"lombriCOMPOSTiera" is a new idea of community composter that fits the concept of circular economy and agriculture 4.0. It is designed to be customized for private and public activities (condominiums and medium-large farms, schools, canteens, small municipalities), matching environmental benefits and enriching the soil with nutrients. The simple and modern design of lombriCOMPOSTiera recalls the shape of an earthworm and conveys the idea of the dynamism of the entire composting process. The sustainability and efficiency of the entire process are guaranteed by the high level of automation that can be fully managed remotely.
Particular attention has been paid to the choice of external materials, which are eco-sustainable and low-impacting, such as Cor-Ten and glass. Glass transparency of some portions of the external structure allows anyone who is intrigued to view the interior part of the composter. In this way, in addition to the primary activity of compost production, lombriCOMPOSTiera plays a dual role as it can be suitable for training and exerts a didactic role for citizens about the compost process and the benefits obtained by the use of such composter.
Compared to other available community composters, another innovation is the position of the main internal components. Indeed, the vertical structure of lombriCOMPOSTiera optimizes the energy used for handling the biomass during the entire process, this in turn, leading to a high energy use efficiency. In addition, the leachate produced from the biomass during the composting process is collected, in order to maintain the optimal composting parameters and minimize the environmental impact. The invention provides for easy and complete maintenance, through the lateral opening of both the skeleton and the chambers on the same side. In this way, the inspection of components no longer has the sole purpose of maintenance, but allows the structure to also become an open-air educational laboratory.