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Vermi Composting

Ankur Singh Cheema Deepak Singh Sahil Shah Mayank Baid Tapas Mallik

Vermicomposting
Vermicompost (also called worm compost, vermicast, worm castings (poop), worm humus or worm manure) is the end-product of the breakdown of organic matter by some species of earthworm. Vermicompost is a nutrient-rich, organic fertilizer and soil conditioner. The process of producing Vermicompost is called Vermicomposting How does it work? Without getting too sciencey, together with bacteria, earthworms are the major catalyst for decomposition in a healthy vermicomposting system.

Why should I get involved?


Benefits: Diverting food waste from the landfill approximately 1/3 of a communitys waste stream is food An incredibly efficient method for recycling Your commitment to sustainability and being green Converts kitchen waste into nutrient-rich compost

Okay, how can I get started?


Obtain small scale Bins Other useful supplies o Worms (1-2 lbs) o Instruction signs o Food scrap container for kitchen area o Cutting knife or food shears (to cut scraps for spreading) o Newspaper for bedding o Fruit fly traps + solution to replace periodically (e.g., orange juice + dish liquid) o Cutting board o Plastic gloves o Spray bottle for providing moisture o Scooper and containers to harvest and give away castings/compost tea o Paper shredder

Worm Species and Reproduction


Two species of red earthworms have consistently been used for commercial composting or worm farming, due to their relatively high tolerance of environmental variations: a) Eisenia foetida The Red Wiggler; b) Lumbricus rebellus The Red Worm. Earthworms are hermaphroditic - that is, each worm is both male and female and each can produce eggs and fertilise the eggs produced by another worm. Under perfect conditions a mature breeder will produce an egg capsule every 7 to 10 days, each containing over 1 dozen hatchlings. Development takes 14-21 days and, once hatched, the newly-emerged worms reach maturity in approximately four to six weeks, meaning that the worm population may double each month.

Nutrient Content

Vermicompost consists mostly of worm casts plus some decayed organic matter. In ideal conditions worms may consume their own weight of organic matter each day. One tonne of worms may therefore process one tonne of organic waste per day. Vermicompost is organic, non-burning and rich in nutrients. Worm casts are suitable for a wide range of horticultural uses. Vermicompost contains eight times as many microorganisms as their feed, which promotes healthy plant growth. When compared with soil, worm casts also contain: 5 times more nitrogen; 7 times more phosphorus; 1.5 times the calcium; 11 times more potassium; 3 times more exchangeable magnesium. The casts are also rich in humic acids, which condition the soil, have a perfect pH balance, and have plant growth factors similar to those found in seaweed.

Environmental Factors

The three most important environmental factors are: Temperature, Moisture and Ventilation. All worms need moisture. The bedding should have moisture content similar to a wrung-out sponge. Worms also need oxygen. It is important to allow air to circulate around the bin by not covering the air holes. Worm bins can be used indoors all year round, and outdoors during the winter months. Outdoor bins should be kept out of the sun and rain. The literature on vermicomposting suggests that if temperatures drop below 10C (50 degrees f), bins should be moved indoors.

Setting up a bin at home or work Worm bins vary depending on the desired size of the system. But for an office environment, a small-scale system will do. Look for bins that have holes in the sides to allow air to flow and a spout that can be opened or closed or holes in the bottom to drain into a collection tray.

Continuous vertical flow bin type is a series of trays stacked vertically. The bottom-most tray is filled first but is not harvested when it is full. Instead, a thick layer of bedding is added on top and the tray above is used for adding organic material. Worms finish composting the materials in the bottom tray and then migrate to the one above. When a sufficient number of worms have migrated, the Vermicompost in the bottom tray can be collected and should be relatively free of worms. These bins provide the easiest method of harvesting. The moisture level and oxygen flow should be checked at least once a week. Cost: Pricing structure for systems varies depending upon type. The small systems typically run anywhere from $70-$90.

To begin - Bedding

Bedding is the living medium and also a food source for the worms. It is a material high in carbon and made to mimic decaying dried leaves the forest floor, the worms natural habitat. The bedding should be moist (similar to the consistency of a wrung-out sponge) and loose to enable the worms to breathe and to facilitate aerobic decomposition of the food that is buried in it. Keep bin away from warm locations or direct sunlight Yes : Shredded newspaper, sawdust, hay, cardboard, burlap coffee sacks, peat moss, dried leaves. No: cat litter, glossy paper from newspapers, magazines, junk mail and shredded paper from offices because they may contain toxins which disrupt the system. Coated cardboard that contains wax or plastic should not be used.

Okay Kitchen waste: bits of lettuce, tomatoes, moistened strips of newspaper or cardboard, dry coffee grounds, filters, tea bags, plate scrapings, vegetable peels, leftovers (raw or cooked), soft garden waste. An occasional sprinkling of garden soil in the bin gives the worms the grit they need to digest food. Compostable plates and cups are suitable but they should be torn first into smaller pieces so as not to block oxygen flow.

No o High water content material (like watermelon rinds) provides very little food for the worms while disrupting the moisture level of the system. o Grass clippings and other products sprayed with pesticides should be avoided. Some banana peels are heavily sprayed and can kill everything if added to a small bin. o Worms are said to dislike highly spiced foods such as onions, garlic and salt. o Meat, dairy, bones, fish, greasy foods. o Metal, foil or plastic o Plants with heavy cellulose content (like avocado skins) or large seeds/pits.

Maintenance o Feed approximately twice a week o Dont leave unattended too long (need moisture occasionally) o Suggest rotating responsibility if in workplace o Daily: check on fruit flies (use traps, bedding on top of food layers to prevent these)
Note: If too much waste is added, the bin mixture putrefies before the worms can process it and becomes harmful to the worms.

