Organic or biodegradable waste recycling

Kitchen waste and garden waste are biodegradable. Rather than mixing it in with recyclable and non-recyclable waste, it makes sense to recycle this resource into valuable compost and other useful by-products - to 'regenerate' the soil. Rhodes University is exploring options for an integrated composting collection facility on campus, to help improve its waste management practices. In the mean time, staff and students may wish to start their own indoor or outdoor biodegradable waste project.

Indoor Worm Farm

• You could start your own easy indoor worm farm (vermiculture) using Eisenia fetida (sometimes called 'red wiggler'), or Eisenia andrei (sometimes called 'red tiger') worms.*

*Current DNA research at North-West University (2012): the only species identified in over 10 worm farms in 4 provinces in South Africa is Eisenia andrei.

• Use the diluted worm tea to fertilise your pot plants or a garden nearby.

• View the student initiative: RU Worm Farm Project.

Outdoor Worm Farm or Compost Heap

• You could set up an outdoor 'red wiggler' worm farm - in a sheltered place - where friends and colleagues could also make use of it.
• Or you could create a garden compost heap: set aside a small corner in your garden for green waste, and keep it damp - this readily attracts indigenous earthworms (which burrow in the soil).
• Or you could support Mzam’omhle Composting Project: Take your GARDEN WASTE ONLY to the depot near the Grahamstown landfill site (phone Mzwandile on 078-678.8507 first). You may also buy his top quality compost.
• Or use a municipal garden skip: Take your GARDEN WASTE ONLY (NOT household refuse) to the closest skip - for Rhodes University, this is behind the municipal Traffic Department in Carlisle Street.

Get involved in the action:

• Get involved in the student RU Worm Farm Project.
• Contact a commercial supplier to buy a ready-made worm farm...
• Or create your own worm farm: It could be a 'tower' of old car tyres (see picture) or large garbage bin with lid and drainage hole/tap (see My Worm Farm Example), an old cooler box or tea box (HomeMakers Example), or plastic storage bins stacked one inside the other (WormFarming Example).
• Then ask a friend to give you a handful of red wigglers.

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Worm farm facts

• Worm farms can use Eisenia fetida (sometimes called 'red wiggler'), or Eisenia andrei (sometimes called 'red tiger' - these grow and reproduce more quickly, so are considered more useful).*

*Current DNA research at North-West University (2012): the only species identified in over 10 worm farms in 4 provinces in South Africa is Eisenia andrei.

• Eisenia is from the northern hemisphere but is generally considered to be non-invasive.

• Eisenia is 'epigeic' - living in compost or leaf litter - rather than burrowing down in mineral soils (like the indigenous South African earthworms).

• Eisenia quickly breaks down organic kitchen waste: fruit & veg scraps, crumbs, crusts, tea bags, coffee grinds, paper scraps, etc (it does not like very acidic items or animal protein).

• The worm farm generates 'vermicompost' (dig into the garden or potting soil), and 'worm tea' / 'vermi-tea' (dilute 1:10 in water and use immediately as a liquid fertiliser for pot plants, herbs, veggies and flowers).

• The more you feed your Eisenia worms, the faster they multiply ... which means you can give some to friends and colleagues to start their own worm farms.

• Get more information.

More good reasons for vermicomposting

EIGSA member Patrick Dowling says:

• A worm farm works well with a little care and maintenance.
• It is cheap and the high value components – the worms – replicate themselves readily, so starting small is no problem.
• Worm castings can be used on lawns and gardens - with great benefits.
• Landfill sites (legal and illegal) will not fill up so fast.
• Landfill sites will prduce less methane.
• Transport fuel costs are much lower - no need to cart organic waste away.
• CO₂ emissions are reduced - because less fuel is used.
• Less food waste is flushed into already overloaded sewerage systems – which means better water quality and less aquatic eutrophication (oxygen-starved water systems).
• Worm farming is educational and appeals to the imagination - which leads to creative environmental thinking.

Go to the Rhodes University ENVIRONMENT front page. Suggestions/Questions? Contact environment(at)ru.ac.za