Why worms (and microbes) are catching on as a manure pollution solution

California dairy farms are testing vermifiltration — a biofilter system using earthworms and microbes in wood chips and rock beds — as an alternative to anaerobic digesters for reducing manure pollution. The technology, developed by Chilean company BioFiltro, has shown ~90% reduction in ammonia emissions in independent studies, though methane reduction results are inconsistent across studies. California has funneled over $1 billion into manure management programs, with most going to digesters despite their limitations for smaller farms. Vermifiltration offers multiple benefits including cleaner water and lower nitrogen, but questions remain about carbon credit integrity, long-term performance under real farm conditions, and whether emissions reductions are truly additional given looming state regulations.

Nguồn: https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/07/07/1140142/why-worms-and-microbes-are-catching-on-as-a-manure-pollution-solution. 8sync News chỉ tóm tắt và dẫn link; bản quyền nội dung thuộc tác giả và nguồn gốc.