Separation Techniques

Once vermicomposted, the volume of material will be much reduced, possibly down to 10% of its original volume. The finished material will brown and earthy-like, and the original bedding will no longer recognisable. If only the worm casts are required as a fertiliser, any of the following methods are appropriate. Light Separation Sideways Separation Vertical Separation Gradual Transfer Gradual Transfer

constraints:
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2.

3.

4.

5.

The complete processing of organic wastes to produce topgrade vermicompost. This method produces the highest-grade end product, in the form of worm casts. These typically contain much higher concentrations of vital nutrients than standard composted material. Worm casts tend to be used as a high quality (and high value) soil conditioner within the horticultural sector, rather than as bulk compost or plant bedding material. The partial processing of organic material, in order to accelerate the composting process or to provide a product of higher quality than standard compost. Elimination of nuisance odours associated with the decay of organic matter, such as in forms of open air composting, which do not employ sealed in-vessel equipment. The energy requirements of vermicomposting are very small compared to the existing waste disposal systems and processing costs are negligible. The breeding of worms. Although this is not of primary concern for a municipal composting installation, such a facility would require very large numbers of worms in order to operate satisfactorily. The maintenance and increase of worm numbers is therefore necessary, in order to increase initial worm numbers as the facility expands.

Comparison: Vermiculture, Lime Stabilisation and Co- Composting.


It is assumed that the operating costs are similar given the handling and mixing requirements of three systems. Given equal operating costs, very large-scale vermiculture has some distinct advantages: The process is odourless The end product vermicast is odourless, smelling like fresh soil. Vermicast has a high market value as a fertiliser or soil conditioner. Green waste is converted into an enhanced, value-added product, compared with standard compost. The market for the end product has not been saturated. Other organic wastes such as cardboard, vegetable dirty paper and commercial food waste may be incorporated into the blend, subject to regulatory guidance. Vermicast is easily transported. It can be bagged, or shipped in bulk without affecting the product. The small quantity of leachate produced is easily contained, and provides a valuable nutrient source to be re-fed into the system. A market may even be developed for using the worm leachate as a liquid fertilizer. It is claimed that as the process is pollution free it can be installed within the precinct of an existing treatment plant, or even in urban areas, reducing the cost of transportation of sludge.

The Commercial Viability of Very Large Scale Vermiculture

Very large-scale vermiculture is a capital-intensive activity. On a standalone basis, a facility the size of Redland provides an investment that yields a superior return to most infrastructure projects. The rate of return is determined by: The initial capital investment. The operating costs of the worm farm - reduced by technical innovation. The fee charged to the local council - governed by competitive tender. The return from the sale of the compost / wormcast fertiliser. Reduced landfill requirements Reduced purchases of topsoil for municipal parks or capping for landfill sites

OUR GROUP OBJECTIVES:


Standardization of vermicompost with suitable substrate. Enrichment of vermicompost in terms of N & P to improve quality & their evaluation on suitable crops. Large scale production of vermicompost to ensure quality organic input. Vocational 7-10 days training to the farmers for production of vermicompost for organic farming & INM. Training to progressive farmer to develop skill for entrepreneurship.

WHY VERMICOMPOSTING?

An important source of organic manure Helps in recycling any organic wastes into a useful biofertilizer and leaves no chance of environmental pollution. An eco-friendly, non-toxic product, consumes low energy input while processing. A preferred balanced nutrient source. Improves physical, chemical and biological properties of soil without any residual toxicity. Reduces the incidences of pests and diseases in crop production. Improves quality of agricultural produce.

PRODUCTION
Quantity of Earthworm per pit : 2000 or 2 Kg About 1000 adult earthworms weigh 1 kilogram which can produce about 3000 cocoons per week. Hatching and viability of cocoon varies from 7580%. Hatching period of cocoon varies from 30-70 days and number of hatchlings per cocoons is about 3. Time required from egg to maturity of worms (adults) varies from 85-145 days. Usually, under ideal conditions, earthworms consume organic wastes as per their body weight in 24 hours; therefore, daily 1 kg earthworms can consume minimum 1 Kg of oganic waste .

Unit cost for Establishment of Vermicompost


Production Unit by Self Help Groups

(SHGs)

Capacity Each bed Sizer Required Land area Annual Production at full capacity Annual revenue / Income Capacity Utilization in the 1st Year

02 beds
2 Mx 1Mx 0.60 M

0.60 Decimal 02 tonne of Vermicompost besides vermiwash & earthworm Rs. 14,400/- at full capacity 70% (in the first year)

Project Cost
Investment in plant (excluding cost of land) Preliminary / Pre-operative expd. Total fixed capital investment Working Capital Requirement Project Cost : Rs. 10,000/-

: Rs. 12,000/: Rs. 22,000/: Rs. 3,000/: Rs. 25, 000

Average pretax profit : Rs. 15,000/- /Yr Pay back period : 6 years Production cost of Vermicompost : Rs. 4 / Kg Sale cost of Vermicompost : Rs. 6/ Kg Not more than 50% vermicompost produced against actual cow dung consumed.

One time investment in Earthworm (Earthworm will be) Used in subsequent batches (4000 earthworm or 4 Kg) Enrichment with Azotobactor (10 Kg) Enrichment with phosphobacteria (10 Kg) Cost of dung (1.5 tonne for 4 times) in 1:1 dung + Water ratio 5. Other startup expenses

: Rs. 2,000.00
: Rs. 1,000.00 : Rs. 1, 000.00 : Rs. 2,000.00 : Rs. 6,000.00

Sub Total:

_________________ Rs. 12,000.00

Local Initiatives

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