Comments on: Restaurant Vermicomposting Post Mortem https://www.redwormcomposting.com/large-scale-vermicomposting/restaurant-vermicomposting-post-mortem/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=restaurant-vermicomposting-post-mortem WAY Too Much Fun With Worms! Mon, 08 Sep 2008 20:05:10 +0000 hourly 1 By: Bentley https://www.redwormcomposting.com/large-scale-vermicomposting/restaurant-vermicomposting-post-mortem/comment-page-1/#comment-10587 Mon, 08 Sep 2008 20:05:10 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=227#comment-10587 Hi Mary (think I posted my previous msg at the same time as you),
While I’m pretty sure some of the staff were interested in what I was doing, I suspect that the volumes of waste produced by this restaurant (in the range of 12-15 large garbage cans full of very heavy, water-rich waste per week) would simply be too much for even the most enthusiastic composter (and I didn’t get the impression that any of them were even beginner composters). I was hoping to get some university students involved this fall (since it would make for an excellent project), but that obviously didn’t end up happening.

Anyway – thanks for the kind words. Hopefully my efforts will inspire others, or at least educate people about the pros and cons of this type of project.

]]> By: Bentley https://www.redwormcomposting.com/large-scale-vermicomposting/restaurant-vermicomposting-post-mortem/comment-page-1/#comment-10584 Mon, 08 Sep 2008 19:38:40 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=227#comment-10584 Hey Jeff – yeah, it sounds like you’ve got it made for your arrangement. I can’t wait until I can move out into the country.

Kim – my main obstacle was the time an energy required to collect and handle the wastes – it was like a part time job with a lot of hours – yet i didn’t make a dime (actually COST me quite a bit of money, not even considering the time spent). If I had a lot more time and didn’t have to worry about earning a living (haha), I could have easily continued – I likely would have set up new systems at my dad’s place. Space for processing was certainly an issue, but when time is unlimited you have a lot more options.

Terracycle and other larger businesses could easily do this by using their hired staff and vehicles, and by using large vermicomposting systems. If I had a rural property and a truck I would be laughing since a lot less time would be needed (far fewer concerns about offending neighbours) and transportation would be very easy.

Matt – if I had continued into the winter I simply would have used large outdoor systems, which would have generated warmth via microbial activity. With a large enough volume of organic waste you can easily compost all winter long even in pretty cold regions.

]]> By: Mary@SimplyForties https://www.redwormcomposting.com/large-scale-vermicomposting/restaurant-vermicomposting-post-mortem/comment-page-1/#comment-10583 Mon, 08 Sep 2008 19:33:33 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=227#comment-10583 Any chance the restaurant or any of its employees might have gotten excited enough about your project to pick up where you left off? You are to be commended for the amount of food waste you diverted from the landfill during your experiment. Who knows who else you may have inspired?

I plan to try a vermicompost trench in my garden in the next week or so. My garden is about through for the summer but I’m curious to see if the waste will process enough during the winter to improve the soil for next season. I have a healthy earthworm population out there so we’ll see.

Thanks for you do to keep me excited about my worms!

]]> By: matt feldman https://www.redwormcomposting.com/large-scale-vermicomposting/restaurant-vermicomposting-post-mortem/comment-page-1/#comment-10574 Mon, 08 Sep 2008 18:06:28 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=227#comment-10574 I what would someone do if they wanted to collect restaurant waste in the winter?

]]> By: Kim from Milwaukee https://www.redwormcomposting.com/large-scale-vermicomposting/restaurant-vermicomposting-post-mortem/comment-page-1/#comment-10571 Mon, 08 Sep 2008 16:48:19 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=227#comment-10571 Bentley, I think it’s very commendable that you took on such a project in the first place, and that you shared your results with us is very much appreciated. I’ve been mulling over ideas about vermicomposting on a city-wide scale for awhile now, nowhere near starting such a project yet, but your feedback and recommendations certainly help.

So…am I clear in thinking that the main obstacle you encountered was room to process (compost) all the food wastes? Secondary was the pickup arrangement, right?

I wonder how Terracycle does it……..doesn’t sound like it’s even feasible on a small scale…it’s either trench at home or mountains once things get rolling and word gets out. 🙂

]]> By: Bob Packard https://www.redwormcomposting.com/large-scale-vermicomposting/restaurant-vermicomposting-post-mortem/comment-page-1/#comment-10546 Mon, 08 Sep 2008 03:01:57 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=227#comment-10546 Hi Bentley, looks like it is working now.

]]> By: Jeff https://www.redwormcomposting.com/large-scale-vermicomposting/restaurant-vermicomposting-post-mortem/comment-page-1/#comment-10543 Mon, 08 Sep 2008 02:06:40 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=227#comment-10543 Bentley

I know exactly what you are talking about, I have been doing my Resturant composting for about a year now. It is alot different when you live on a farm, and the resturant I am dealing with is owned by a family member…Haha..(owners little more understanding) if you can’t get there that day to pickup the waste..

Jeff

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