FIELD OF DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates to a vermicomposting system. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a vermicomposting system which converts paper waste into soil conditioner-fertilizer vermicast using earthworms.

BACKGROUND

Vermicomposting is the term used to denote the process of conversion of biodegradable matter by earthworms into vermicast. In the process, the nutrients contained in the organic matter are partly converted into more bioavailable forms. Vermicast is also believed to contain certain hormones and enzymes which get added into the organic matter as it passes through the earthworm gut. These hormones and enzymes are believed to stimulate plant growth and discourage plant pathogens. Therefore, vermicast is believed to be a very good organic fertilizer and soil conditioner.

Till now vermicomposting has been done primarily to convert animal manure into vermicast. Other forms of organic matter have also been used, such as food waste, vegetable peels and garden clippings but to a much lesser extent. Moreover, all the vermicomposting processes used so far have been very slow, requiring three to six months per batch.

Waste paper has emerged as a problematic constituent of municipal solid waste because the prevailing methods of its disposal — recycling to make fresh paper or burning — both contribute to global warming and other forms of pollution in a significant manner. Waste paper can be re-pulped and can be subsequently converted to low-grade (usually brown) packing paper. More sophisticated processing can generate higher quality paper as well. But over their life-cycle these processes consume greater quantities of energy, water and chemicals per tonne of recycled paper, than are needed to make the paper ab initio. Besides leaving massive carbon footprints, these prior art recycling options cause pollution of water, air, and land. Similarly, burning of waste paper releases harmful trace metals and organics into the air alongside global warming gases (essentially CO2).

Prior art discloses a few processes for vermicomposting paper waste, but all these prior methods have very low success rates. Some authors have tried to vermicompost paper but as a minor additive, about 30% or less of waste paper and 70% or more of cow dung (Gupta and Garg, 2009). There have also been attempts to first compost animal manure with paper waste as a minor additive and then vermicompost the resultant compost (Mupondi et ah, 2010; 2011). But these prior art processes for disposing waste paper are not viable due to the high costs and long processing time involved.

Therefore, there is felt a need for a vermicomposting system that can efficiently dispose waste paper and overcome the drawbacks of the conventional processes.

OBJECTS

Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment herein satisfies, are as follows:

It is an object of the present disclosure to ameliorate one or more problems of the prior art or to at least provide a useful alternative.

Accordingly, an object of the present disclosure is to provide an efficient vermicomposting system for converting waste paper into soil conditioner-fertilizer vermicast using worms;

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a very high vermiconversion efficiency and give an improved performance; reduce vermicomposting cost;

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide an eco-friendly means for disposing paper waste without any greenhouse gas emissions.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a vermicomposting system which can be automated, continuously operable, and scalable to any capacity or which can be low-cost and manual for use on household scale.

Other objects and advantages of the present disclosure will be more apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying figures, which are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

SUMMARY

In accordance with the present disclosure, there is disclosed a vermicomposting system for converting waste paper into soil conditioner-fertilizer vermicast, said vermicomposting system includes:

■ a soaking unit for soaking waste paper with cow dung slurry, said soaking unit comprising a hopper, a conveyor, an inclined surface, and a collection module, said hopper is positioned above said conveyor and provided with a vibrator mechanism having to-and-fro movement for evenly distributing a thin layer of said waste paper on said conveyor; said inclined surface is operatively connected to said conveyor belt to receive said layer of waste paper, said inclined surface is provided with a distribution mechanism for spraying cow dung slurry on said layer of waste paper; said inclined surface being adapted to convey said layer of waste paper under gravity to said collection module, said collection module is provided with a straining mechanism for separating excess cow dung slurry and collecting soaked waste paper; and

■ a vermireactor for vermicomposting said soaked waste paper with worms to provide the vermicast, said vermireactor comprising a frame adapted to hold a plurality of vermicomposting modules loaded in series in a plurality of rows in said frame by means of a sliding mechanism allowing operative horizontal movement of said vermicomposting modules in said frame, said vermireactor comprising a loading end and an unloading end, each being provided with a rack and pinion arrangement, for loading and unloading said vermicomposting modules, said vermicomposting modules are filled with said soaked waste paper charged with worms and positioned in said frame from said loading end by means of said rack and pinion arrangement, said vermireactor comprising harvesting means provided operatively below said vermicomposting modules for harvesting said vermicast from said vermicomposting modules on a guiding mechanism adapted for collecting and thereby unloading said vermicast at said unloading end.

