Bioconversion of Temple Floral Waste Through Vermicomposting and Composting: A Review of the Available Evidence

DOI: 10.22161/ijeab.114.10

Abstract:
Temple floral waste (TFW) is a significant and poorly managed waste stream in India, where flowers and other organic waste products are typically dumped into rivers and other water bodies. Primary research on vermicomposting and aerobic composting as alternatives to this practice is limited. Temple floral wastes have been used in vermicomposting trials with Eisenia fetida, which have demonstrated that the waste can be transformed into a stable product with a nutrient content that is comparable to or better than that of kitchen or farmyard wastes, and for which the nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium content has been measured in some studies. Similarly, aerobic non-vermicomposting trials have shown that the C:N ratio is reduced and compost matures in approximately 60 days using bin-composting methods. Some scientists reviewed the behaviour of heavy metals in vermicomposting in general (not specifically for floral waste) and found that the availability of metals in vermicomposting is not always the same and depends on the feedstock and co-substrate used. In addition to composting, other valorisation possibilities for floral waste have been explored, such as using it as a precursor for activated carbon and biochar through pyrolysis, indicating that there are more potential applications than just composting. This review summarizes these individual findings, makes no bones about the lack of directly relevant published studies, and refrains from making general statements about the field based on specific numeric results from one small study.

Keywords:
Temple Floral Waste, Vermicomposting, Biochar, Activated Carbon, Circular Economy

Article Info:
Received: 18 Jun 2026; Received in revised form: 12 Jul 2026; Accepted: 16 Jul 2026; Available online: 22 Jul 2026

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