MANAGE FOOD WASTE DIRECTORY
On-site vermiculture technologies for processing food waste :

Introduction
Vermiculture or worm processing technologies are containers that provide habitat for selected species of earthworms into which food waste and other organic materials can be loaded for processing.

Microorganisms and earthworms consume the organic materials to produce a soil-like product commonly called vermicast or vermicompost.

Unlike hot compost systems where temperature based pasteurization can be readily monitored with a simple temperature probe, vermiculture processing does not generate the high temperatures required to pasteurize waste materials and may be unsuitable for the processing of food waste, vegetation, and other organic waste materials that may contain human or plant pathogens (disease organisms).

More information can be found in the ROU Best Practice Guideline to Managing On-site Vermiculture Technologies. This guide provides practical information for the planning and installation of vermiculture processing systems, including feedstock mixtures, and clear guidance for monitoring and maintenance. Importantly the guideline applies actual performance data to enable calculation of the size of the vermiculture installation needed to manage the amount of food waste generated.

Vermiculture processing technologies for on-site processing of food organics are listed below.

Resources and Tools
The installation and management of an organics management system requires planning and consideration of the suitability of technologies your situation. The Recycled Organics Unit provides a range of tools and “how to” information resources to assist you to establish and implement a system that meets your needs.

Worm processing technologies listed for on-site food waste management:
Vermiconverter [Australia, USA]
Submit another technology for listing here

Functional description of the technology (what it does):
The Vermiconverter is an Australian designed and patented system utilising compost worms to convert green waste & manures on site back into a rich, natural soil conditioner for immediate use.

Dispose of green waste directly into the Vermiconverter and the compost worms do the rest. The unit is designed to provide continuous processing of organic waste materials. The key feature is that it is all done automatically with the solid vermicast falling through the angled mesh side walls of the internal V shaped cage, down into waiting trays as a result of the worms own movement. The catch trays collect the earthworm castings and to easily transfer them to the garden.

Drainage is collected separately in a tank, and is recirculated via a solar powered pump to spray over the top of the material to maintain adequate moisture levels and to help moderate temperature within the preferred range for worms to work.

Performance benefits claimed of the technology:
— Finished product is harvested automatically by worm activity and gravity.
— Solar power for recirculation of water, no mains power connection required.
— Unique design allows separate collection of drainage and vermicast product.
— Open mesh side walls allow larger surface area for worms to work than the      standard box design of other vermiculture units.

Types of food waste able to process: Food preparation waste, cooked food waste, lawn clippings, and other green garden waste, combined with cardboard and paper wastes. Types of food waste NOT able to process: If foreign non organic waste such as bottles, plastic or cans are accidentally introduced the unit will be undamaged. However the side door of the unit must be opened to remove such items which will dump out the contents of the unit.

Inputs/consumables required:
12v DC power via solar panel for pump and sprinkler arrangement from 180 litre leachate recirculation tank. All on-site compost operations need water supply and complementary dry bulking agent to balance the excessively high moisture content of mixed food waste.
Additional or ancillary equipment required:
A 5W solar panel is a key design feature to power the water pump, no additional services are required for its installation, no access required to mains power, only to a hose to top up the moisture control tank occasionally.
Distributor (manufacturer):
See below.
Australian distributor?
Earthly Worm Works
PO Box 1411 Murwillumbah
NSW 2484, Australia
Website:
www.earthlyworms.com.au
Phone:
(02) 6679 3475 (within Australia)
+61 2 6679 3475 (from outside Australia)

The information in this listing has been provided by the distributor of the listed technology and ROU has not assessed or verified information provided or claimed capabilities. Inclusion in this Directory does not represent endorsement or recommendation of then listed product. Refer to full disclaimer for the Directory.

The Manage Food Waste Directory is open for free listing of proven technologies for use by food service and property management enterprises and other organisations to reduce food waste and improve the recovery and reprocessing of food waste for beneficial use.

Please note we do not list technologies that are of a scale suited for household use such as home compost bins or worm farms, nor compost amendments/inoculants.

To list your technology on this Directory, complete and submit the Register Your Technology form.

Functional description of the technology (what it does):
Clear description of what the technology is for and how it works.

Performance benefits claimed of the technology:
— Information content from supplier;
— Information content from supplier;
— Information content from supplier.

Types of materials able to process: Information content from supplier. Types of materials NOT able to process: Information content from supplier

Inputs/consumables required:
Information content from supplier.
Additional or ancillary equipment required:
— Information content from supplier.
— Information content from supplier:
     - Information content from supplier;
     - Information content from supplier.
Distributor (manufacturer):
Supplier business name
Supplier address line 1
Supplier address line 2
Australian distributor?
Local supplier business name
Website:
www.supplierURL.com
Phone:
+61 supplier phone number (Australia)
Supplier international phone number (USA, UK, NZ, EU...)

The information in this listing has been provided by the distributor of the listed technology and ROU has not assessed or verified information provided or claimed capabilities. Inclusion in this Directory does not represent endorsement or recommendation of then listed product. Refer to full disclaimer for the Directory.

Return to Manage Food Waste Directory main page

Go to the FAQ page of the Manage Food Waste Directory

Submission form to Register Your Technology for listing on the Manage Food Waste Directory

Return to Recycled Organics Unit home page

Return to top of this page