Aerobic Digestion

One impactful way to enhance your organisation's sustainability credentials, as well as reduce waste and management costs, is through the implementation of aerobic digestors (aka food waste management units). 

Aerobic digestion to grey water or substrate involves the decomposition of organic waste in the presence of oxygen. This can be successfully deployed in diverse settings, including school and hospital canteens and cafes.

By breaking down organic waste in a controlled environment, the decomposition process eliminates attractive food sources that rodents seek, meaning fewer pest management duties, as well as reducing unpleasant odours. Furthermore, it minimises your environmental impact and offers additional benefits including:

• Rapid processing: Decomposes most food waste within 24 hours.
• Enzymes: Typically require renewal only once a year, ensuring low operating costs and maintenance. 
• Minimal training: Kitchen staff require minimal training.
• Remote monitoring: Control Energy Costs ensures optimal performance through remote oversight.
• Health and safety: Reduces the need for staff to manoeuvre heavy bins.
• Staff engagement: Enhances sustainability efforts through visible waste management.

Aerobic Digestion to grey water

Aerobic Digestion to grey water involves the decomposition of organic waste in the presence of oxygen. Our recommended grey water technology is currently installed in hotels and restaurants across the UK and Europe, in NHS hospitals, and in a military base in Spain.

The units work by combining your food waste with specially designed enzymes. The unit breaks the waste down to produce ‘grey water’. This liquid is safe to be released down the drain, resulting in significantly less waste being sent to landfills. It also reduces dangerous and harmful greenhouse gases and decreases waste management collection costs.

These units require a minimum daily input of 40kg of food waste.

Advantages

• Ease of use: Simple plug-and-play installation with minimal setup requirements.
• Efficiency: Features dashboards for monitoring weight/volume, source, and deposition time, aiding in portion control and waste reduction.
• Future-proof requirements for food waste separation reporting legislation.
• Continuous operation: Operates 24/7 with no maintenance and never needs emptying.
• CO2 reduction: Significant decrease in emissions from transportation and landfill diversion.

Aerobic Digestion to substrate

Aerobic Digestion to substrate breaks down food waste into a stabilised organic substrate, usable in soil amendment or bio-product processing. Our recommended substrate technology is currently installed in hospitals, universities, dark kitchens (restaurants that sell meals exclusively through delivery), and a food market in the UK.

These units require a minimum daily input of 50kg of food waste.

Advantages

• If required, selected technology partners in some areas will arrange for the substrate to be taken away by local allotment associations.
• Versatile end product: Usable on-site or within the community.
• Applications include soil nutrients, biomass boiler fuel, or feedstock for larger Aerobic Digestion systems.
• Remote monitoring: Control Energy Costs ensures optimal performance through remote oversight.
• Ease of use: Simple installation with minimal setup.
• Efficiency: Supports weighing and cloud tracking of food waste.