The composting process performance was evaluated through diary temperature monitoring at piles made with the waste of cotton carding industry and kinds of inocule. Were evaluated six piles divided in two systems: with aeration and without aeration. In each system three kinds of inocule: cattle waste diluted in water; cattle waste and rumen were studied. In a second phase three piles with rumen intensifying the turnings aiming to evaluate the reduction of weight and volume in order to evaluate the dimension of a composting area were also conducted. All the composts produced were transferred to a earthworm creation area and samples of the product after the composting and after the vermicomposting were chemically analyzed aiming to evaluate the nutrients content. The results obtained showed that: the rumen as a inocule presents high values of temperatures in the initial phase (active phase) and low values in the final phase (maturity) although independently of the inocule the stabilization occurred at the same time; the system with aeration allowed in all treatments a faster material stabilization when compared to the system without aeration; the intensification of turnings in the second phase allowed the decreasing of the composting time and 46% of final volume reduction; the chemical composition of the vermicomposts showed enriched when compared with the composts produced.
aeration; inocule; vermicomposting
