Int. J. Environment and Waste Management, Vol. 3, Nos. 1/2, 2009 51 Copyright © 2009 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd. Vermicomposting of garbage: a new technology for solid waste management in Hindu temples Renuka Gupta and V.K. Garg* Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology, Hisar 125001, Haryana, India Fax: +91-1662-276240 E-mail: renug77@gmail.com E-mail: vinodkgarg@yahoo.com *Corresponding author Abstract: In India, at most of the religious places, a huge tonnage of solid waste is generated due to worshipping. This study reports the transformation of organic fraction of Temple Solid Waste (TSW) spiked with Cow Dung (CD) into a value-added product (vermicompost). Vermicomposting resulted in lowering of pH, EC, C : N ratio, C : P ratio and increase in nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium contents. The worms grew and reproduced favourably in 80% CD + 20% TSW and 70% CD + 30% TSW feed mixtures also. These experiments demonstrate that vermicomposting can be an efficient technology for environmentally safe management of temple solid waste. Keywords: Hindu temple; vermicomposting; TSW; temple solid waste; C : N ratio. Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Gupta, R. and Garg, V.K. (2009) ‘Vermicomposting of garbage: a new technology for solid waste management in Hindu temples’, Int. J. Environment and Waste Management, Vol. 3, Nos. 1/2, pp.51–64. Biographical notes: Renuka Gupta is doing Doctorate in Environmental Sciences from the Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology, Hisar, Haryana, India. Her main research fields are solid waste management using vermicomposting technology, water pollution and wastewater treatment technologies. V.K. Garg is working as Reader in the Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology, Hisar, India. His teaching and research include solid waste management, drinking water pollution with special reference to fluoride and nitrate, wastewater treatment using adsorption technology, ferti-irrigation and herbicide resistance. The research carried out till date has credited him with more than 160 publications including books (1), chapters in the books/proceedings (15), original and reviewed papers (international 60, national 30), research communications in conferences/symposia (30). He continues to serve as peer-reviewer for several international journals.