The GREEN Page

THE SOLAR POWERED FOOD WASTE DIGESTER

Naranga School is doing a great job each week recycling food scraps. Food scraps are collected from Home Economics, Trade kitchen, Staffroom, Wellbeing room, BER building and some individual classrooms. The food scraps go into the compost bin or two worm farms in the Upper Junior kitchen garden.  

Why do we need a new food waste system?

The problem is that worms don't like cheese, meat, bread, egg, onions and citrus. The solution was to purchase and install a solar powdered food waste digester to include food waste that can't be composted. Our new Green cone is outside the staff room which is easy for the school community to locate. Special thanks to Mr Cady- Ellis for installing this in the garden area. 

         Our new cone relies on sunlight to provide energy and create a heat trap of circulating air to encourage food scraps to break down. The basket insert at the bottom of the base, enables micro-organisms and worms to move freely in and out of the basket and help break down the waste. Over 90% of the waste in our Green cone will be absorbed as water by the soil. The Green cone is not a composter and will not deal with garden waste but will help us to minimize our food waste. 

What can we empty into the Green cone?

Food scraps that can't be composted:

Fish, Meat, Poultry, Bread, Pasta, Soup, Curry, Fruit including peelings and Dairy produce. 

How much waste is generated?

During the summer months the cone will take a full 4.5 litre caddy every 1-2 days and during the winter months every 2-3 days.  

How will we know if the Green cone is working?

If we look inside our cone and see blue/grey fur (mould) growing on the food waste and it doesn't smell then it is working.