashi bucket has a

significant difference in terms of convinience for the users and its user friendly

compared to the traditional bokashi bucket that doesn’t have technological

advancement.

RECOMMENDATIONS

On these trying times, the limited sources of data affected the flow of the

whole research because of the inability to come up with data that can be

gathered using trials and experimentations. The researchers resorted for

available data coming from previous and on-going studies related to the

research.

The data gathering for this research can be done by using any research

method through experimentation. In this way, the data that will be gathered will

be according to the physical conditions and parameters present during the

experimentation. Using simulation programs can also be used as a basis,

especially for circuit connections, to determine minimum hardware requirements

to be used by the researchers. Scaling is another method to determine an output

from small scale data that can be used as an analysis for large data gathering,

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which also prevents time-consuming experiments during experimentation. For

actual data gathering using electronic components, it is recommended to

determine the operating parameters when the hardware is used. Stress tests are

great example for knowing the capability of an electronic component when used

at its maximum performance. This will determine how the electronic component

behaves during load and during external parameters like maximum operating

voltage and current, thermal dissipation and throttling, and performance drop.

Plotting these data during stress test will determine the hardware capability of the

electronic device and its minimum and maximum performance with the load

during the duration of experimentation.

This research is not limited to the listed hardware components that the

researchers used. The hardware components can be changed, removed, or

upgraded to any extent as long as the hardware is supported and can be utilized

by certain programs in order to work accordingly and reached the minimum

hardware requirements like input and/or output voltage and current to prevent

accidents from the electronic components. The research is not also limited to the

method that the researchers used for data analysis and gathering.

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 APPENDICES

APPENDIX A

INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT

INTERVIEW TRANSPCRIPT MR. ZYRUS M. GANADEN, BAGUIO CITY,

RESIDENT OF RIMANDO ROAD, BAGUIO CITY

Date of interview: December 6, 2019

Name of interviewee: Mr. Zyrus M. Ganaden

Baguio City

Interviewer: Jan Karlo Borromeo

Jan Karlo: Good Afternoon. Few Questions lang about how you manage your

wastes at home.

Jan Karlo: How do you manage your wastes?

Zyrus: We simply throw our wastes altogether in a single garbage bag in a trash

bin. Once its full, we dump it outside our apartment. Then, the apartment

garbage collector picks up the garbage from every morning.

Jan Karlo: What are the problems that you have encountered when managing

kitchen wastes/biowastes?

Zyrus: Managing our kitchen wastes/biowastes before was so hard for the reason

that there are cats and rats around. We often see the trash scattered every

morning. But eventually it stopped. We don't see that kind of mess anymkre in

our apartment. Another problem is when we forget to dump our garbage

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immediately. Maggots would start to grow and it makes us not want to dump it

even more for some of us are engrossed by it and it's smell.

Jan Karlo: Have you tried composting your biowastes? If yes, what are the

problems that you’ve encountered in doing so? If no, why havent you tried

composting? What hinders you from composting?

Zyrus: No, because there is no open land around to do so.

Jan Karlo: Would you consider composting as a substitute to just throwing it in

the garbage pile?

Zyrus: if there is an open area to dig dirt and to bury my biowastes then I might

consider trying composting

Jan Karlo: Okay. Thank you for your time

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 INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT WITH MRS. MARILOU SANTIANO

STO. NIÑO, BAGUIO CITY

Date of interview: December 7, 2019

Name of interviewee: Mrs. Marilou Santiano

Housewife

Sto. Niño, Baguio City

Names of Interviewers:

Nathaniel Parajas

Nathaniel: Good Afternoon po maam

Mrs. Santiano: Good Afternoon.

Nathaniel: How do you manage your wastes?

Mrs. Santiano: We compile all wastes and put it in a plastic garbage.

Nathaniel: What are the problems that you have encountered when managing

your kitchen wastes/biowastes?

Mrs. Santiano: It is usually oily and wet.

Nathaniel: Have you tried composting your biowastes?

Mrs. Santiano: No.

Nathaniel: Why haven't you tried composting? What hinders you from doing

composting?

Mrs. Santiano: It is up to the garbage collectors with how they will manage the

wastes.

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Nathaniel: Would you consider composting as a substitute to just throwing it in

the garbage pile?

Mrs. Santiano: Yes. For the biodegradable wastes, we could make it as a

fertilizer and we can recycle for the non-biodegradable wastes.

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 INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT WITH MS. DIANNE J. CHANTIOCO

Date of interview: December 7, 2019

Name of interviewee 1: Ms. Dianne J. Chantioco

San Carlos Heights, Baguio City

Names of Interviewers:

Rozel M. Wage

Rozel: Good Afternoon po. I would like to ask a few questions po regarding po sa

pagmamanage niyo sa basura po.

Dianne: Sige

Rozel: How do you manage your wastes po?

Dianne: We manage our wastes by segregating the garbage from biodegradable

to nonbiodegradable

Rozel: Ano naman pong mga problema ang naencounter niyo sa pagmamanage

po nung biowastes niyo?

Dianne: The problems that we have encountered when managing kitchen wastes

is that it will be piled up ans we still have to wait for the scheduled garbabge

collection before it will eb properly disposed

Rozel: Have you ever tried composting your biowastes?

Dianne: No, I haven’t tried yet because I don’t know the proper way on

composting biowaste

Rozel: Would you consider composting as a substitute to just throwing it in the

garbage pile?

