Boulder Vermicomposting

Earthworms used for coffee waste

May 13th, 2010

Via Clean Technica, I found this article about the Rogers Family Company using redworms to process their coffee waste.  Apparently, coffee processing generates a fair bit of organic waste, and this was decomposing and  leaking into groundwater.

So, leveraging techniques used elsewhere, including in Selva Negra in Chiapas Mexico, they set up worm bins on their farm in Panama.  The goal?  Process 5000 tons of coffee pulp and turn that into free fertilizer for independent growers.  The company ended up with “10,000 square meters [of worm bins] filled with a billion worms”.  I asked why they chose E. Foetida, rather than one of the worms more suited to the tropics (as outlined here [PDF]); I’ll be interested to see their answer.

Talk about industrial vermicomposting!  I remember reading a while ago about ‘decompiculture’ (PDF here) which is the idea of “growing or culturing of decomposer organisms by humans”, the same way that agriculture is the growing or culturing of plants and herbivores.  Decomposers, whether redworms, bacteria or mushrooms, can help address some of our most fundamental issues of garbage management by turning waste into useful substances.  This project showcases decompiculture.

Pssst!  You should complete the cycle and vermicompost your coffee grounds.

Full press release here, and full blog post with pictures here.

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