Composting of Household Organic Waste

Abstract

This project demonstrates how household organic waste can be efficiently converted into nutrient-rich compost using microbes and earthworms. The aim was to reduce biodegradable waste that usually ends up in landfills and to create an eco-friendly fertilizer suitable for kitchen gardens. The process used simple materials and natural decomposers to produce high-quality compost within a few weeks (1,2).

Keywords

Introduction

RESULTS

• House hold waste decreased to 90% of the total volume, in which final compost was dark brown, crumbly, and odourless.
• The study shows the use of this compost in comparison to soil without compost showed better growth and greener leaves for plants in the school kitchen garden.

DISCUSSION

Previous studies show Vermicomposting is an effective, low-cost, and eco-friendly method to manage household organic waste (1,2,4). The use of earthworms accelerates the decomposition process and produces compost rich in essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (6). Advantage of this compost are

1. improves soil structure,
2. increases water retention, and
3. supports healthy plant growth (5).

This method can easily be adopted or scaled at home, schools, and communities to promote waste reduction and sustainable gardening (7).

CONCLUSION

My study proved that small-scale vermicomposting is a practical and beneficial method for managing household waste. It not only reduces waste volume but also produces high-quality organic manure, promoting environmental conservation and sustainable living.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

I sincerely thank my teachers and parents for their continuous guidance, encouragement, and support throughout this project.

REFERENCE

1. Edwards CA, Arancon NQ, Sherman R. Vermiculture Technology: Earthworms, Organic Waste, and Environmental Management. Boca Raton (FL): CRC Press; 2011.
2. Domínguez J, Edwards CA. Biology and ecology of earthworm species used for vermicomposting. In: Edwards CA, editor. Earthworm Ecology. 2nd ed. Boca Raton (FL): CRC Press; 2004. p. 401–424.
3. Tchobanoglous G, Theisen H, Vigil S. Integrated Solid Waste Management: Engineering Principles and Management Issues. 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill; 1993.
4. Yadav A, Garg VK. Nutrient recycling from organic wastes by vermicomposting using earthworms: A review. Int J Recycl Org Waste Agricult. 2011;1(21):1–19.
5. Kale RD. Earthworms: Nature’s gift for utilization of organic wastes. Waste Management & Research. 1998;16(2):111–121.
6. Sharma S, Garg VK. Management of food and vegetable waste by vermicomposting using earthworms. Bioresource Technology. 2018;248:707–713.
7. Haug RT. The Practical Handbook of Compost Engineering. Boca Raton (FL): Lewis Publishers; 1993.