Abstract: The management of solid waste in Puerto Rico as in the community of San Salvador is a major problem. That is why in our project we propose vermiculture as a viable alternative for the recycling of organic materials (paper, fruits). It provides

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Vermiculture as an alternative for recycling and
improvement of soil in the San Salvador Community
Taryn Cruz, Carlos Cruz, Gloriann Díaz,
Geoexplorers, School of Science and Technology

• Abstract The management of solid waste in
  Puerto Rico as in the community of San Salvador
  is a major problem. That is why in our project we
  propose vermiculture as a viable alternative for
  the recycling of organic materials (paper,
  fruits). It provides benefits such as recycling
  organic waste, witch prolongs the life of
  landfills, we believe that with the vermiculture,
  we can help reduce the amount of 3.15 lbs.
  garbage per person currently being generated on
  the Island.

• Introduction
•  Puerto Rico (PR) has experienced rapid growth
  and economic development in the past decades.
  This has led to an increase in solid waste
  generation which eventually is deposited in
  Municipal solid waste disposal landfills (MSWDL).
  MSWDL are currently the predominant solid waste
  disposal practice in PR and an a issue today. The
  Solid Waste Authority provides in its recycling
  program as a good alternative to partially
  alleviate the problem of solid waste generation
  and among the types or forms of recycling is the
  vermicompost.
• Problem
• Understanding that recycling is an alternative
  to help diminish the problem that solid wastes
  generate in Puerto Rico including the community
  of San Salvador who has a great field extension
  that can be used for the horticultura This
  offers great benefits that contribute to the
  solution to this problem.
• Background
• Worm Compost
• The worm compost is a biotechnology that uses
  worm to recycle the organic matter and newspaper,
  obtaining humus.
• Benefits
• The roots are better in soil rich in humus that
  one poor in this substances. It retains water and
  nutrients in the soil improving the soil
  structure by providing aeration. It reduces the
  amount of solid waste that are deposited in
  Landfills
• Hypothesis
• The soil of San Salvador will responding a
  positive way to the addition of worm compost and
  will also be an effective way in increasing the
  recycling rate.

Description of Sampling
Characteristic Humus

Maps San Salvador Community
Maps El Yunque
Results and Discussion
Sampling of Yunque and San Salvador
Survey
The seeds planted the first day June 20, 2008
Carlos made the survey in 25 houses in San
Salvador Community
The plants four days after planted
Campaign Recycling
The plants in their last stage, these last ones
were planted with humus and he results were known
twelve days after planted
Humus of Worm compost
Reference Mulet del Pozo, Y, ( 2005
)Determinación de algunas propiedades
físico-mecánicas, químicas y biológicas del humus
de lombriz en condiciones de la vaquería de la
finca Guayabal, San José de las Lajas, La Habana,
Cuba. Centro Azúcar 48, (200-203) Marcheco, E.
(2005) Finca agroecológica sostenible de la
Universidad de Granma. Revista Centro Agrícola.
32 (65-67)
Materials and Methods Survey, Campaign
recycling, Red earth Worm, Plastic container,
Newspaper, Dirt ,Fruit and vegetable skins,
Organic waste
Acknowledgements San Salvador community Ismael
Gonzales Awilda Perez NOAA