MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT THROUGH VERMICULTURE

MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT				� 70 %
THROUGH VERMICULTURE				Unscientific disposal of MSW in India cities (Pachuri
				& Sridharan, 1998) ………… Most
PPBSA, Ranipatna, Balasore (Orissa) 756001				Changes of out break of epidemics owing to
India E-mail ID				faulty management of MSW…………Very
Key words: MSW, waste disposal, biodegradable,				Most
waste segregation, CPCB, SPCB, epidemic				Examples of disastrous consequences of
outbreak, better environment, vermi technology,				unscientific MSW management
epigeic worms, worm cast, vermi compost,				I ) Surat (1994 )
Municipal Solid Wastes:				……………………………..Plague
According to NEERI, Municipal Solid Waste				epidemic
generation in India is roughly about 200grams in				II ) Delhi ( recent )
small towns and 900grams in large towns.				………………………...…Dengue
The rate of solid waste generation has out paced				epidemic
the rate of population growth. For example in the				Lacunae and Loop holes
city of Mumbai,				1. Policy gaps:- Roles and responsibilities of
� year				CPCB and SPCBs not clearly defined, Lack of
1981 year				clear directives on technology implementations,
1991 growth				Lack of organized repacking sector Unwillingness
1. v Population :				by the local bodies( Municipalities and NACs) to
8.2 millions 12.3				impose taxes for bettering the environment.
millions 49%v Solid				2. Knowledge, Information & Data gaps-
Waste : 3,200				Want of a National inventory, Lack of Scientific
tones 5,355				approach in MSW management, Non identification
tones 67%				least cost effective MSW management technique,
Municipal solid waste generation in this country as				No Practice of segregation of waste components
estimated by 2 different central agencies are as				into recyclables and non recyclables,
under				No waste to energy projects, No attempt to build
1. i. EPTRI (1995) for 23 major Indian				awareness on MSW management – Collection
cities - 11 million tones				and disposal.
2. ii. CPCB (1997) for the same number of				Recommendations
cities - 18 million tones				1. Enforcement of uniform scientifically proven
Types of M S W -				technique in MSW collection – segregation-
It is to note that 13% to 20% of all				disposal-re use under the supervision of
wastes generated are recyclable				environment monitoring agencies.
Biodegradables				2. The entire system of MSW management-
				collection, transportation, segregation, treatment,
Non				disposal and re use must be made – more
biodegradables				mechanised and less manual.
1.				3. Recyclables must suitably be segregated and
				managed to yield revenue.
Building &				4. There should be proper co-ordination and
construction materials				co-operation between the environment monitoring
Waste green/dry leaves + plant				agencies, local government bodies (municipalities,
parts Coal				NACs) and the waste recycling unit(s).
briquettes				5. Waste to energy projects must be
1. Animal dung.				implemented on priority basis.
				6. Biodegradable solid wastes must be converted
� Plastics & polythenes				to high quality vermi compost for organic farming,
Human faeces (fresh				safe food production and revenue collection.
decomposed).				7. Roles of CPCB and SPCBs must be clearly
Glass wanes				defined and they must be made accountable for
1. Metals				out break of epidemics and other health oriented
2. Ashes.				problems.
� Biomedical wastes				1. 8. Adequate awareness building on
Hotel and canteen refuses.				MSW disposal and management must be made
Daily vegetable market refuses.				compulsory.
House hold refuses.				2. 9. Local government bodies like the
Dead animal bodies.				corporations, municipalities and NACs must be
Physico-Chemical Characteristics of MSW in India				made
� % of wet				accountable for providing the
weight in tones				citizen with healthy environment.
Sl.No Components				10. Citizen must be empowered to
1971-1973 1995				demand better environment and better living.
� (40				MSW management to yield quality vermi compost
Cities) (23 Cities)				1. Heap method of decomposition on open yard
1. Paper				of biodegradable MSW –with the principle,
4.14				greater
5.78				1. the height quicker is the process of
2. Plastics				decomposition. Separation of nondgradables should
0.69 3.90				be
3. Metals				ensured before the decomposition process
0.50				is initiated. Decomposing bacteria may used to
1.90				quicken
4.				the process.
Glass				2. Windrow method of vermiculture in shade;
0.40				less the height better vermi composting.
2.10				3. Worm inoculation and moisture maintenance is
5. Rags				to be made manually, efficiently and effectively
				4. Worm inoculation @ 2Kg of diverse epigeic
3.83				worms like, Eisenia foetida (60%), Eudrilus eugenie
3.50
6. Ashes etc.				(30%) and Perionyx excavatus (10%) for
49.20				every quintal of decomposed MSW laid in wind
40.30				rows.
7. Total compostible				5. Harvesting and packeting of worm cast laden
matter41.24 41.80				vermi compost should be made after physical
8. Calorific value(K.Cal/Kg) 800-1100				examination of abundance of granular
< 1500				materials (at least 75-80%) in the compost (about
9. Carbon-Nitrogen ratio				3 months
20-30 25-40				after laying or when actually ready for
Source: a. Bhide & Sudaresan (1983); b.EPTRI				harvesting). Well formed vermi compost is good
(1995)				for crops.
State of Facts				Note: The above process of MSW management
According to NIUA (1989) MSW Collection				can be adopted in all tropical countries world wide.
efficiency for average Indian Cities…….72 %				Quality vermi compost enhances soil fertility
Inadequacy of infrastructure for MSW				substantially and can replace chemical fertilizers.

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MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT THROUGH VERMICULTURE

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