Wriggle Brew is an Orlando-based startup that is taking a unique approach to tackling both harmful fertilizer runoff and plastic pollution, using earthworms and good bacteria. News 6 Orlando reported on the group's unique blend of complex science and creative thinking.
Sam Baker and Gabe Degalia originally started the company to combat Red Tide, a toxic algae bloom caused by runoff from certain fertilizers, after Sam and his grandfather found their favorite pond full of dead fish poisoned by fertilizer runoff. In the process, they created something even better — a fertilizer that is even better for plants and an innovative way to break down plastic waste.
Many farms today rely on fertilizers made from petroleum or natural gas, which can contain harmful forever chemicals and lead to devastating impacts in nearby bodies of water, with consequences for local fisheries, water supply, and communities at large. The Wriggle Brew team set out to solve this problem by creating an organic fertilizer made from the castings of earthworms, specifically red wiggler and blue Indian worms, which contain essential compounds for high-quality soil.
In an interview with News 6, Baker explained that "pound for pound, earthworm castings are the single best fertilizer on the planet."
The product's benefits go even further, though. In the process of developing the product, Wriggle Brew found bacteria in the earthworm manure that can break down certain pretreated plastics, converting microplastics and nanoplastics into biodegradable materials that can feed the earthworms, making even more fertilizer.
Wriggle Brew's innovation could be hugely impactful for people and our planet. Minimizing chemicals in fertilizer runoff can protect drinking water sources, marine life, and fisheries, and it can also limit chemicals found in our food.
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Breaking down plastic pollution in the process can help combat the growing presence of microplastics in our food, water, and more. This can also help reduce the plastic piling up in our landfills.
The company is now actively selling its fertilizer of the same name, Wriggle Brew, for consumers and large-scale farms, and its small team does everything in-house. The team recently received a $1.2 million award from the National Science Foundation, boosting plans to expand its plastic processing operation. The team aims to scale up production for its plastic recycling program, hoping to offer a product on its website soon.
Baker expressed his hopes for the company's future impact, according to News 6, saying: "There are billions of pounds of plastic floating around in the ocean, in our bodies, and on our food. Something's got to be done about it. Recycling isn't a solution; it just cycles plastic. We want to put a permanent end to plastic."
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