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VERMICOMPOSTING

VERMICOMPOSTING. Background & Life Cycle Analysis. Sean Brandt 23 April 2001. ~. ~. ~. Vermicompost System. ~. ~. VERMICOMPOSTING DEFINITION.

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VERMICOMPOSTING

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  1. VERMICOMPOSTING Background & Life Cycle Analysis Sean Brandt 23 April 2001

  2. ~ ~ ~ Vermicompost System ~ ~ VERMICOMPOSTING DEFINITION Vermicomposting is the process of creating reasonably odorless compost by red worms feeding on microorganisms that degrade organic matter such as food waste. The worm castings (excrement) are nutrient-rich in usable forms for plants, and therefore make excellent fertilizer. INPUT OUTPUT

  3. ~ ~ ~ INPUT Vermicompost System OUTPUT ~ ~ CLOSING THE LOOP microorganisms, worms plastic wood AGRICULTURE

  4. VERMICOMPOSTING “SIZES” • Small – individual, home • Medium – small community or business • Large – large community or industry

  5. BASIC DESIGNS OF VERMICOMPOSTING • Simple box • Lateral movement • Stackable tray • Continuous flow

  6. SMALL-SCALE VERMICOMPOSTINGPersonal Responsibility • Input – personal/family food waste, some lawn and gardening waste • System – small bin in basement, backyard • Output – fertilizer for own garden • Sustainable? – depends primarily on the bin, since “closed the loop” for some of own waste

  7. SMALL-SCALE VERMICOMPOSTING • Simple Box • Worm-A-Way (wormwoman) • 100% recycled plastic • Simple Box • Little Worm Farm Kit • Wooden

  8. SMALL-SCALE VERMICOMPOSTING • Stackable tray • Wriggly Wranch • 100% recycled plastic • Continuous flow • Earth Factory • Recycled plastic sides; steel frame; recycled redwood lid

  9. SMALL-SCALE VERMICOMPOSTING • Lateral movement • Wormaroo

  10. MEDIUM-SCALE VERMICOMPOSTING(Small) Community Responsibility • Input – community/business food waste, lawn and gardening waste • System – large bins with different design needs than small bins • Output – fertilizer for crops • Sustainable? – again, depends primarily on the bin

  11. MEDIUM-SCALE VERMICOMPOSTING • Continuous Flow • EPM Institutional Bin

  12. LARGE-SCALE VERMICOMPOSTING(Large) Community Responsibility • Input – food waste, agricultural waste, paper waste, municipal solid waste • System – large bins; troughs; ground surface overlay • Output – fertilizer for crops • Sustainable? – depends on the bin (site-specific); also transportation cost gains

  13. GENERIC DESCRIPTION OF VERMICOMPOSTING SYSTEMS • Input – food waste, lawn and garden waste, paper waste, farm animal & human excrement • System – wooden/plastic boxes, cement troughs, direct ground overlay; microorganisms and red worms on damp bedding • Output – worm castings used as fertilizer (1/10th tonnage, 30% increased yield), “tea” (separation of liquids and solids) • Sustainable? – yes, for the most part (consider consumption and disposal); gains still possible in system design

  14. GREEN CONSIDERATION OF VERMICOMPOSTING SYSTEMS INPUT = ORGANIC MATTER

  15. GREEN CONSIDERATION OF VERMICOMPOSTING SYSTEMS SYSTEM = CONTAINER + “NATURE”

  16. GREEN CONSIDERATION OF VERMICOMPOSTING SYSTEMS SYSTEM: CONTAINER Basic design considerations Size: 1 ft3 space/lb “food” per week Temperature: 32 ºF < T < 85 ºF Ventilation/Drainage holes Green design considerations Recycled/Recyclable/Reusable Packaging (commercial, shipping) Source reduction: no container

  17. GREEN CONSIDERATION OF VERMICOMPOSTING SYSTEMS SYSTEM: CONTAINER Wooden Bins • reused wood • no chemical sealants • natural decomposition

  18. GREEN CONSIDERATION OF VERMICOMPOSTING SYSTEMS SYSTEM: CONTAINER Plastic Bins • % recycled content • thermoplastic plastic vs. thermoset plastic • forming process • packaging waste • lasts for generations

  19. GREEN CONSIDERATION OF VERMICOMPOSTING SYSTEMS SYSTEM: CONTAINER Ground Overlay • no packaging! • pile up different resources, let worms do work • aesthetically pleasing if covered • natural decomposition

  20. GREEN CONSIDERATION OF VERMICOMPOSTING SYSTEMS SYSTEM: CONTAINER Cement Troughs • recycled ash (from power generation) content • transportation, packaging of cement • crush & reuse as aggregate

  21. GREEN CONSIDERATION OF VERMICOMPOSTING SYSTEMS SYSTEM: “NATURE” • Native worm species • Home-grown worms • “Soil foodweb” • Ecosystem food chain • Bedding

  22. GREEN CONSIDERATION OF VERMICOMPOSTING SYSTEMS OUTPUT = WORM CASTINGS

  23. Summary and Conclusions • Simple, effective • Contributes to sustainability by reducing landfilling, closing loop from food chain • Improvements can be made in containers and packaging (wood vs. thermoplastics vs. no container) • Future – Tax on garbage, personal bins provided? Subsidy for compost? Another bin for curbside collection? Living machines?

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