North Carolina Airport to Start Vermicomposting – in a BIG Way!

James Marconnet
#1. November 19th, 2011, at 12:26 AM.

I wonder how well that will work out with “forbidden” meats, etc. in the waste stream.

John Duffy
#3. November 19th, 2011, at 2:54 AM.

I applaud their forward-thinking in trying to reduce waste going to landfills. I wonder if BSFL could be used to pre-compost all that waste.
I would think that 8000 sq.ft. of space would lend itself to plenty of room for multiple composting systems…I agree with your concerns about the lack of experienced staff.
Maybe they can get some input from Wright Patterson AFB as to how to properly manage an operation of this size.
At any rate, I wish them the best of luck.
Thanks for sharing this story.
p.s. Mrs. Swininger’s worms are doing quite well. Her class loves to feed them every week.

Rich Yarger
#4. November 19th, 2011, at 9:46 AM.

I hope this turns out to be a success! Imagine what would happen around the rest of the US and Canada if this model ends up being the cost saver they project it to be (not too mention all the good it will do for the Earth).

Patrick
#5. November 19th, 2011, at 10:26 PM.

That’s gotta be a pretty big system to handle 2 tons of waste per day. Wonder what it will look like?

Ted
#6. November 20th, 2011, at 12:39 AM.

Wondering if this system will be protected from outside elements. Not so much sun and rain, but the kind with four legs. The last thing an airport needs, is critters with 4 legs hanging around a terminal and on the runway. LOL

Here’s a business question to anyone that would like to sound off. Looks like the airport bought those worms for $20.00 a pound.Was this (A) A good deal, (B) could of been 1.1 MILLION times better for the farmer, or(C) the airport made out like bandits.

I choose C

Rich Yarger
#7. November 20th, 2011, at 9:57 PM.

I bet they received a massive quantity discount, and probably some kind of consideration from whomever it was that they received the worms from. They should have ordered them from Bentley!

Ted
#8. November 20th, 2011, at 11:42 PM.

I just hope at least the worms came from NC and not some kind of bid war went on.

I see I was not to clear on what I was saying. I meant the storage of all the waist. If it’s coming from the airport, then most likly all that trash will have to stored on the property. Good luck to them

Bentley
#9. November 21st, 2011, at 2:26 AM.

TED – I am actually really surprised they had to pay that much! That is a SERIOUS bulk order. I’d expect the price to be more like $15/lb. Whatever business wins that contract will certainly be happy!

As for storage – while they may have to store it temporarily, it sounds as though it would be quickly going into some sort of large-scale hot composting system so that would certainly help.

Would be nice to get more details on all of this though!

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RICH – that sort of order is definitely out of my league! But they are welcome to hire me a fly me in as a consultant if they want!

Daniel Herrington
#10. November 21st, 2011, at 8:39 AM.

This is the scale and sort of thing I like to see as well Bentley. Thanks for sharing it.