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Dianne: Strongly Agree! Joke, Yes talaga answer ko

Rozel: Thank you po sa time.

INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT WITH MR. SLY LEE L. SORIANO

Date of interview: December 8, 2019

Name of interviewee 1: Mr. Sly Lee K. Soriano

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 Poblacion, Tuba

Names of Interviewers:

Rozel M. Wage

Rozel: Good Afternoon po.

Sly: Yes, Good Afternoon

Rozel: Pwede po bang mag-ask few questions po sa pagmamanage niyosa

basura niyo?

Sly: Sure

Rozel: How do you manage your wastes po?

Sly: By using of paper bags instead of plastics

Rozel: What problems po ang naencounter niyo sa pagmamanage po nung

biowastes niyo?

Sly: Separation of Biodegradable and non-biodegradable wastes

Rozel: Have you ever tried composting?

Sly: No, I don’t know composting

Rozel: Would you consider composting as a substitute to just throwing it in the

garbage pile?

Sly: Yes

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 INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT WITH ENGR. RICARDO DANG-IW, DENR EMB

CAR SUPERVISING ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST

Date of interview: September 11, 2019

Name of interviewee: Engr. Ricardo Dang-Iw

Supervising Environmental Management Specialist

DENR EMB CAR-Baguio City

Interviewer: Rozel Wage

Rozel: Good morning sir, I am a student po of Saint Louis University. Magko-

conduct po sana ako ng interview tungkol sa biowaste na napoproduce ng

Baguio City.

Ricardo: Kami na sa regulatory, GSO ang sa implementation together with DA.

Mr. Boyucan is the head. Sila nagcocollect basura at nag-iimbak. They use ERS

machine para sa biodegradable. Ang ginagawa naming is to monitor the

compliance of the local government units in the implementation of the 9003,

which is the ecological solid waste management act of 2000.

Rozel: may thesis project po kasi kami na automated bokashi bucket.

Ricardo: natest na naming one time yung bokashi and we tested this in Bontoc.

Hindi kasi sustainable na icommercialize unlike these na it could process in just

few hours. Bokashi kasi very slow ang processing. Kung voluminous, hindi kaya.

Rozel: yung project po namin for kitchen lang po, for household. Tapos po

automated po siya. Yung kahit po wala ka po sa bahay mammanipulate mo.

Ricardo: pwede rin yun pang household. Not all household. It is now the LGU

who’ll take care of it. Kaya ngayon namomblema ang mga residente because

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ang sabi ng city, you manage your bio[waste]. Bihira ang mga tao na, “imanage

natin yung bio[waste] natin”, lalo kung mga apartments, mga boarding houses. It

will go back to the LGU.Pero yung bokashi pwede sa individual, yung pang

household lang.

Ricardo: may mokosako pa na ginagamit sa enhancement ng composting. Pero

ang siste na yon, parang oven. May tangke yan, nilalagyan ng mga dried coconut

shell hanggang sa condensation, tapos yung decomposed na liquid, yun ang

mageenhance ng composting. Pagkatapos, fertilizer din. Kung may mga project

ka na composting, pwedeng kasabay yun.

Rozel: Yun pa lang naman po ang questions ko sir. Thank you po sa time ninyo.

Ricardo: Sige, sige. You’re welcome.

INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT WITH MRS. RUBY E. AGAID, RESISDENT OF

CAGUIOA STREET

Date of interview: November 29, 2019

Name of interviewee: Mrs. Ruby E. Agaid

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 Resident of Caguioa Street

Caguioa Street, Baguio CIty

Name of Interviewer:

Jonathan C. Tolentino

Jonathan: Paano niyo inaayos niyo inaayos mga basura niyo tita?

Ruby Agaid: By segregation. Sinegregate, sinesegrate lahat ng kung mga plastic,

papel na tuyo ilagay sa isang garbage bag. Yung mga halimbawa mga lata, na

kuwan, ilagay din sa isang supot nakahiwalay na din yun puwede din ipagsama

sa garbage bag pero itali mo yun maski iisa lang yon. Yung nabubulok iba rin,

iba rin ang, ang isang plastic din yun na paglalagyan. Separate din yun,

nabubulok lahat ng mga nabubulok na kuwan halimbawa pagkain ng baboy, mga

tira natin na pagkain, mga pinaghugasan o ano puwede din ilagay sa nabubulok.

Ilagay mo din, iseparate mo din sa isang supot, ilagay mo doon.

Jonathan: Sinong nagcocollect nung mga yun tita?

Ruby: Yung garbage collector

Jonathan: Yung gso ba tita?

Ruby: Oo yung gso

Jonathan: Ah gso pa rin kumukuha

Ruby: Oo. Every Thursday

Jonathan: Pati yung ano? Nabubulok tas di nabubulok? Kinukuha nila tita?

Ruby:Oo

Jonathan: Kahit nabubulok mismo?

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Ruby: Oo. Nakahiwalay naman. Nakahiwalay naman ang nabubulok tas di

nabubulok.

Jonathan: Mga tenant niyo ba tita nag sesegregate din?

Ruby: Oo. Lahat tayo, nakamonitor lahat.

Jonathan: Problems na nahanap niyo sa pag mamanage niyo ng nabubulok?