Typically, the waste paper is at least one selected from the group comprising paper sheets without tearing or shredding, cut paper, torn paper and shredded paper.

Typically, in accordance with the present disclosure, said inclined surface is inclined at an angle in the range of 10 to 25 °.

Typically, said hopper is slidably mounted on a set of rods. Preferably, a set of levers are provided to couple the movement of said hopper and said conveyor. Further, said hopper is provided with a set of shutters for regulating the flow of said waste paper on said conveyor, and said set of shutters are adjusted to -provide a clearance in the range of 3 to 10 mm between said conveyor and said hopper.

Typically, in accordance with the present disclosure, said distribution mechanism comprises a plurality of check valves, each in operative communication with a sprinkler device, adapted to spray said cow dung slurry on said layer of said waste paper.

Preferably, in accordance with the present disclosure, said vermireactor comprises a sprinkler mechanism positioned above said vermicomposting modules for intermittently spraying water during said vermicomposting.

Typically, in accordance with the present disclosure, the operative bottom of said vermicomposting modules is adapted to open in half during harvesting. Preferably, said harvesting means comprise a lever and a gear mechanism placed below said vermicomposting modules for opening the operative bottom of said vermicomposting modules.

Additionally, in accordance with the present disclosure, said guiding mechanism comprises a transfer belt for conveying said vermicast to said unloading end and a scraper at the operative end of said transfer belt for collecting said vermicast from said transfer belt.

In accordance with the present disclosure, there is disclosed a method for vermicomposting waste paper, said method comprising the following steps:

■ feeding said waste paper in a hopper positioned operatively above a conveyor, said hopper provided with a vibrator mechanism having to-and-fro movement for evenly distributing a thin layer of said waste paper on said conveyor;

,■ conveying said thin layer of said waste paper to an inclined surface comprising a distribution mechanism for spraying cow dung slurry on said layer of said waste paper;

■ receiving slurry soaked waste paper in a collection module by gravity, said collection module provided with a straining mechanism for separating the excess cow dung slurry from the soaked waste paper;

■ placing said soaked waste paper charged with worms in a plurality of vermicomposting modules;

■ loading said plurality of vermicomposting modules in series in a plurality of rows in a frame by means of a sliding mechanism using a rack and pinion arrangement;

■ vermicomposting said soaked waste paper for a period 10 to 15 days to obtain a vermicast; and

■ harvesting said vermicast from said vermicomposting modules by harvesting means provided operatively below said vermicomposting modules, said harvesting means adapted to empty said vermicast on a guiding mechanism adapted to collect and unload said vermicast.

Additionally, in accordance with the present disclosure, said waste paper may be optionally combined with at least one organic waste selected from the group comprising cardboard, food, green and garden waste, animal waste and other biodegradable waste.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

The disclosure will now be explained in relation to the non-limiting accompanying drawings, in which:

-Figure 1 illustrates a flow chart showing the process for soaking the waste paper in accordance with the present disclosure;

Figure 2 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the soaking unit in accordance with the present disclosure; and

Figure 3 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the vermireactor in accordance with the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

The disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings which do not limit the scope and ambit of the disclosure. The description provided is purely by way of example and illustration.

The embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained with reference to the non-limiting embodiments in the following description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, the examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.

The present invention envisages a novel vermicomposting system for converting waste paper into soil conditioner-fertilizer vermicast. The vermicomposting system is well automated and continuously operable, which can be scaled-up to any capacity. The system can also be used at a household or cottage industry scale without automation. The system eliminates the need to tear or shred the waste.paper into smaller pieces prior to the vermicomposting process. The system can be used to recycle paper waste without causing any greenhouse gas emissions or pollution by returning all the carbon contained in the waste to the soil, thereby sequestering it and erasing some of the existing carbon footprint. Compared to the known vermicomposters which take about 60 - 90 days to provide conversion of waste to vermicast, the present system provides 100 % conversion of the waste to the vermicast in less than 15 days. Therefore, the present system is 4 to 6 times faster than the known art. Further, the system of the present disclosure is efficient and provides improved performance, applicability, cost, and compatibility.

