Sustainable Waste Processing

Worms Downunder was established to provide an environmentally sound option for dealing with organic waste. Currently 60% of waste arriving at landfill is organic waste which can easily be diverted and processed into high quality liquid and solid products. Organic waste such as food scraps, manures, paper, garden waste, etc. in landfill is cause for concern. When rotting landfill waste breaks down anaerobically in landfill it releases methane which when released into the atmosphere holds 21% more heat than carbon dioxide. Reducing methane emissions by reducing organic waste in landfill has an immediate positive environmental effect. In addition, transportation of waste by trucks has a significant impact due to carbon dioxide emissions, which can be reduced by on-site processing.

Paul Harrey and Pene Mitchell started Worms Downunder because of their environmental passion and the understanding that there was a great need for better processing of organic waste. Worms Downunder's goal is to have individuals and organizations across Australia successfully diverting their organic waste from landfill using on-site vermiculture and/or composting. The resultant products from the vermiculture process are nutrient rich castings and liquid.

The vision for Worms Downunder is to become a hub for sustainable organic waste management, including:

• Provision of worms and worm farm systems across Australia;
• Development of large scale systems for processing large amounts of organic waste (tonnage per week);
• Support for individuals, organizations and councils in dealing with organic waste;
• Undertaking of research and development to determine appropriate solutions to waste management problems which address environmental concerns;
• Dissemination of information about the environmental benefits of recycling organic waste using worms;
• Dissemination about the benefits of vermiculture products for plants and soil, locking in carbon, storing water, and supporting organic farming.

Worms Downunder is passionate about ensuring a clean, safe and sustainable future.

Reducing our Environmental Footprint

In our day-to-day operation Worms Downunder follows our environmental beliefs ensuring we:

Minimise water and energy use: Worms Downunder is self-sufficient in water and utilises green energy options, as well as trying to reduce our use of these valuable commodities;

Buy from local suppliers: many of our manufacturing components are sourced from local businesses, to reduce transport and support local communities and small businesses;

Only use recycled or recyclable packaging: we have taken considerable time to ensure 100% of our packaging is either recycled or recyclable. Our worm bags for example can be fed to the worms, and the plastic we use is 100% recyclable. Paper and boxes can also be fed to the worms, along with the tape which is cellulose based. We also only used 100% recycled paper for all our printing, and scrap paper is used in the office for our printing requirements.

Minimise waste: Worms Downunder do not have waste bin collection and the small amounts of waste from the business fit into our household recycling or waste bin. As a family we actively try to reduce our waste, using our own bags, reducing packaging waste by buying direct from farmers or at markets, or buying in bulk;

Recognise the significance of Design-for-Disassembly: all our products have been viewed with end-of-life scenarios so that they can be dismantled, reused and recycled.

Transport: Our biggest impact on the environment would definitely be transport, but we are actively addressing this issue by searching for manufacturers and distributors Australia-wide. In doing this we can source supplies from local areas and ensure local businesses are being supported.

At Worms Downunder we consider the life cycle implications of our products and our business, and are always trying to improve the way we operate to minimise our impact on the environment. If you have any suggestions on how we can increase our environmental commitment, please let us know click here.

Waste Education

Waste education is extremely important to us and we have contributed to numerous education programs. We have given talks and workshops at a diverse range of locations including World Environment Day (Sunshine Coast University), PowerLink (Brisbane), Compost Week (Brisbane), Origin (Brisbane), Oaks Flats Bowls Club (NSW), Creek Sustainability Expo (Caboolture), Sustainability at the J (Noosa), Cooroy Sustainability Expo (Cooroy) to name a few. We have also contributed to the Sunshine Coast Regional Council’s (SCRC) Waste Management Taskforce. Worms Downunder has also been approached numerous times to participate in educational Television programs being screened around Australia. We have been involved with Totally Wild and Scope educating children in better waste management processes and the benefits of worms. Educating children and working with schools is of particular importance.