Ruby: Marami din na hindi tumutupad. Maski sinasabi mong segregation na

kuwan. Pero karamihan lalo na yung mga boarding houses. Dahil maraming

estudyante na dahil yung mga iba, halimbawa may pasok nagmamadali siya at

ilalagay na lang niya, talagang hinahalo niya siya nabubulok sa di nabubulok.

Jonathan: Ay naghahalo halo

Ruby: Oo. Kaya yan karamihan ang problema sa mga boarding houses kasi

minsan di na kuwan ang segregation. Kaya dapat naka follow up lahat yan.

Jonathan: Natry niyo na ba mag composting? Sinubukan niyo na?

Ruby: Ay diyos ko. Yang pag sesegregate ng kuwan. Kaso wala tayong pag

lalagyan diyan. Dapat may bakante tayong lote sana maghukay tayo ng

paglalagyan yung mga nabubulok sana doon mailalagay, eh kaso wala naman.

INTERVIEW TRANSPCRIPT MR. EUGENE D. BUYUCAN, BAGUIO CITY,

CITY GENERAL SERVICES OFFICER

Date of interview: September 06, 2019

Name of interviewee: Mr. Eugene D. Buyucan

Baguio City

City General Services Officer

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 Interviewers

Interviewer 1: Angelica Tumulak

Interviewer 2: Carlo Noe

Interviewer 3: Lemoree Anne Taclaoan

Interviewer 4: Jan Karlo Borromeo

Interviewer 2: Good afternoon po. May mga questions lang po kami about sa

mga biowaste ng Baguio po.

Respondent: Good afternoon din. Sige ano yun?

Interviewer 1: yung mga biowaste po ineestore sa agency tapos ginagamit yung

machine po?

Respondent: oo pinaprocess yun.

Interviewer 1: Ano pong mga biowaste po yung mga kinokolekta?

Respondent: yung vegetable wastes, pero dati lahat lahat pati yung mga waste

ng mga restaurant, dumami yung mga waste sa restaurant kasi wala nang

bumubili ng pagkain ng baboy, pinahinto kasi yung baboy sa city, under the law

kasi, sa clean air act, bawal ang baboy sa highly urbanized city.

Interviewer 3: Ang research po kasi namin eh, alam niyo po ba yung Bokashi?

Respondent: Oo, meron yung Bokashi na iyan na ginagamit mo sa composition,

meron din yung ginagamitan nila ng African Crawler, yung worm na malalaki na

nilalagay sa controlled facility, tapos pati yung mga plants ng saging kinakain

nila. Yun yung pinakamagandang compost fertilizer, yung tinatae nung worm. So

yun nga yung pinopromote ng Department of Agriculture, ang problema, dito sa

City of Baguio, mostly dikit dikit yung bahay, wala kang area.

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Respondent: Yung space talaga, so we are incorporating technology as an

approach to facilitate the processing of the biodegradable, parang ERS sa Irisan.

Dito yung ERS kasi namin (shows picture), Dinadala yung garbage, so yun yung

facility. Ito yung dating naprocess, pinaprocess ulit. And then, itong mga nasa

loob, ito yung product nya, finished product, iniiscreen lang, magiging compost

na.

Interviewer 1: San po napupunta yung mga “compost”?

Respondent: Binebenta yan, dito may sample tayo dito. (shows sample compost)

walang amoy ano? Hawakan niyo, hindi mabaho. Yan ang product ng mga

basura natin.

Interviewer 1: Ano po yung mga components na nilalagay niyo sa pag-gawa niyo

ng compost?

Respondent: Meron tayong shredder, squeezer, maluluto dun sa ERS machine,

and then meron tayong dinagdag na parang spinner, kasi yung basura natin dito

eh parang matubig. So ang problema paano mo madry yung fertilizer. So ma-

shred siya, pumunta sa squeezer ma-squeeze sya, ilagay mo sa ERS machine

maluluto siya, pag labas i-hammer para madurog talaga yung particles, sa dulo

merong spinner lalo ngayong tagulan, parang concept siya ng spinner ng damit,

mais-spin yan paglabas niya dry. Tapos ilagay nila sa rotating machine,

dagdagan din ng kaunting additives para maging compost fertilizer. Tapos

dadaan sa screen para pinong-pino na tapos isasako na.

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Interviewer 3: So sir yung project po naming is automation ng Bokashi Bucket,

gagawin naming siyang electronically controlled na po. Ask lang po namin, how

do you think na makakaapekto yung project namin sa mga gawain ng LGU?

Respondent: Maraming approach yan, kailangan natin yung mga different

approach. Kailangan natin [Bokashi Project], kasi you would want na may

diversion. Para hindi isa lang ang gamit natin, kung yang makina[ERS Irisan]

lang, hindi niya kaya ang basura natin. Alam mo ba ang biodegradable araw-

araw? 402 thousand tons per day. At lahat kayo, kung tutuusin ang sainyo eh

half-kilo a day na basura so ganun karami. Times yung population natin na

345,000.

Interviewer 2: pwede po bang mavisit yung site po sa Irisan po or hindi?

