IWE Success Stories

Des Moines Zoo Vermicomposting Project

The Des Moines Zoo was faced with a disposal problem of what to do with llama hair, zebra dung, animal food waste, cardboard, paper and newspapers. The zoo produces an estimated 4,264 cubic yards of waste each week that was being landfilled.

The Iowa Waste Exchange suggested starting a program with Red Wiggler worms to manage the waste. Today waste materials are placed in a 4’x 8’ wooden box housing worms that eat this material and convert it to a highly valued natural fertilizer, worm castings or excrement. In the first three weeks of the vermicomposting project, the worms have eaten 16 cubic feet of waste from the zoo and are reproducing.

Each bin will produce one ton of castings allowing zoo officials to drastically reduce the purchase and application of chemical fertilizers. It is anticipated by spring 2008, three worm bins will be in operation and the worms will number 125,000 to 175,000 capable of consuming 9 tons of materials each year. Zoo officials plant to turn this vermicomposting project into an educational tool for the public.

Mahle Waste Is Turned Into a Commodity

Mahle Engine Components USA, Inc. is a manufacturer of bearings and other engine components in Atlantic, Iowa. In September 2007, the Iowa Waste Exchange received a call from William Hildebrand, Environmental Coordinator, about finding a use for 9000 obsolete parts trays weighing approximately 18 tons. If a use could not be found for these trays, they would be disposed of in the local landfill. These polystyrene trays were stacked and wrapped on pallets, allowing the trays to be transported easily via ground transportation. Because the logistics of moving this waste was simplified they were easier to market and transport to another company.

Markets were immediately interested in the obsolete trays however; testing found that the trays also had a thin coating of polyvinylchloride, which made them unsuitable for some specific markets. Finally the IWE contacted Terry Stark of Avant Ministries to take the obsolete pallets. Within one week, Avant Ministries arranged for transportation and found a buyer for the trays to recycle into new products. They were sold to a company as a commodity to help fund Avant Ministries mission programs.

The IWE helps companies like Mahle Engine Components avoid landfilling approximately 18 tons of unwanted products while identifying the waste as a commodity for reuse.