W O R M C O M P O S T I N G: O R, S A V E Y O U R B A C K A N D L E T T H E W O R M S D O I T by Mary Appelhof (via EnviroNet 1/28/89) Organic kitchen waste can create unpleasant odors when allowed to accumulate. Disposal is not only expensive but can create environmental problems also. Seattle, for example, is faced with a $45 million bill to clean up the problem, and to translocate residents who lived in an area made hazardous by methane leakage from the landfill. The methane was produced by decomposition of organic waste buried there years ago. Why bury organic waste when such problems can result, and when our soils need the nutrients? Taking care of organic kitchen waste on-site makes sense in a lot of ways, and worms provide an effective way to do so. WORM COMPOSTING BASICS A worm composting system consists of 1) a suitable container, 2) bedding, 3) worms, and 4) a proper environment. Organic waste is buried in the worm bin. The worms, along with millions of micro-organisms, chow down on the garbage, and transform it to black, odorless, nutrient-rich wormcastings. These wormcastings can be used to fertilize plants in the home or garden. The process is simple, convenient, and environmentally sound. THE TECHNIQUE A container, such as a wooden box or metal wash tub with holes drilled to provide aeration, is filled with moistened bedding. Suitable beddings hold moisture and provide an aerobic environment, and some food for the worms. Shredded corrugated boxes, leaf mold, horse and cow manures, or mixtures of these materials make satisfactory beddings. Bedding should be about 75% moisture (e.g., add 15 lbs. water to 5 lbs. shredded newspaper). The bedding should be damp, not wringing wet. Redworms, commonly known as manure worms (technically, Eisenia fetida) are added on top and allowed to work down into the bedding. One pound of worms in a 2' x 2' x 8" wooden bin can process about 3 1/2 lbs. of organic waste per week. That doesn't mean everything you bury today will be gone tomorrow, but, over time, you won't recognize it. WHAT TO BURY All kinds of organic waste can go into your worm bin, although some limits are advised for bones and for quantities of meat. You can use what you have been grinding up in your garbage disposal - citrus rinds, lettuce, cabbage, potato peels, leftovers, tea leaves and coffee grounds. Egg shells add lime and other nutrients. The shells break down faster when pulverized with a rolling pin. People expect to find offensive odors when they start burying all their waste indoors (yes! you can't freeze worms!) in a small bin. Users express surprise at how little odor there is. You can reduce odor problems by disturbing the bedding as little as possible, and by depositing the waste in different locations each time. Covering the bedding with a loose plastic cover helps to retain moisture; however, worms are transferred to fresh bedding about every four months. FREE FERTILIZER - HEALTHY PLANTS The product from a worm bin is vermicompost, a mixture of wormcastings, partially decomposed wastes, and uneaten bedding. Vermicompost can be used as top dressing for house plants, as an ingredient in potting mixes, or as an immediate source of fertilizer for transplants and seed beds. Plants fertilized with wormcastings thrive, providing beauty, pleasure, and good food. Plant and food residues can again be fed to the worms to be recycled in a convenient, natural, and environmentally sound way. F O R F U R T H E R I N F O R M A T I O N For more detailed instructions on how to set up a home vermicomposting unit, see Worms Eat My Garbage, by Mary Appelhof, Kalamazoo, Michigan: Flower Press (ISBN No. 0-942256-03-4). It's available for $7.95 from Flower Press, 10322 Shaver Rd., Kalamazoo, MI 49002. NOTES BY JEFF HOWARD * Ms. Applehof says shredded newspaper can be used as bedding. I have omitted this recommendation here because inks often contain toxic metals and solvents, and I do not believe the practice to be safe. Newspapers should be recycled into new paper or cardboard, not buried. * She also says paper tea bags and coffee filters can be buried as well, but again I believe this cannot be recommended as a safe practice. The paper will decompose, of course; but toxic chemical residues such as dioxins and furans are present due to paper manufacturers' standard (insane) practice of bleaching pulp white with chlorine (newsprint is not manufactured with bleached pulp, incidentally). Experts would probably say the final concentration of these compounds is "safe," but of course experts believe in a lot of crazy nonsense. * I haven't seen the book, but it sounds good. Here's what others have had to say: "An enjoyably readable, realistically described account of how you can convince earthworms to process your garbage for your benefit." (H. Lewis Batts, Jr., Ph.D., Executive Director, Kalamazoo Nature Center) "Recycling is good ecology, good economics. This guide shows personal commitment to a better use of the waste we generate. A commitment to fewer landfills, more appropriate use of energy and the return to a more independent, yet socially responsible system of waste disposal." (Mary Brown, State Representative, Michigan Legislature) "This expertly written, practical and educational manual is a must for every home. Applying the innovative and convenient conservation strategies will be rewarding to you and the environment. I know . . . . worms eat my garbage, too! (E. Scott Geller, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, Virginia Polytechnic Instite and State University) ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mary Appelhof resides in the Kalamazoo, Michigan, area where a healthy crop of worms feeds on her garbage. As owner of Flowerfield Enterprises, she has dedicated the past ten years to researching, developing, and marketing products and services related to the conversion of organic materials via earthworms. In 1980 Applehof coordinated a major research workshop held in Kalamazoo on the role of earthworms in stabilizing organic residues. Proceedings from the workshop were subsequently compiled by her and published under her supervision. A skilled photographer, she holds master's degrees in education and biological sciences. Membership in organizations which emphasize conservation of the earth's resources includes the National Recycling Coalition, which she serves as a director, and Organic Growers of Michigan.