Design and Development of Solar Powered Vermicomposting Bin for Accelerated Decomposition of Garden Waste: A Review

Abstract

Solid waste management is a global issue that is getting more difficult to solve every day as a result of population growth, industrialization, and lifestyle modifications. Although there are several ways to get rid of solid waste, including land filling, incineration, turning into biogas, recycling, and composting, their overproduction has resulted in improper disposal methods like applying them carelessly and at the wrong time to agricultural fields, which pollutes the water and soil. Nevertheless, if managed appropriately, these organic wastes can be utilized for vermicomposting, a highly efficient recycling technique that enhances the quality of the resulting goods by disinfecting, detoxifying, and enriching them with valuable nutrients. The procedure is an inexpensive and environmentally-friendly method of waste management that involves the employment of earthworms and microorganisms to transform biodegradable garbage into organic fertilizer. Vermiast, the excreta of earthworms, is a highly nutritious organic fertilizer that contains abundant humus, NPK, micronutrients, and beneficial soil microbes. These microbes include nitrogen-fixing bacteria, phosphate solubilizing bacteria, actinomycetes, as well as growth hormones such as auxins, gibberellins and cytokinins. Vermicast serves as a viable substitute for chemical fertilizers and acts as an exceptional promoter of growth and protector of crop plants. Therefore, vermiculture not only facilitates the control of solid waste, but also yields high-quality vermicompost that is rich in nutrients. Vermicompost is advantageous for promoting sustainable organic agriculture and preserving a harmonious ecosystem.