The vermicomposting system of the present disclosure comprises two units; viz, a soaking unit 100 (shown in Figure 2) and a vermireactor 200 (shown in Figure 3). The vermireactor 200 comprises a plurality of vermicomposting modules 202 arranged in series in a plurality of rows on a frame 204. The soaking unit 100 of the present disclosure provides an easy automated operation for soaking thin layers of waste paper in cow dung slurry, which accelerates the subsequent vermicomposting process. The vermireactor 200 is adapted for continuous automated operation. The modular vermicomposting modules 202 provide efficient space utilization and easy harvesting. More than one variety of organic waste can be composted simultaneously, utilizing a variety of earthworm species. The automated operation allows uniform application of the waste in the vermicomposting modules 202, thereby providing improved process efficiency, and uniformity of vermicomposting and quality of the final product. The system uses a combination of reactor geometry and high stocking density of earthworms to maximize conversion of the waste paper into vermicast at high rates. The modular arrangement aids in maintaining adequate aeration and optimal temperature conditions during vermicomposting, thereby providing a good thriving environment for the earthworms. Further, infection or contamination in one part of the vermireactor 200 does not spread to the rest of the system and the affected module can be easily replaced. The automation provides easy loading and unloading and a conveyor based harvesting system ensures easy collection and transport of the vermicast.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings illustrates a flow chart showing the process for soaking the waste paper in cow dung slurry. The process comprises loading the hopper with paper waste, starting the distribution mechanism provided on the inclined surface for spraying cow dung slurry, starting the motor connected to the hopper and the conveyor for conveying a thin layer of waste paper on the conveyor and subsequently on the inclined surface, soaking the waste paper with cow dung slurry, collecting the soaked waste paper at the operative end of the inclined surface, straining the excess cow dung slurry which is returned to the distribution mechanism via an overhead storage tank, and conveying the soaked waste paper to the vermireactor for vermicomposting.
Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings illustrates a schematic of the soaking unit; the soaking unit is generally represented in the Figure 2 by the numeral 100. The soaking unit 100 is provided for rapidly soaking a large amount of waste paper with cow dung slurry. The soaking unit 100 comprises a hopper 102, a conveyor 104, an inclined surface 106, and a collection module 110. The hopper 102 is positioned operatively above the conveyor 104 and provided with a vibrator mechanism having to-and-fro movement for evenly distributing a thin layer of the waste paper on the conveyor 104. The conveyor 104 is adapted to convey the thin layer of waste paper to the inclined surface 106. The inclined surface 106 is operatively connected to the conveyor belt 104 to receive the layer of waste paper. The inclined surface 106 is inclined at an angle in the range of 10 to 25 °, preferably at an angle of 15 °, to convey the thin layer of -waste paper under gravity to the collection module 110. The inclined surface 106 comprises a distribution mechanism for spraying the cow dung slurry on the thin layer of waste paper. The distribution mechanism comprises a plurality of check valves 108, each in operative communication with a sprinkler device 112, adapted to evenly spray the cow dung slurry on the layer of waste paper. This not only ensures proper soaking of the waste paper but also facilitates transportation of the waste paper, under gravity, to the collection module 110 provided at the operative bottom of the inclined surface 106. The soaked waste paper is then conveyed to the vermicomposting process. The excess slurry is separated in the collection module 110 and recycled to the distribution mechanism through a storage tank 116. The collection module 110 is provided with a straining mechanism 114 for separating the excess cow dung slurry. The excess cow dung slurry is discharged from the collection module 110 at the outlet 120 and circulated to the storage tank 116. The soaked waste paper is obtained at the straining mechanism 114, typically comprising a mesh.

