Harare adopts new waste technology
HARARE City Council is set to use earthworm technology to address challenges of litter in the city and reduce the amount of waste being taken to Pomona dumpsite.
The city intends to set up a national earthworm technology centre known as the Harare Organic Waste and Earthworm Technology Centre in partnership with Zim Earthworms Farms.
Minutes of a recent meeting of the Environmental Management Committee show that the city’s director of works Engineer Zvenyika Chawatama told councillors that the overall objective of the project was to reduce waste ferried to Pomona for disposal.
“The Environment and Amenities Division had supported a vermicomposting project that produced organic fertilizer by availing organic waste from Mbare farmers’ market from 2013 to date,” reads the minutes.
“Vermicomposting is a composting method whereby earthworms decompose biodegradable matter into rich disinfected organic fertilizer.
“However, adequate quantities of earthworms were needed for the project, hence the need to establish an earthworm breeding centre. Zim Earthworms had re-engaged the director of works with a proposal to partner the city in harnessing organic waste at source and practising vermicomposting at household level.”
According to the proposal, residents would construct a composting structure at individual houses with a standard structure costing $370.
Residents would purchase the vermicomposting starter pack and be trained on standard vermicomposting techniques.
Residents would separate organic waste at source and feed the composting system and the resultant organic fertilizer would be sold at household level, while excess can be sold to public/private organisations or the technology centre.
“The obligations of Zim Earthworms were to breed large quantities of earthworms at Harare City Council facility at Ashdown Park, deploy earthworm technology to address the challenges as identified by the city, while retaining intellectual property over technology processes,” read the minutes.
“Zim Earthworms will make available to residents and institutions the earthworm starter packs, train individuals, groups, schools and institutions on how to breed earthworms and how to decompose organic waste using earthworms.
“The city will use 30 percent of vermicomposting produced at Harare Organic waste and Earthworm Technology Centre for the nursery and retain 10 percent of earthworms produced at Ashdown Park Centre for its own use.
“It is envisaged that there will be a 55 percent reduction in transport costs of waste as less waste is transported to Pomona.”
Council authorised Eng Zvenyika to resuscitate the Ashdown Park composting centre to become a National Earthworm Technology Centre known as Harare Organic Waste and Earthworm Technology Centre.