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CAP's Hungry Worms a Big Hit with the Public |
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Written by Administrator
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Monday, 02 July 2007 |
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CAP's Hungry Worms a Big Hit with the Public
5/26/2007 New Straits Times GEORGE TOWN, INDIA: The Penang Consumers Association (CAP) has been inundated by calls from the public wanting to know more about its "vermihome" project. The vermihome houses about 10,000 earthworms which convert kitchen and garden waste into vermi compost which can be used as fertilizer in organic farming. Of course, this also means that the worms help to reduce the amount of rubbish that needs to be disposed of. "People have also been coming to our office to ask for worms after the story was published in the New Straits Times," said research officer N.V. Subbarow. "Several schools and universities have also asked for appointments to visit us. This is totally unexpected," he said. Ecoscience Research Foundation's Dr Sultan Ahmed Ismail, a vermitech specialist from Chennai, who is responsible for the vermihome project, said the positive response showed that Malaysians were receptive towards recycling of organic wastes. "Household waste is an untapped resource. We can make good use of such waste through the vermihome project," he said. Sultan said it was perfectly safe to breed the worms in one's home, be it a landed property or high-rise dwelling. "Although the worms can quickly multiply, the quantity depends on the size and place they are bred," he said. The vermihome project is part of CAP's programme to promote sustainable agriculture as an alternative to modern agriculture techniques. |