Worms provide sustainable sanitation at the airport

“Welcome to Charlotte Douglas International in North Carolina. You have just landed at the first airport in the United States, and maybe the world, to use vermicomposting to help manage organic airport waste.”

The Charlotte Douglas International Airport has installed a vermicomposting system at its recycling center, putting 1.9 million red wiggler worms to work. The worms eat food leftovers and other organic waste from airport restaurants and planes. They produce excreta that can be used as nutrient-rich fertilizer for the 6,000-acre airport grounds.

Before the worms are put to work, the organic waste is heated for three days at temperatures between 130 to 160 degrees. This kills microbes and starts the composting process. One pound of worms can eat a half pound of food daily. Airport officials hope that, with the help of the worms, the recycling center will become profitable within five years.