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Temple Bar Worms Hit the World Wide Web

Press release 12 July 2001

The residents of the Crampton Buildings in Temple Bar in the centre of
Dublin decided to do something about their waste problem, and to show their
neighbours (mostly restaurants) that they could do something too - and all
with aid of some wiggly worms.

Crampton Buildings is one of the oldest residential complex in Temple Bar,
with the flats built around a courtyard. The buildings have 50 flats and
over 80 people live in the complex of mixed incomes and ages. There are
elderly people, people with disabilities and around 8 children between the
ages of 1 and 12.

"We decided we could at least take responsibility for our own waste, and
show the restaurants that it is possible to do things differently, in a way
which respects both the environment and the communities that depend on it"
said Sadhbh O'Neill, the projects main proponent.

Following an initial flyer which was sent around to all residents, over 20
households agreed to participate in a community composting scheme. Sadhbh
points out that "If one assumes that there is over a pound weight of kitchen
waste created per household per day, this amounts to 140 pounds a week, or
over 3 tons of compostible waste per annum going needlessly to a hole in the
ground" . So the obvious solution was to set up a composting scheme to
reduce the amount of organic matter going into everyone bin. The particular
composting option chosen by the Crampton Buildlings was vermicomposting - or
getting worms to break down the organic matter into a rich compost.

This project is unique in providing a model for tenant participation in the
maintenance of communal areas and waste management. This is a integrated
community of all ages that is willing to embrace new ideas and fresh
approaches. This successful project could be replicated almost elsewhere in
the city.

The experiences of the Crampton group have now been put up on the world wide
web by the Irish Peatland Conservation Council, to promote this project,
composting in general and show that anyone can create their own compost and
leave peat in the bogs where wildlife depends on it.

"There is a dearth of information on the subject of community composting"
says Dr Peter Foss of the IPCC, "and we find many people approaching us
directly for information about such topics as how to set up a worm bin and
in particular setting up a larger-scale composting scheme". IPCC hope that
the experiences of the Crampton group will help others groups take up
community composting and go peat free in their gardens.

"We think that providing good and accessible information resources is
critical to securing participation of individuals and groups. People need to
feel that there is help available if they are embarking on a new project,
especially if they run into difficulties" says Dr Foss.

The Irish Peatland Conservation Council have produced some high quality
books and information brochures on composting in the past, but this site is
the first to explain how to successfully manage a large scale wormery in an
Irish situation.

"We found the internet was our best source of information, and furthermore,
we think that by establishing these pages we will be in a good position to
help other communities set up projects of their own" says Sadhbh O'Neill.

To access the IPCC site just visit www.ipcc.ie

Further Information Contact: Peter Foss, IPCC Tel 8722397

Sadhbh O'Neill Tel. 6774052
____________________________________
Irish Peatland Conservation Council
119 Capel Street
Dublin 1
Ireland

Tel & Fax +353-1-8722397
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e-mail: bogs@ipcc.ie
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