Respondent: Pwede but it was privatized so kailangan ng letter. Gawa kayo ng

sulat tapos we’ll approve. Ayan kasi dalawa yan, it was bought by the city

government back in 2010. They claimed, it is a Japanese technology. However

there was no thorough study before that it was okay. Nung dumating ditto,

nabayran ng napakamahal, 128 million, and the seller, was ever to stay for 2

years, but in my analysis hindi masyadong naitransfer yung technology. So ang

nangyari, meron daw certain micro-organism that tends to hasten the

decomposition of the biodegradable, when heated to a certain degree of heat,

nagigising daw sila, kumakain sa mga basura. Kapag labas durog durog na, pag

labas medjo pwede nang iiscreen ng konti pwede nang magamit daw. Indeed in

the initial parang tama, pero matapang hindi pwedeng basta ilagay sa plant.

Kailangan lagyan mo ng moisture. Isa pang issue dun is ang basura pala sa

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Japan dry, hindi katulad dito. If you look at the hydrometer, ang normal na

moisture content natin eh nasa 80%, tumataas pa pag ganitong rainy season. So

ang problema nung machine eh how to bring out the garbage na dry, you need a

lot of energy in that, so malaking gastos ng city, 18 million a year ang

maintenance. So nung pina-privatize namin, nawala yung gastos. So there was a

revision in the technology. They now apply the Philippine type of ingenuity,

nagdagdag sila ng shredder, nagdagdag sila ng squeezer, nagdagdagsila ng

hammer wheel, at nagdagdag ng dryer na parang pag naglalaba ka and we were

able to produce up to 80-85% dry at this rainy season, so probably when it is

summer time, mas dry. But that is still acceptable. So yun ang on-going

technology niya.

Interviewer 1: ang Baguio diba sir is highly urbanized, and the population density

is high, paano yun sir yung sinasabi niyo npo na yung biodegradable eh nasa

household lang po, pero since yung mga places nay un, especially dito sa

Baguio, occupied na, at sementado na. Ano po yung mas effective way para

madispose yung mga biodegradable?

Respondent: Saakin, sa bahay, meron akong malalaking pot, so I started putting

my garbage ditto. Walo na ata eh. Dagdag mona yung lupa, pagkapuno na yung

8th pot, pwede na gamitin yung unang napuno. If you want it, bumili ka ng

enzymes na pang-spray, to ensure na walang flies. Hayaan mo na yung mga

worms dun, sila ang nagcocompost. Kung gusto mo pa nga eh kuha ka ng nmga

worm dyan yung mga native na worm dyan yung red. It is just a matter of

creativity. Yan ang challenge sainyo, come up with a portable machine that

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would solve the residuals. Meron mga machine, kaya lang mahal, na pinipeletize

na yung mga plastic, yung mga sando bag. Ang ginagawa nila parang

pinaplantsa na nila para tumigas and then pinepelletize, eto naming mga plastic

na kagaya ng coke, diretso yan. Pag pelletize na, pwedeng gawing upuan,

pwedeng i-remold nila as basin, food containers for animals, or furniture and

Interviewer 1: sir for example, sa isang household po, nagpurchase po sila ng

Bokashi Bucket, pero ang problem po natin is wala pong space kasi puro

apartment types po mostly. Pwede po ba silang magseek ng help sa mga

barangay or LGU para sa disposal.

Respondent: oo naman, pwede naman yan. Isang suggest mo diba yung

Pinatubo product, yung ash diba. Diba gumawa sila ng mga flower vase na

malalaki. Pwedeng dun mo ilagay yung garbage mo, bokashi. Meron tayong

bagong product na drum, pwede rin naman gumamit din nun lagyan lang ng

butas sa ilalim. So it’s just a matter of being in-genuine. But take it to

consideration yung control nitong bokashi, pag lumabas, hindi natin alam ang

[nangyayari], hindi natin nai-project yung effect nito sa environment diba. You

use the conventional type of using the bokashi to manage the garbage. So you

might be looking at ano bang pinakamagandang container, it’s practical use,

yung ease of handling, yun yung considerations eh.

Interviewer 3: sir yung dun po sa pagpprocess po, gaano po katagal?

Respondent: yung dun sa ERS, 2 days lang.

Interviewer 1: Thank you po.

Respondent: okay so thank you very much for visiting and good luck.

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INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT WITH MR. MANOLO LLANETA AND MRS.

YOLANDA BUENEVENTURA, SCOUT BARRIO

CAPTAIN AND RESIDENT

Date of interview: October 9, 2019

Name of interviewee 1: Mr. Manalo Llaneta

Name of interviewee 2: Mrs. Yolanda Bueneventura

Baranggay Captain and Resident

Scout Barrio, Baguio City

Names of Interviewers:

Lemoree Anne Taclaoan

Carlo Noe

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Lem: Lemoree Anne po, tiyaka si Noe. Student po kami ng SLU, Electronics

Engineering. So first question ko po, kinokolekta po ba ng GSO yung waste ng

baranggay?

Capt. Manolo: Yah, as of now, partly yung mga hindi pwedeng mag compost,

yung mga biodegradables ano, yung hindi pwede yun ang kinokolekta nila. Kasi

doon sementado, walang space kaya yung mga yun kinokolekta pa rin ng GSO.

Lem: so you mean sir buong baranggay?

Capt. Manolo: Hindi. Month of August when they announced naa hindi na

icocollect biodegradables because of Irisan. We asked out residents na kung

may space sa likod, duon icontain biodegradables. They did it naman. Pero

nalaman na nila na after that collection day, the following collection day, ang

GSO pumayag nanaman sila na kolektahin yung mga lahat nanaman. Pero they

segrate it naman.

Lem: so as of now sir mga ilang percentage po ng mga residents ang

nagcocompost or di nagpapa-collect.

