Stabilization of Vegetable Market Waste through Vermicomposting

Vegetable wastes from market and homes are source of environmental pollution, global climatic changes and human health hazards. Methods of their disposal and management are not satisfactory. Earlier studies on vermicomposting of kitchen and vegetable waste could not provide a simple and satisfactory method of waste recycling. Therefore, the study was taken up. Vegetable waste was mixed with paper, sand-soil mixture and after pre-decomposition for 20 days, 30 earthworms were released. The cultures were maintained for three months and then observations on number and weight of worms, temperature, pH and NPK value of the medium were recorded. Different results were obtained in different combinations of three waste mixtures. Usually dung slurry (50%) is sprinkled for maintaining proper moisture in the vermicomposting medium. The best results were obtained in 5:1:2 mixture of vegetable waste, paper waste and soil-sand mixture with a maximum increase in worm population and worm biomass. Analysis of vermicompost revealed maximum nitrogen (1.94%), potassium (1.19%) and phosphorus (1.11%) content in this mixture. Thus it is concluded that vegetable waste can be converted into high quality vermicompost in an environment friendly manner. Promotion of vermicomposting of household waste will help in environmental conservation, organic farming and sustainable development.