Evaluation of Vermicompost Produced by Using Post-Consumer Cotton Textile as Carbon Source

Abstract

A large amount of textile waste is generated every year around the globe. The textile product made from natural fibers might be vermicomposted and used as fertilizer. The present study aimed to research an integrated system of pre-composting (pathogen kill) and vermicomposting with various levels of post-consumer cotton waste to determine if this addition has any effects on the composting process. A vermicompost bin was constructed and filled with feedstocks mixed with post-consumer cotton textile waste at a 25:1 C:N ratio, and operated for three months at approximately 70% moisture content, with four composting trials with 0 g (control), 100 g, 200 g, and 300 g of textile waste. The pre-composting stage reached a temperature ranging from 40 °C to 50 °C, able to neutralize the pathogens. All four trials resulted in final compost with C: N ratios around 14, proving that post-consumer cotton textile waste did not affect the vermicomposting process, and was successfully used as a carbon source by worms to produce a healthy and mature compost. This indicates a sustainable option for the recovery of textile waste that is being decomposed in landfills.

Food Waste Utilization for Reducing Carbon Footprints towards Sustainable and Cleaner Environment: A Review

“…About 43%, 33% and 24% methane was yielded by this process in summer, rainy and winter season respectively. The study proved that the food wastes are extremely attractive substrate for anaerobic digesters and are potential source of sustainable renewable energy due to their high biodegradability and significant methane yield [6]. This study proves that food waste/municipal solid waste (MSW) can be potentially employed to generate energy and are the sustainable approaches divert these wastes from landfilling, thereby reducing the emission of CO 2 and CH 4 to the atmosphere.…”

“…Temperature of the compost and the domination of microorganisms existing varies in all these phases. Bacteria, fungi, and actinobacteria (actinomycetes) are involved in the process of composting [6]. The biological decomposition of food waste gets promoted if some probiotic microbes are added during the composting process.…”

“…Thus, the slurry is a value added by product of methanogenesis process. A simple, easy to operate and economically feasible Organic Processing Digester (OPD) system was fabricated by Singh et al [6] that can yield biogas in an eco-friendly manner. In this research, the researchers collected the food waste from selected sites of Dhanbad district of India, which were then exposed to anaerobic digestion in Organic Processing Digester.…”

“…The CFP is reported as CO 2 eq by converting methane and nitrogen oxides into CO 2 . It is well-established that the global per capita CFP due to anthropogenic activities is not sustainable and may lead to an increase in global warming above 2 • C [6]. Food waste is one of the important factors contributing to CFP and thereby increasing global temperature.…”

“…The past few decades have witnessed the massive growth, industrialization, and modernization of the food and agro-industrial sector, which have revolutionized them in a magnificent way [6]. As an outcome of these developments, there has been a drastic escalation in the productivity and marketing of the food and agro-industrial sector, leading to the generation of agro-industrial food waste.…”