Wastewater sludge from Hamilton's 145,000 residents is about to become worm food rather than heading to the landfill.

Hamilton City Council's Finance and Monitoring Committee yesterday gave the green light to a new vermicomposting proposal, under which more than 12,000 tonnes of sludge will be diverted each year.

It will instead go to a vermicomposting operation at Tokoroa where it will be mixed with paper pulp and laid in rows to break down and compost and the end product can be used as fertiliser or soil conditioner.

Councillor Daphne Bell said it was a move in the right direction to minimise waste and make good use of waste material.

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