Worms are saving thousands of tonnes of sewage sludge from going to landfill in the Taupo District thanks to a new community partnership.
Taupo District Council is working with MyNOKE, an organisation that specialises in vermicomposting and organic resource management. Vermicomposting is a process where waste products are mixed with paper, green waste products and worms to create compost.
The Taupo site has just marked six months in operation with a tree planting by Mayor David Trewavas and chief executive Gareth Green. MyNOKE has six other vermicomposting sites in New Zealand.
Mr Trewavas said the vermicomposting operation had so far proven itself to be an environmental triumph for the district. "There are so many benefits for us as a district with vermicomposting - from saving space in our landfills to recycling our waste in an environmentally-friendly way. This is future-proofing for us and the fact we can use the compost it creates makes it even more impressive."
The council will be able to use the finished product as fertiliser in its green spaces once the 12 to 18 month process is complete.
"As a council we knew we didn't want to keep putting our sewage sludge into landfills because it's a cost to ratepayers we can save," Mr Trewavas said. "This is a fantastic partnership between the council and MyNOKE that has far-reaching benefits for both parties."
Since its launch in February, 1000 tonnes of sewage sludge has been diverted from landfill to the vermicomposting site on View Road, and another 4000 tonnes has been taken from maturation pits to the site.
MyNOKE chairman Max Morley said the compost was safe for all garden and agricultural use and met New Zealand Standards for composts, soil conditioners and mulches. He said 10 tonnes of waste product converted into two to three tonnes of compost.
"There are a lot of councils that continue to pump their sewage into landfills or the ocean," Mr Morley said. "The thing that struck us about Taupo is the willingness to make the best possible decision as opposed to the comfortable, easy decision."
He said vermicomposting meant the council could "close the loop" on the recycling process - from transporting the waste to the MyNOKE site, to seeing it turn into compost, to reusing it as a fertiliser in the Taupo District's green spaces.
"We are very excited to be part of it," Mr Morley said.
MyNOKE has been working with councils in Rotorua, Hamilton and Western Bay of Plenty councils to recycle with vermicomposting and the operations had been working well so far, he said. There were also trials currently underway in Queenstown.
