Sustainable Circular Resource Recovery Performance Index for Comparing Takakura Composting and Vermicomposting of Municipal Organic Waste

Municipal organic waste management remains a major challenge for sustainable urban development, particularly in regions requiring decentralized treatment alternatives that reduce landfill dependency and promote circular resource recovery. This study compared Takakura composting and vermicomposting for the stabilization of municipal organic waste under decentralized operational conditions in the Ecuadorian Amazon and developed a Composite Circular Resource Recovery and Process Performance Index (CRRPPI) to evaluate resource recovery efficiency. Municipal organic waste was treated through Takakura composting, vermicomposting, and uncontrolled decomposition (control). Operational performance was assessed using material conversion efficiency, process productivity, nutrient recovery efficiency, nutrient productivity, and final physicochemical characteristics. These indicators were integrated into the CRRPPI framework to provide a multidimensional assessment of circular resource recovery performance. Takakura composting showed the highest operational efficiency, achieving material conversion efficiencies of up to 0.80, process productivity values of 1.23 kg day−1, and superior nutrient recovery efficiencies for nitrogen (0.835), phosphorus (0.730), and potassium (0.880). The highest CRRPPI values were obtained for Takakura treatments (0.835–0.842), while vermicomposting showed intermediate performance, and the control treatment presented the lowest resource recovery efficiency (0.216). Sensitivity analysis confirmed ranking stability under ±20% weighting variations, and ANOVA followed by Tukey’s HSD test identified significant differences among treatments (p < 0.05). The results indicate that Takakura composting is an effective strategy for decentralized municipal organic waste valorization and nutrient recirculation. Furthermore, the proposed CRRPPI provides a practical exploratory framework for integrated evaluation of biological stabilization technologies by simultaneously considering operational performance and circular resource recovery.