o:8981 Applying Effective Microorganisms to Optimize Municipal Composting Systems: A Pilot Implementation in Serbia en This study evaluates the application of Effective Microorganisms (EM) in large-scale municipal composting under real operational conditions in Serbia. A controlled field experiment was conducted over a 90-day composting period to compare EM-treated and untreated windrows of urban green waste. Key compost quality parameters were assessed to determine compost maturity and nutrient status. EM application resulted in improved compost properties, with stabilized pH (7.28 ± 0.12), increased humus content (26.52 ± 1.10%), higher total nitrogen (1.33 ± 0.05%), available phosphorus (133.46 ± 5.20 mg/100 g), and potassium (226.00 ± 8.50 mg/ 100 g), as well as a reduced C/N ratio (20.0 ± 0.9) compared to the control. These results indicate accelerated organic matter decomposition and enhanced compost maturation in EM-treated systems. The findings demonstrate that EM technology can improve compost quality and process efficiency in municipal composting, supporting its practical application within sustainable urban organic waste management frameworks. Microorganism, Composting Systems, Serbia 1552099 10.1080/1065657x.2026.2613045 2026-01-21T10:24:22.938Z 44 yes 46 Srećko Ćurčić Faculty of technical science in Čačak, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia Applying Effective Microorganisms to Optimize Municipal Composting Systems: A Pilot Implementation in Serbia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6632-293X Mirjana Đoković Public Utility Company (pUC) City Greenery in Čačak, Serbia Applying Effective Microorganisms to Optimize Municipal Composting Systems: A Pilot Implementation in Serbia person Dragan Milićević Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Kaćanskog 13, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia Applying Effective Microorganisms to Optimize Municipal Composting Systems: A Pilot Implementation in Serbia person https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9001-0584 application/pdf 1427919 https://unilib.phaidrabg.rs/o:8981 no yes 1 70 1552253 71A01 Compost Science & Utilization ISSN: 1065-657X (Print) 2326-2397 (Online) Journal home Taylor&Francis https://www.tandfonline.com/ 2026-01-20