Capt. Manolo: didn’t check lately, pero noon ano na nasa 50 percent na

Lem: so sa mag semented part na lang?

Capt. Manolo: oo. Yung mga gso truck kinokolekta biodegradable basta

nakasegregate.

Lem: So yung pag collect po ng GSO sir, weekly po ba yun?

Capt. Manolo: Yes

Lem: sabay pong kino-collect yun sir?

Capt. Manolo: yes. As long as segregated.

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Lem: So sir doon naman sa part ng pagko-compost niyo, may action po ba yung

baranggay?

Capt. Manolo: may compost pit kami, may ginawa kaming ano diyan. Pero pag

hindi na kinukuha talaga ng GSO, talagang iko-contain namin.

Lem: kailan po sinumulan yung project ng compost pit?

Capt. Manolo: noong past administration pa. yung kagawad ako noon.

Lem: So sir sa mga biodegradable, saan niyo po ginagamit yung mga nako-

collect niyo?

Capt. Manolo: kino-compost namin. Yung mga nasa trash bag, hinahalo namin

sa soil. Hinahaluan din namin ng mga tae ng kabayo, galing kasi diyan sa taas.

Hinahalo namin na ganon then all the while, siguro mga 4 or 6 months. May mga

plastic pa yan eh.

Lem: so sir yun lang po ba yung method niyo ng pagmamanage ng biowaste?

Capt. Manolo: Composting, ganon din sa mga bahay bahay kasi eh. Yung mga

kasama namin sa bahay bahay, alam mo yung drum, doon nila nilalagay. Then

all the while may “wati” na nilalagay. Madami yun inuubos nila yun. Fertilization

yun, mga earthworm yun, kita mo kapag ano andami. Dami ring ibon, kaya

kailangan may takip yun. Dahil uubusin ng ibon yung earthworm. Sila yung

nagfeferment.

Lem: Sir are you aware of Bokashi bucket?

Capt. Manolo: ano ilalagay? Rice bran? Hindi bran ang ano namin. Diba nag ga-

grass cut kami? Yun ang inaano namin.

Lem: Ay so dina-dry niyo pa po?

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Capt. Manolo: oo. Syempre naiipon lang din. Pag naglagay ka na, yung pantakip

mo. Kahit din diyan sa compost pit namin. Pag naglagay na kami ng

biodegradables na yan, lalo na syempre ayaw mo rin amoyin diba? Yun nilalagay

namin. Yung field na yan, usually nag ga-grass cut kami diyan, very fine yun eh,

yun ang inaano namin. Ganyan rin yan sa basketball court, yung mga tanim din

yung mga lemon ganon. Yung grass na yun, yun ang nilalagay namin, magiging

fertilizer yun.

Lem: so yung duration naman po ng pag compost niyo sir, umaabot po ba siya

ng months?

Capt. Manolo: yah. Usually hinaharvest namin 6 months.

Lem: sir with regards naman po doon sa mga residents, may makakausap po ba

kami ngayon?

Capt. Manolo: oo, puntahan natin si Juanito, pero yung misis niya ang nandiyan.

Yung si Danny na lang, puntahan natin si Danny.

Lem: sir gaano po karami yung resident ng baranggay niyo?

Capt. Manolo: more or less mga 150 houses.

Interview with Mrs Yolanda Bueneventura

Yolanda: Ako kasi nilalagay ko sa sako, yung nabubulok. Kasi ang kinukuha

kong nabubulok, galing diyan sa kainan diyan. Pinagbalatan ng eggs, lahat ng

gulay. Kasi ang ano doon, kung sako, atleast sako lang. tapos kung minsan, if I

have time, nangunguha ako ng tae ng kabayo, kasi yon, mabilis yung worm.

Lem: So mga ilang years?

Yolanda: Ay, months lang. 4 to 5 months lang. Pwede ko nang ibuhos nanaman.

156
Lem: Gaano katagal na po kayong nagcocompost?

Capt. Manolo: Matagal na yan. Kahit nga minsan siya pa nagdedestribute ng

mga tanim namin dito. Mga herbal mga ganyan.

Lem: So sir, natanong ko na po lahat, maraming salamat po.

INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT WITH MR. JOE GUERRERO, IRISAN DUMPSITE

SUPERVISOR

Date of interview: October 4, 2019

Name of interviewee: Mr. Joe Guerrero

Irisan Staff

Irisan Dumpsite, Baguio City

Names of Interviewers:

Lemoree Anne Taclaoan

Carlo Noe

Lem: Kuya pwedeng malaman yung name niyo?

Joe: Joe Guerrero.

Lem: kayo po yung ano dito kuya?

Joe: parang supervisor.

Lem: According to my classmates, meron kayo noong ERS machine and

hammer-mill.

157
Joe: Oo. Ang proseso kasi, niluluto nila. Pagkatapos nilang lutuin, itatambak lang

diyan. Yun ang nangangamoy.

Lem: Pero ngayon po?

Joe: Di na namin tinatambak diyan. Pagkatapos namin dito, idederetso na sa

loob, fertilizer na agad.

Lem: So dudurugin po nung machine?

Joe: Oo. Yung pandurog yung hammer-mill.

Lem: So dito po sa facility, how many tons po ng trash per day? Estimated po.

Joe: Fourteen tons daily.

Lem: Paano po kayo nagcocollect ng trash dito sa Baguio?

