ABSTRACT
Organic and paper-based solid wastes contribute to more than 60% of total global solid waste generated annually. Much of this may be biodegradable; however, wastes with substantial amounts of xenobiotics pose a challenge to the natural process of biodegradation. Hence, the natural process of degradation would take a much longer time to degrade the waste. However, employing microbes helps to achieve better results, that too in a short time. Microbial degradation of solid waste is attributed to the cascade action of different hydrolytic enzymes which convert complex molecules into simpler components. Further, the role of microbial action on solid waste under arid and semi-arid conditions and the role of different genes for such degradation process are yet to be explored in detail. This chapter gives an insight to the roles and actions of microbes and their enzymes on solid waste.