The hopper 102 is typically slidably mounted on a set of rods such that it can move freely over the rods. A set of levers are provided to couple the movement of the hopper 102 and the conveyor 104. A single motor 118 is used to drive the conveyor 104 and the hopper 102. The hopper 102 is provided with a set of shutters for regulating the flow of waste paper on the conveyor 104, and the set of shutters are adjusted to provide a clearance in the range of 3 to 10 mm, preferably 5 mm, between the conveyor 104 and the hopper 102. The distribution mechanism is designed to minimize the energy requirement of the soaking unit 100. The gravity driven flow of the cow dung slurry over the inclined surface 106 provides a thin film of fluid over which the waste paper is easily transported down the inclined surface 106. The sprinkler device 112 ensures that the waste paper is completely soaked in the slurry before the waste paper is conveyed to the collection module 110.

The proposed design of the soaking unit 100 uses a set of optimized parameters to ensure proper soaking of the waste paper in cow dung slurry; thus assisting in accelerating the vermicomposting process. The design can be scaled-up or down to suit the plant capacity. The waste paper is easily fed in the hopper 102 manually or by means of an automated loading system. By providing the set of levers for coupling the movement of the conveyor 104 and the hopper 102, a single motor 118 can be employed for operating both the conveyor 104 and the hopper 102. This helps in conserving energy. A typical soaking unit 100 can easily handle about 25 kg of waste paper per hour. Additionally, in accordance with the present disclosure, said waste paper may be optionally combined with at least one organic waste selected from the group comprising cardboard, food, green and garden waste, animal waste and other biodegradable waste.

Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings illustrates a schematic of the vermireactor; the vermireactor is generally represented in the Figure 3 by the numeral 200. The soaked waste paper from the soaking unit 100 is vermicomposted in the vermireactor 200 by using worms. The vermireactor 200 comprises a frame 204 adapted to hold a plurality of vermicomposting modules 202 loaded in series in a plurality of rows in the frame 204 by means of a sliding mechanism 206. The vermireactor 200 comprises loading, unloading, and harvesting arrangements. The plurality of vermicomposting modules 202 move over the frame 204 with the help of the sliding mechanism 206. The sliding mechanism 206 typically comprises wheels. The wheels move within a bracket to provide an operative horizontal movement of the vermicomposting modules 202 in the frame 204 and prevent the vermicomposting modules 202 from moving in the vertical direction at the time of harvesting. The vermireactor 200 comprises a sprinkler mechanism 208 positioned above the vermicomposting modules 202 for intermittently spraying water for maintaining the moist conditions during the vermicomposting process. The sprinkler mechanism 208 comprises nozzles 210 positioned above the vermicomposting modules 202 to spray the water. The temperature in the vermireactor 200 is continuously monitored using digital thermometers.

The vermireactor 200 comprises a loading end 220 and an unloading end 222, for loading and unloading said vermicomposting modules 202. The loading end 220 and the unloading end 222 each are provided with a rack and pinion arrangement 224. The vermireactor 200 further comprises harvesting means provided operatively below the vermicomposting modules 202 for harvesting the vermicast from the vermicomposting modules 202. The harvesting means comprise a rod 212 and a gear mechanism 214 placed below the vermicomposting modules 202. The operative bottom of the vermicomposting modules 202 is adapted to open in half during the harvesting by means of the rod 212 which can be rotated to 180 ° using the gear mechanism 214. This helps in easily emptying the contents of the vermicomposting modules 202. The rod 212 is rotated back to the original position to seal the operative bottom of the vermicomposting modules 202. The vermicomposting modules 202 are typically left for vermicomposting for 10 to 15 days to obtain a vermicast, the substrate is completely utilized by the worms in this period. A guiding mechanism is provided below the vermicomposting modules 202 for collecting the harvest vermicast. The guiding mechanism comprises a transfer belt 216 for collecting and conveying the vermicast to the unloading end 222. The guiding mechanism further comprises a scraper at the operative end of the transfer belt 216 for collecting the vermicast from the transfer belt 216 without any spillage at the unloading end 222. A roller is attached to a motor which helps in rotating the transfer belt 216 to provide easy transfer during harvesting. The vermicast along with the worms and the remaining undigested waste are collected in a collection vessel.

