Waste is not waste unless someone wastes it. Solid waste collection and its management is one of the burning issues of environment today in most nations worldwide. Although many methods have been proposed and implemented for proper solid waste disposal but some of these treatment and disposal strategies can cause severe environmental issues. The present manuscript intends to give an overview of studies on use of garden leaf litter waste around us as a substrate for vermicompost formation. Vermicomposting is aerobic process in which detritivorous earthworms play an important role in decomposition of organic waste converting it to nutrient rich medium for plant growth known as vermicompost. They do so by interacting with wide range of microorganisms and variety of other fauna acting as decomposers and this interaction results in stabilization of organic matter leading to alteration of its physical and biochemical properties. In recent years, vermicomposting technique has advanced considerably because it is eco-friendly, economically feasible and socially acceptable approach for waste management. In simple words, it is a way of converting waste to wealth. Furthermore, the end product of vermicomposting (Vermicast) - the nutrient rich compost is an efficient soil conditioner.
Aims and Objectives:The present study was conducted to utilize the Milk Processing Industry Sludge (MPIS) for the purpose of vermicomposting, in two sets of experimentsviz. with earthworms (ME) and without earthworms (MW).Methods and Materials:Twenty young non-clitellatedEisenia fetidawere released in each tray. The various parameters like growth, clitellum development, biomass, cocoon production and hatchlings ofE. fetidawere observed after every 15 days, during 90 days of vermicomposting.Results:The maximum growth and better responses were observed in ME25mixtures of MPIS which was the minimum ratio of the waste to CD. The physico-chemical analysis (pH, EC, TKN, TOC, C/N ratio, TAP, TK, TNa) and heavy metals (Cr, Cu, Mn, Pb) were also done before and after vermicomposting process. There was a significant increase in TKN (23-46%), and TAP (39-47%), and a decrease in pH (6.2-6.8%), EC (24.6-37.2%), TOC (16.8-37.9%), C/N ratio (23.8-97.9%), TK (26.6-40.6%), and TNa (31.3-53%) and heavy metals (Cr 30.9-40.6%, Cu 32.7-44.6%, Mn 23.9-36.3%, and Pb 32.6-42.9%) from initial to final feed mixtures with earthworms.Conclusion:Thus the final vermicompost had excellent physico-chemical properties with all nutrients in plant available forms. The study further strengthens that the vermicomposting is an efficient technique in converting MPIS into nutrient rich biomanure in a short period of timei.e. 90 days.
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