Quality Compost Production from Municipality Biowaste in Mix with Rice Straw, Cow Dung, and Earthworm Eisenia fetida

The biodegradable portion of city waste is a potential source of plant nutrients, and appropriate techniques of composting can convert it to quality compost with higher nutrient content and lower levels of pathogenic microorganisms. An amount of 68.19tons of waste is generated in Imphal City, Manipur, India, of which 24.84tons were biodegradable. Of the total biodegradable municipality waste (MW), 20.7tons were produced in households and the vegetable markets of the city. The MW were found to contain pathogenic bacteria (PB), namely, Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., Micrococcus spp., and Enterobacter spp. in the range of 6.35-9.28 (log cfu/g dry biomass), and agriculturally beneficial bacteria (BB), namely, phosphate solubilizers, Azospirillum spp., Azotobacter spp., and cellulose degraders in the range of 6.25-8.83 log cfu/g dry biomass. Pre-treatment of the MW by exposure at temperatures of 27 degrees C-50 degrees C in a greenhouse for 5days could not reduce the level of PB and BB, but by heating at 100 degrees C for 8h followed by 30 degrees C for 16h of a day for three consecutive days, the PB (except Micrococcus spp.) could be eliminated. Aerobic composting of the mixture of MW with cow dung (CD) and rice straw (RS) and by inoculation with epigeic earthworm Eisenia fetida, produced high quality manure as evident from more finer particle (56.6%), higher nutrient (2.19% N) content, higher population of BB (7.03-9.19 log cfu/g dry biomass), and reduced level of PB (6.87-8.09 log cfu/g dry biomass).