Kitchen Organic Waste as Material for Vermiculture and Source of Nutrients for Plants

Departure from waste storage and maximisation of its utilization is currently the basis of modern waste management. This is favoured by the requirements defined in numerous legal instruments, including both EU directives and local regulations of member states. This also applies to organic waste, especially kitchen waste, which, with adequate education of the public, may constitute waste resources of very good quality to produce e.g. vermicomposts. It is very important, since soils of most European countries require continuous supply of organic matter to replenish humus and nutrients for the plants. The paper describes current trends in the production of kitchen organic waste. Since such waste has been vermicomposted for many years, advantages of this biotechnology have been presented and features of the produced vermicomposts have been characterised.