Joe: Yung mga galing Hangar lang ang kinokolekta namin. Every day, isang

dump truck and dumadating. Pero 13 to 14 tons.

Lem: Yung dump truck na po ba yun kuya, buong Baguio na ba?

Joe: Hangar, palengke. Sa mga residential, hindi na. Ayaw ata ni mayor kasi

nasisira yung quality noong fertilizer.

Lem: So saan po dinadala yung biowaste ng residential?

Joe: Doon ata sa may Tuba, transfer station. Kasi kung makikita niyo, puro gulay

lang yung nandito.

Lem: So yan po ba, kayang i-process ng hammer-mill niyo?

Joe: Oo. Yung 14 tons kaya niya isang araw. Pero putol-putol ang operation.

Naguumpisa kami ng 8, nagbe-break kami ng 10, tapos maguumpisa ulit kami ng

10:30. Titigil uli kami ng 11:30, umpisa uli kami, ala una. Tapos mamayang 4 ulit.

Putol-putol.

158
Lem: so within 24 hours, napa-process niyo na talaga.

Joe: Oo.

Lem: Doon naman po sa rate of production niyo kuya, gaano naman po karami

yung nagagawa niyong fertilizer?

Joe: Marami actually, kahapon nagdeliver kami sa Bulacan. At noong nakaraan

nag deliver kami sa Alaminos ng 1000 bags.

Lem: Ilang days naman po ng production niyo yun kuya?

Joe: Matagal din yun. Ini-stock lang namin diyan. Pag may oorder, ‘yun.

Lem: Pero yung 13 to 14 tons, ilan ang napoproduce niyo doon na fertilzer?

Joe: Depende kasi, lalo na ngayong tag-ulan. Pero pag natapos na ng dryer

naming dalawa, ito na. Walang estimated na bilang kasi per kilo yung sako

namin.

Lem: so tungkol doon sa machine kuya, ilang years niyo nang ginagamit?

Joe: Bago pa lang. Actually nagsimula kami rito, May lang. Nitong 2019.

Lem: So yung isa, phase out na? Yung Hammer-mill na lang yung ginagamit

niyo?

Joe: Hindi naman. Pero kasi kung yung ginagamit namin yung luma, magastos

sa diesel. Tyaka yung dating proseso nila, pagkatapos nila, itatambak lang nila

dito. Yung ERS.

Lem: So hindi ginagamit yung ERS due to electric and diesel?

Joe: Oo. Tyaka parang mas maganda yung bago. Yung mga nandiyan na

nakatambak, dati yan gawa ng ERS.

Lem: Itong hammer-mill, wala nang excess na hindi niyo napa-process?

159
Joe: Wala.

Lem: So kuya may mga problems ba kayong naeencounter sa mga machines na

ginagamit niyo ngayon?

Joe: Actually wala na, dire-diretso na ngayon, kasi nakuha na namin yung

technique. Isang linggo na kami nago-operate ng diretso. Ang pinaka pahinga na

lang yung break ng machine.

Lem: So kuya aware po ba kayo na may mga baranggay dito sa Baguio na yung

Biowaste nila, sila na nagpa-process?

Joe: Oo okay naman yun, para matuto sila. Kasi minsan diba halu-halo? Kaya

ang nirekomenda ata ni mayor, bawat baranggay sila na ang mag compost.

Lem: So bale ang sa inyo nalang is market?

Joe: Market na lang.

Lem: Saan uli dinadala yung iba kuya?

Joe: Sa Badiwan, Tuba.

Lem: May information ba kayo doon kuya? Parang kung ano yung ginagawa

nila?

Joe: Ang kanila, mga residual din. Doon lang itatambak tapos binababa nila sa

Urdaneta. Iniipon at itatapon lang nila. Mga residual, mga plastic ganon.

Lem: So yung mga baranggay na may ginagawang project sa composting, hindi

namna kayo apektado?

Joe: Hindi naman. Pabor sa amin.

Carlo: Yan kuya yung dryer niyo, ginagamit niyo na ba yan?

160
Joe: Hindi pa, galing sa city yan, pagaganahin namin. Sa amin ang maintenance

nito.

Carlo: Paano ngayon kuya, halimbawa umuulan, anong gagawin niyo sa mga

basa na basura?

Joe: Wala. Minsan kinukuha na lang namin tapos papatuyuin na lang.

Lem: Pero dati kuya, ano yung naeencounter niyo na problems doon sa

machine? Noong hindi niyo pa gamay?

Joe: Oo, minsan yung conveyor nasisira. Minsan yung rubber niya. Mechanical

issue lang.

Lem: yan po ba kuya, sa tingin niyo ilang years makakapag operate sa baguio?

Joe: Matagal yan.

Lem: Yung isa kuya, yung ERS?

Joe: Yan matagal din yan. Mga ten ata yan. Ten years. Kaya ganyan ka dami

yung tambak nila.

Lem: So bagi lang yung project nila, which is better compare doon sa dati. So

yung mga yan kuya nakatambak lang diyan?

Joe: ipa-process din namin yan. Pero kasi actually fertilizer na yan. Luto na yan,

hahaluan lang namin ng parang gamot para maging hybrid siya. Actually sila,

nagpaprocess na sila pero sabi ng mga buyer, marumi, kaya na-stop. Makikita

mo yung sa amin ngayon, napakalinis. Wala na ring amoy.