-The vermicomposting modules 202 are uniformly filled to a height of 5 to 15 cm with the soaked waste paper charged with worms and positioned in the frame 204 from the loading end 220. by means of the rack and pinion arrangement 224. A motor is provided for lifting the vermicomposting modules 202 with the help of a rope 236. The rack 226 and pinion 230 is driven by a motor 228 which helps in placing the vermicomposting modules 202 on the frame 204. The motor 228 is supported on a frame and the rod 232 is attached to a hinge. The rack and pinion arrangement 224 is placed on a support 234.

The modular arrangement helps in maximizing the usage of space. The rack and pinion arrangement helps in conveniently loading the vermicomposting modules 202 on the frame 204. The loading and unloading of the vermicomposting modules 202 can be done intermittently. The vermicomposting modules 202 are typically made from light weight aluminum. The operative bottom of the vermicomposting modules 202 is dissected in half and the operative bottom of the vermicomposting modules 202 is closed by means of the rod 212. When the rod 212, positioned at the operative bottom of the vermicomposting modules 202, is rotated to 180 ° using the gear mechanism 214, the vermicomposting modules 202 split in half and empty on the transfer belt 216 of the guiding mechanism. The transfer belt 216 is rotated with the help of a motor and a collection vessel is placed at the unloading end 222 in which the vermicast, the worms, and the undigested matter is collected by means of the scraper.

EXPERIMENTAL STUDY

The vermicomposting system of the present disclosure was tested for vermicomposting paper waste. Paper waste, without any tearing or shredding was soaked in dilute cow dung slurry in the soaking unit 100 to obtain three types of blends, each having a different paper waste to cow dung ratio; Blend 1: paper waste to cow dung ratio of 10:1;

Blend 2: paper waste to cow dung ratio of 12:1; and

Blend 3: paper waste to cow dung ratio of 14:1.

The blends 1, 2 & 3 were then fed to the vermireactor 200, and were separately acted upon by two species of earthworms, Eisenia Fetide and Eudrilus Eugeniae.

The vermicast was harvested once every, 10 days and for the quantity thus removed, the vermicomposting modules 202 of the vermireactor 200 were charged with equivalent mass of fresh blend.

The vermicomposting system consistently worked at achieving a 70 - 72 % conversion of paper waste into vermicast in just 10 days in the case of the Eisenia Fetide and 62-64 % conversion in 10 days in the case of the Eudrilus Eugeniae.

The system provided a 100 % conversion of paper waste into vermicast in less than 15 days, thus providing very high vermicomposting efficiency, which is about 4 to 6 times faster than the known art. Further, extremely low proportions of cow dung were required to provide the conversion. Advantageously, more than one species of earthworm can be used simultaneously due to the modular nature of the vermireactor 200.

TECHNICAL ADVANTAGES

The vermicomposting system in accordance with the present disclosure described herein above has several technical advantages including but not limited to the realization of:

• An efficient vermicomposting system for converting waste paper into soil conditioner-fertilizer vermicast using worms;

• Provides a very high vermiconversion efficiency and gives an improved performance, which is 4-6 times faster than prior art methods;

• Reduces vermicomposting cost;

• Provides an eco-friendly means for disposing paper waste without any greenhouse gas emissions and also erases some of the existing carbon footprint;

• The vermicomposting system can be automated, continuously operable, and scalable to any capacity or can be low-cost and manual for use on household scale;

• The modular design of the vermicomposting system ensures efficient space utilization, adequate aeration and optimal temperature maintenance.

Throughout this specification the word "comprise", or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps.

The use of the expression "at least" or "at least one" suggests the use of one or more elements or ingredients or quantities, as the use may be in the embodiment of the disclosure to achieve one or more of the desired objects or results.

Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like that has been included in this specification is solely for the purpose of providing a context for the disclosure. It is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the disclosure as it existed anywhere before the priority date of this application.

The numerical values mentioned for the various physical parameters, dimensions or quantities are only approximations and it is envisaged that the values higher/lower than the numerical values assigned to the parameters, dimensions or quantities fall within the scope of the disclosure, unless there is a statement in the specification specific to the contrary.

The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the embodiments as described herein.

