Vermicompost

[1] These excreta have been shown to contain reduced levels of contaminants and a higher saturation of nutrients than the organic materials before vermicomposting.

[2] Vermicompost contains water-soluble nutrients which may be extracted as vermiwash and is an excellent, nutrient-rich organic fertilizer and soil conditioner.

[citation needed] A variation of the process is vermifiltration (or vermidigestion) which is used to remove organic matter, pathogens, and oxygen demand from wastewater or directly from blackwater of flush toilets.

[4][5] Vermicomposting has gained popularity in both industrial and domestic settings because, as compared with conventional composting, it provides a way to treat organic wastes more quickly.

In manure composing, the use of vermicomposting generates products that have lower salinity levels,[6][7] as well as a more neutral pH.

Containing water-soluble nutrients, vermicompost is a nutrient-rich organic fertilizer and soil conditioner in a form that is relatively easy for plants to absorb.

Because the earthworms grind and uniformly mix minerals in simple forms, plants need only minimal effort to obtain them.

[1][15] Composting worms are available to order online, from nursery mail-order suppliers or angling shops where they are sold as bait.

The following species are not recommended: Large-scale vermicomposting is practiced in Canada, Italy, Japan, India, Malaysia, the Philippines, and the United States.

Although the windrow has no physical barriers to prevent worms from escaping, in theory they should not, due to an abundance of organic matter for them to feed on.

Flow-through systems are well suited to indoor facilities, making them the preferred choice for operations in colder climates.

Small-scale vermicomposting is well-suited to turn kitchen waste into high-quality soil amendments, where space is limited.

Composting worms which are detritivorous (eaters of trash), such as the red wiggler Eisenia fetida, are epigeic (surface dwellers) and together with symbiotic associated microbes are the ideal vectors for decomposing food waste.

Common earthworms such as Lumbricus terrestris are anecic (deep burrowing) species and hence unsuitable for use in a closed system.

There is the possibility of some solid organic matter still being present in the compost at this point, but it could stay in and continue decomposing for the next couple of years unless removed.

"[35] These differ on the amount of time and labor involved and whether the vermicomposter wants to save as many worms as possible from being trapped in the harvested compost.

When harvesting the compost, it is possible to separate eggs and cocoons and return them to the bin, thereby ensuring new worms are hatched.

[39] It has also outperformed a commercial plant medium with nutrients added, but levels of magnesium required adjustment, as did pH.

The light brown waste liquid, or leachate, that drains into the bottom of some vermicomposting systems is not to be confused with worm tea.

[52] If decomposition has become anaerobic, to restore healthy conditions and prevent the worms from dying, excess waste water must be reduced and the bin returned to a normal moisture level.

To do this, first reduce addition of food scraps with a high moisture content and second, add fresh, dry bedding such as shredded newspaper to your bin, mixing it in well.

[53] Pests such as rodents and flies are attracted by certain materials and odors, usually from large amounts of kitchen waste, particularly meat.

Because the small-scale and home systems use a varied mix of feedstocks, the nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) content of the resulting vermicompost will also be inconsistent.

In order to avoid over-fertilization issues, such as nitrogen burn, vermicompost can be diluted as a tea 50:50 with water, or as a solid can be mixed in 50:50 with potting soil.

[59] Vermicomposting is widely used in North America for on-site institutional processing of food scraps, such as in hospitals, universities, shopping malls, and correctional facilities.

[60] Vermicomposting is used for medium-scale on-site institutional organic material recycling, such as for food scraps from universities and shopping malls.

It is selected either as a more environmentally friendly choice than conventional disposal, or to reduce the cost of commercial waste removal.

From 20 July 2020, the State Government of Chhattisgarh India started buying cow dung under the "Godhan Nyay Yojana" Scheme.