Carlo: Paano yung gagawin niyo diyan, yung mga may plastic?

Joe: may rotary kami doon na malaki. May screen, doon sa gitna. Ini-screen

namin siya, pagkatapos namin i-screen, i-screen nila dito. Matatanggal na yung

161
plastic. May mga screen na maliliit ang butas, para maging ganon siya sa mga

nakasako.

Lem: Yung ERS kuya phase out na? O gagamitin niyo pa?

Joe: gagamitin pa rin, para lang di masira yung boiler niya. Boiler kasi yung

magpapaandar diyan, diesel.

Lem: mga anong instances niyo po ginagamit yan?

Joe: Parehas lang din, magastos nga lang. Electrical tiyaka diesel.

Lem: Though yung product po, samae lang po ba siya?

Joe: Halos same lang din.

Lem: So mas prefer niyo na lang yung bagong machine?

Joe: Oo, at least yan, electric na lang ang gastos namin, hindi na diesel. Mahal

ang diesel, ang diesel niyan dati, 4000 liters a month. Malaki yung natipid namin

kasi hindi na kami gagamit ng diesel. Biro mo pag nogoorder ako dati ng diesel,

98,000 pesos monthly, eh 4000 liters yun.

Lem: Kuya are you aware of bokashi bucket?

Joe: Ano yun?

Lem: Parang magcocompost ka lang din po, pero ife-ferment mo lang din po.

Joe: Maganda rin kasi yung ganon, parang ganon sa amin na tinatapunan ng

kanin. May balon kaming pinagtatapunan sa compound namin, sa may Marcos

Highway. Maraming unit kasi yung compound na yun, lahat ng bio doon

itiatapon, tapos may mga tanim sila na sayote. Anggaganda ng tanim nila. Yun

yung pinaka-fertilizer nila.

162
Lem: kuya pwede pa po magtanong ng iba pang information doon sa

pinupuntahan ng mga basura ng residential.

Joe: Wala na, yung alam ko lang doon, tambakan lang ng mga residual, tapos

hinahakot dinadala sa Urdaneta.

Lem: Project po yun ng government?

Joe: sila may handle. Tiyaka yung Urdaneta ipapasara na yung sa kanila kasi

mabaho na daw. Ipapasara na ng DENR. Kasi halu-halo na yung ano nila doon.

Lem: So ano po yung magiging action ng Baguio kung magco-close na?

Joe: marami naman tayo, basta may pera ka lang na pambayad. Dati sa Capas

tayo natatapon residual.

Lem: so technically kuya, walang tambakan ang Baguio?

Joe: Oo. Wala. Masikip kasi.

Lem: Ilang months naman na yung project ng baranggay niyo?

Joe: Matagal na yun. Kasi maluwag yung lupa nila doon sa amin.

Lem: So outside ng town proper, sila na yung nagcocompost?

Joe: Oo, kasi diba sa mga baranggay, di na pinapayagan yung mga bio. Yung

sinabi ni mayor na ano, bawat baranggay sila na bahala.

Lem: Yun lang naman po kuya, maraming salamat po.

Joe: Sige.

INTERVIEW TRANSPCRIPT KAGAWAD JOSEPHINE C. RETARTO, PMA,

COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON ON ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL

RESOURCES

163
 Date of interview: September 06, 2019

Name of interviewee: Kagawad Josephine C. Retarto

Resident

Committee Chairperson On Environment And Natural Resources

Interviewer: Rozel Wage

Interviewer: Good Afternoon po, so ako po si Rozel Wage, galing po ako sa SLU.

Interviewee: Ako si Josephine

Interviewer: ang tanong lang po namin kasi yung project namin po is about,

pagdedecompose po ng biowaste. May project study po kami sa school and ang

project po namin is Automated Bokashi Bucket. Parang yung bucket po na yun is

automatic na magdedecompose yung biowaste. Tapos ngayon po is iba’t ibang

baranggay ang tinatanong namin kung yung GSO po ba sa baranggay na ito,

kinokolekta ang mga biowaste.

Interviewee: Yung mga nabubulok namin, meron na kaming compost pit.

Interviewer: Yung prinopropose po kasi naming project is yung pang kitchen

biowaste. Isa po siyang parang bukcet po, parang trashbin po siya ilalagay niyo

po dun yung mga biowaste po, tapos bibigyan lang po siya ng tinatawag na

Bokashi. yung bokashi po is parang bran po siya na binubodbod parang flour po.

(SHOWS PICTURES OF BOKASHI)

Interviewer: yung bokashi po na yun, Ibubudbod lang po siya tapos maghihintay

po ng 10 days po para magdecompose po yung nabubulok na basura, kitchen

biowaste.

164
Interviewee: Pang bahay lang ito no?

Interviewer: opo

Interviewee: hindi siya pwede yung sa pang-Baranggay? Kunwari yung compost

pit namin.

Interviewer: pwede po siya up to 55 gallons. Tapos yung madedecompose po

dito sa gamit ang Bokashi may tea po siya, may maeextract po siya na tea for

fertilizer.

Interviewee: Maganda itong Bokashi na ito no.

Interviewer: Opo, kaya yun po yung purpose nung mga interview namin kasi po

meron daw pong ibang baranggay na hindi kinokolekta ng GSO.

Interviewee: oo. Kung magkakaroon kami ng ganito [Bokashi] sana, maganda.

