Composters v Food Digesters

Before I started getting a veg box, I had a fairly healthy diet, but I am definitely eating more vegetables now. As a direct result I have a lot more compostable waste. And at the moment all the food waste – peelings, stalks, leaves, skins and leftovers – is going in the kitchen bin destined for land-fill.

No Room For a Garden Composter

Other than the odd piece of plastic packaging (grrr), my kitchen bin normally fills with off-cuts from fruit, veg and cheese preparation, tea bags, egg shells and cooked food left at the end of a meal. Unfortunately my garden is the size of a handkerchief and is open to the public on all of its small sides so standard garden composters are out of the question.

Waste Not Suitable For a Garden Composter

Also, most of the waste I have wouldn’t be suitable for a standard composter. As I research my options it becomes clear that in composters the following list of waste will rot and attract vermin and flies: • Cooked food • Meat • Fish • Dairy products • Fat • Banana skins • Egg shells • Bread • Cake • Biscuits • Pastry.

Then I Discover Food Waste Digesters

Food digesters can handle all food wastes, including the above. If you have a garden that’s larger than a handkerchief and enjoys a certain amount of privacy you might want to check out the Green Cone.

The Green Cone is designed to speed up the digestion of waste so that it doesn’t rot. It does this by encouraging greater heat and air circulation. Because it has an underground filter, any liquid that forms seeps directly into the earth, thus preventing the smells and rotting that encourage flies and other beasties. These systems also work with acceleration powders, which help the food to digest when, for example, the weather is colder and they can’t generate enough heat.

You can find out exactly how this food waste digester works on the Green Cone website.

For a related post, read Finally a Solution for Food Waste.

 

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