Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
TABLE 19.3
Composting of Household Waste Using Three Species of Earthworms:
Eudrilus eugeniae,
Eisenia fetida,
and
Perionyx excavatus
Organic
Waste
(kg)
Time Taken for
Composting
(days)
Compost
Recovery
(kg)
Initial
Biomass
(g)
Final Biomass
of Worms
(g)
Population Increase
(no. of young ones)
Earthworm Species
I set
Eudrilus eugeniae
200
60
160
300
1500
32,000
Eisenia fetida
200
90
160
150
350
30,000
Perionyx excavatus
200
90
160
150
205
6,000
II set
Eudrilus eugeniae
400
60
250
1500
1800
100,000
Eisenia fetida
400
100
250
350
500
80,000
Perionyx excavatus
400
100
250
205
280
20,000
Note
: Initially, 1000 nonclitellate worms of each species were introduced into different pits. The population of
Eudrilus
eugeniae
reached carrying capacity by the end of 5 months.
Source
: From Kale and Sunita 1993.
As the interest in processing kitchen wastes is increasing, several designs of vermicomposting
vessels have evolved to suit different purposes. One of the containers is a cylindrical drum erected
horizontally on a stand. Mesh covers on either side of the drum provide ventilation. The capacity
of the drum is about 5 kg. Rotation at an interval ranging from 48 to 72 h (maximum five rotations)
provides good aeration in the medium. Such a closed and compact system can be maintained easily
in any household without occupying much space. Two drums of this capacity are ideal for a typical
Indian household with four to five family members. Different cities in the country are planning to
devise methods to utilize such vermicomposting technology.
VERMICOMPOSTING OPERATIONS BY AGROINDUSTRIES
An average pressmud (a by-product of the sugar processing industry) contains the elements added
to clarify juice and sediments, solids like bagacillo, the smaller fibers of cane sugar, and particulates
and mud. Production of pressmud per ton of sugarcane is 35 kg. A sugar factory that has taken up
vermicomposting has a unit capacity for crushing 2000 tons of sugarcane per day. The resulting
pressmud released into lagoons averages 2000 tons per month. The other organic wastes in lesser
quantities are the fine baggase and ash from boilers. These are currently occupying large areas of
land around the factory units as dump sites. The pressmud, as such, can be a good soil additive
for its nutrient status, but the farmers are not willing to apply this to their lands for fear of developing
complications in the fields.
The pressmud has no other use and becomes a water and air pollutant if no alternative way is
available for its safe disposal; vermicomposting is one of the only alternatives. KhodayÔs group of
companies is converting this waste into vermicomposts together with the organic wastes from their
dairy farms and crop residues from their plantations. They started with 5000
in June
1993, multiplied them in cement cisterns, and within 1 year they had a production level of 20 tons
of vermicompost per month. This prompted them to develop a unit to convert all the waste from
the sugar factory, the sludge from the distillery, and coir pith from coir industry into vermicomposts
by investing Rs. 25,000,000 ($710,000 U.S.) for a single production unit. By the year 2000, many
other distilleries and sugar factories in the state and in neighboring states have realized the
importance of vermicomposting the effluents and have started units on their premises. The Central
E. eugeniae