Mas better. Pero ito maam, pag nilagayn mo siya ng bran, anong gagawiin?

Interviewer: Parang after po 10 days, ieexpose po siya sa araw. Kasi po after

nun eh hindi na po siya mukhang basura. Mukha na po siyang fertilizer.

Interviewee: Ay ganun, di na kailangan gilingin?

Interviewer: Hindi na po. Kasi po yung mukhang fertilizer na po yun is pwede na

siyang ihalo sa halaman. Tapos yung tea rin po na galing dito pwede rin pong

ipandilig po. Kasi 5th year students po kami tapos ito po yung proposed project

namin.

Interviewer: Yun lang po, thank you po sa time ninyo.

Interviewee: Thank you rin.

165
 APPENDIX B

LETTERS

LETTER FOR INTERVIEW

SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY

School of Engineering and Architecture

Electronics Engineering Department

Dear Ma’am/Sir:

166
 The undersigned are 5th year students of the Department of Electronics
Engineering of Saint Louis University, would like to request permission for an
interview. The purpose of the interview is to become familiar and to have more
ideas about biowaste and the different ways of managing it, as a requirement for
the background study of our ECE 517F and ECE 517FL Research/Project Study
1.
Any information gathered from the interview will be specifically used for
academic purposes only. The group is looking forward for the approval of their
request.
Thank you and God bless!

Respectfully yours,
Borromeo, Jan Karlo T.
Noe, Carlo R.
Parajas, Nathaniel I.
Tolentino, Jonathanc.
Ungos, Rhodney T.
Taclaoan, Lemoree Anne F.
Tumulak, Angelica E.
Wage, Rozel M.
Noted by:
Engr. Mildred M. Martinez
(Faculty Research Promoter)
LETTERS OF INVITATION

SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY

School of Engineering and Architecture

Electronics Engineering Department

ENGR. CAROLINE BAUTISTA-MONCADA, MEngg-ECE

Undergraduate Research Coordinator

Faculty, Electronics Engineering Department

Greetings, Ma’am!

167
 Our research group will be having its proposal defense for the SMART
BOKASHI BUCKET (SmartBoket): Biowaste Bin with Air and Tea Monitoring
and Extraction and Remote Notification at the SLU Incubation for Research,
Innovation and Business (SIRIB) Center on November 26, Tuesday from 6:00pm
to 8:00pm.
In this regard, we would like to invite you to be a part of our undertaking as
one of our panel members for the provision of suggestions and recommendations
regarding our proposal. Attached with this letter is our manuscript, complete with
all the necessary documents for your review.
We hope for your most favourable response.
Thank you!

Sincerely,
Borromeo, Jan Karlo T.
Noe, Carlo R.
Parajas, Nathaniel I.
Tolentino, Jonathanc.
Ungos, Rhodney T.
Taclaoan, Lemoree Anne F.
Tumulak, Angelica E.
Wage, Rozel M.

The Proponents

Endorsed by:
ENGR. MILDRED M. MARTINEZ
Faculty Research Promoter

SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY

School Of Engineering And Architecture

Electronics Engineering Department

ENGR. JANRY V. GARCIA, MEngg-ECE

Faculty, Electronics Engineering Department

Greetings, Sir!

168
 Our research group will be having its proposal defense for the SMART
BOKASHI BUCKET (SmartBoket): Biowaste Bin with Air and Tea Monitoring
and Extraction and Remote Notification at the SLU Incubation for Research,
Innovation and Business (SIRIB) Center on November 26, Tuesday from 6:00pm
to 8:00pm.
In this regard, we would like to invite you to be a part of our undertaking as
one of our panel members for the provision of suggestions and recommendations
regarding our proposal. Attached with this letter is our manuscript, complete with
all the necessary documents for your review.
We hope for your most favourable response.
Thank you!

Sincerely,
Borromeo, Jan Karlo T.
Noe, Carlo R.
Parajas, Nathaniel I.
Tolentino, Jonathanc.
Ungos, Rhodney T.
Taclaoan, Lemoree Anne F.
Tumulak, Angelica E.
Wage, Rozel M.

The Proponents

Endorsed by:
ENGR. MILDRED M. MARTINEZ
Faculty Research Promoter

SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY

School of Engineering and

Architecture

Electronics Engineering Department

ENGR. CYNTHIA L. POSADAS, Ph.D.

Dean, School of Engineering and Architecture

169
 Our research group will be having its proposal defense for the SMART
BOKASHI BUCKET (SmartBoket): Biowaste Bin with Air and Tea Monitoring
and Extraction and Remote Notification at the SLU Incubation for Research,
Innovation and Business (SIRIB) Center on November 26, Tuesday from 6:00pm
to 8:00pm.
In this regard, we would like to invite you to be a part of our undertaking as
one of our panel members for the provision of suggestions and recommendations
regarding our proposal. Attached with this letter is our manuscript, complete with
all the necessary documents for your review.
We hope for your most favourable response.
Thank you!

Sincerely,
Borromeo, Jan Karlo T.
Noe, Carlo R.
Parajas, Nathaniel I.
Tolentino, Jonathanc.
Ungos, Rhodney T.
Taclaoan, Lemoree Anne F.
Tumulak, Angelica E.
Wage, Rozel M.

The Proponents

Endorsed by:
ENGR. MILDRED M. MARTINEZ
Faculty Research Promoter

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