Vermicomposting and Biogas plant at Mysore Zoo

Budget : 250 Lakhs (2.5 Crore)

Innovation Type (Process/ Product): Process

About the Project:

Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens, popularly known as the Mysore zoo, has a daily garbage generation of around 1000 kg per day and comprises majorly of animal dung and some amount of food and horticulture waste. In Mysore zoo, bed vermicomposting method is adopted to process the organic waste. The dung from the enclosure is transported to the vermicomposting yard and heaped. Usually 8 to 10 days is sufficient to prepare one bed. The partially decomposed green material is placed over the heaped dung and mixed thoroughly and made into a bed. The zoo uses the Eudrilus eugenae species of earthworm, as they are prolific breeders with high multiplication rate. The bed site should be free from all debris. In the case of hard ground, flooring is generally not required. Otherwise, flooring with locally available stones is prepared for the purpose of sieving and packing. Regular watering is carried out twice a day for about 10 days, then once a day for another 10 days and then on alternate days until vermicomposting is complete. This process helps to soften the raw material and maintain the required moisture in the bed. The earthworms are released into the bed thus prepared. The population slowly builds up, with an initial contribution of approximately 10 kg of earthworms. After one month, black, granular, lightweight and humus-rich compost gets ready. To facilitate the separation of the worms from the compost, watering should be stopped 2 to 3 days before emptying of the beds. This forces about 80% of the worms to the bottom of the bed and the remaining worms can be removed by hand. The harvested vermicompost is then sieved to remove any debris and other waste before weighing and packing.4 In order to reduce the dependency on LPG cylinders, the Zoo Authorities has set up a biogas plant within the zoo premises adjoining the vermicomposting unit. The dung from the elephants forms 70% of the total waste produced in the zoo. It is rich in fibre content, which helps in the production of biogas. The byproduct, slurry, can then be used to produce manure. The biogas plant works on the principle of biomethanation/ anaerobic digestion of waste to generate biogas. The anaerobic digestion occurs in three phases, hydrolysis of organic solids, acetic acid formation and biogas production. The biogas plant is of floating drum type having a capacity to process 1.3 MT of organic waste per day.

Sector : Solid Waste Management

Pilot City : Mysuru, Karnataka

Ownership : Mysuru Municipal Corporation

Know More : www.mysorecity.mrc.gov.in

Connect : zoomysore@gmail.com

Solutions

Best Practices

Solid Waste Management Practices in Urban India

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