Waste paper bin liners, newspaper and food shredding

9 years ago

Hi there,

I live in a small apartment where we have setup a vermicomposter. So far I had some problems with the fruit fly but it is getting less critical by covering the waste on the vermicomposter with some paper. But I'm very happy about being able to recycle and make a good use of waste.

Now I'm trying to find a suitable method to keep the waste odorless in the kitchen since I use to add it after a couple of days, to avoid the first stage of the decomposition from happening in the vermicomposter and increasing the temperature.

I'd like to ask you 3 questions mostly related to waste pre-processing.

1) Do you use waste paper bin liners and then put the paper bat with the waste directly on the vermicomposter? I'm trying to be practical here but not sure this will benefit the worms.

2) I've read it's good to put small pieces of waste instead of entire vegetables. In the past I used a cheap ice shredder that did the job for a while until it broke. I'm trying to find a more suitable option but most I found is either very expensive or too big to keep in a small kitchen.

3) Is it any good to add newspapers and printed sheets to the vermicomposter? I've seen some interesting discussions about the ink not being toxic and some others discouraging from adding it because of the composition. Not 100% clear about it.

Thanks.

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Comments (3)

barbararose21101
9 years ago
I don't know what "waste paper bin liner" is unless it is just a used paper bag, probaby made from recycled paper. If so, it is biodegradable and suitable for vermicomposting.
I don't know what the "bat" could be. Guessing it might be some absorbent material that may or may not be biodegradable. If these bags are commercial for the purpose, the labelling "should" (here, anyway ) say so.

Cuisinart makes a mini food prep processor which would work well for the task if you can afford it.

If the newsprint is soy based black and white it is suitable for the vermicompost. We aren't so sure about color, and I think consensus is not to use slick pages, especially in a small bin.

Vermicomposters shred newspaper so that air can move through it.

We need to know more to give you more reliable responses:

size of bin
type of bedding
quantity of worms
location (if it is under the sink, air is restricted )

I recommend you do some more reading, here, and at other vermicomposting sites.
There are as many ways to succeed as there are to fail.
No doubt another follow up will "expound" on odors.

Worms need: moisture, air, food, darkness & warmth.

I am adding a link, but there is no Last Word on this topic.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cornell Worm Composting Basics
PRO
equinoxequinox
9 years ago
What might fit the bill for your needs is keeping a brown grocery store or lunch bag in the freezer. Add kitchen scraps as needed. When the bag is full wrap it closed putting the most bulky paper side down in the bin to absorb liquid. Feel free to give any kitchen scraps an extra cut to get composing started. Sometimes I will just stick my fingernail a tiny bit into an old vegetable to get the rot process started. Using this process you may end up with a bunch of bags of vegetables stacked up in the bin. The freezing should give things a head start in the decomposition process. You may also want to toss a few handfuls of bedding into each bag. This method has been described here before and may have been called the taco method.
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chuckiebtoo
9 years ago
If you subscribe to a newspaper, use the newspaper for bedding (not the shiny stuff). As to the colored inks....don't worry about it. Some years ago, after children got sick chewing (?) colored newprint, laws were passed prohibiting unsafe colored inks. I use those, and have for years without probs.

Newspaper is easily shredded by hand if you do so vertically ( it won't tear straight horizontally...except for Asian papers)

As a newbie, refrain from buying shredders, and blenders, and massive amounts of worms, or supplies, or expensive vermicomposting junk until you've decided you have what it takes to keep doing this thing we do. (Lot of peeps quit liking dabbling in worm poop pretty quickly....although nothing about it is at all onerous. Or even disgusting)

chuckiebtoo

Moderation, Diversity, Patience

Waste paper bin liners, newspaper and food shredding

Comments (3)

barbararose21101

equinoxequinox

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