We Claim;

1. A vermicomposting system for converting waste paper into soil conditioner-fertilizer vermicast, said vermicomposting system includes:

■ a soaking unit (100) for soaking waste paper with cow dung slurry, said soaking unit (100) comprising a hopper (102), a conveyor (104), an inclined surface (106), and a collection module (110); said hopper (102) is positioned above said conveyor (104) and provided with a vibrator mechanism having to-and-fro movement for evenly distributing a thin layer of waste paper on said conveyor (104); said inclined surface (106) is operatively connected to said conveyor belt (104) to receive said layer of waste paper; said inclined surface (106) is provided with a distribution mechanism (108, 112) for spraying cow dung slurry on said layer of waste paper, said inclined surface (106) being adapted to convey said layer of waste paper under gravity to said collection module (110); said collection module (110) is provided with a straining mechanism (114) for separating excess cow dung slurry and collecting soaked waste paper; and

■ a vermireactor (200) for vermicomposting said soaked waste paper with worms to provide the vermicast, said vermireactor (200) comprising a frame (204) adapted to hold a plurality of vermicomposting modules (202) loaded in series in a plurality of rows in said frame (204) by means of a sliding mechanism (206) allowing operative horizontal movement of said vermicomposting modules (202) in said frame (204); said vermireactor (200) comprising a loading end (220) and an unloading end (222), each being provided with a rack and pinion arrangement (224), for loading and unloading said vermicomposting modules (202); said vermicomposting modules (202) are filled with said soaked waste paper charged with worms and positioned in said frame (204) from said loading end (220) by means of said rack and pinion arrangement (224); said vermireactor (200) comprising harvesting means (212, 214) provided operatively below said vermicomposting modules (202) for harvesting said vermicast from said vermicomposting modules (202) on a guiding mechanism (216) adapted for collecting and thereby unloading said vermicast at said unloading end (222).

2. The vermicomposting system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said waste paper is at least one selected from the group comprising paper sheets without tearing or shredding, cut paper, torn paper and shredded paper.

3. The vermicomposting system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said inclined surface (106) is inclined at an angle in the range of 10 to 25°.

4. The vermicomposting system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said hopper (102) is slidably mounted on a set of rods.

5. The vermicomposting system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a set of levers are provided to couple the movement of said hopper (102) and said conveyor (104).

6. The vermicomposting system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said hopper (102) is provided with a set of shutters for regulating the flow of said waste paper on said conveyor (104), and said set of shutters are adjusted to provide a clearance in the range of 3 to 10 mm between said conveyor (104) and said hopper (102).

7. The vermicomposting system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said distribution mechanism comprises a plurality of check valves (108),. each in operative communication with a sprinkler device (112), adapted to spray said cow dung slurry on said layer of said waste paper.

8. The vermicomposting system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said vermireactor (200) comprises a sprinkler mechanism (208) positioned above said vermicomposting modules (202) for intermittently spraying water during said vermicomposting.

9. The vermicomposting system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operative bottom of said vermicomposting modules (202) is adapted to open in half during harvesting.

10. The vermicomposting system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said harvesting means comprise a lever (212) and a gear mechanism (214) placed below said vermicomposting modules (202) for opening the operative bottom of said vermicomposting modules (202).

11. The vermicomposting system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said guiding mechanism comprises a transfer belt (216) for conveying said vermicast to said unloading end (222) and a scraper at the operative end of said transfer belt (216) for collecting said vermicast from said transfer belt (216).

12. A method for vermicomposting waste paper, said method comprising the following steps:

■ feeding said waste paper in a hopper and evenly distributing a thin layer of said waste paper on a conveyor;

■ conveying said thin layer of waste paper to an inclined surface and spraying cow dung slurry on said layer of waste paper;

■ receiving slurry soaked waste paper in a collection module by gravity, and separating the excess cow dung slurry from the soaked waste paper;

■ placing said soaked waste paper charged with worms in a plurality of vermicomposting modules;

■ loading said plurality of vermicomposting modules in series in a plurality of rows in a frame;

■ vermicomposting said soaked waste paper for a period 10 to 15 days to obtain vermicast;

■ harvesting said vermicast from said vermicomposting modules by harvesting means provided operatively below said vermicomposting modules.

13. The method for vermicomposting waste paper as claimed in claim 11, wherein said waste paper is optionally combined with at least one organic waste selected from the group comprising cardboard, food, green and garden waste, animal waste and other biodegradable waste.