Waste 2 O/ Green Launch
Mirco Beutler
Dear all,
I like to share this great product with you which MGK will launch on the Green Chef Event at the Westin on 24th Jan 2011 at 2.30 pm. You are welcome to join us.
A sustainable, eco-friendly food waste solution – a system that digests up to 180kgs of food waste to grey water in 24 hours
Foodservice operations face ever-increasing costs for the disposal of food waste...
Traditionally, foodservice operators have sent food to landfill but this is not environmentally responsible and will become increasingly expensive. The government wants food waste virtually eliminated from landfill and non-compliant operators will be penalized. Mechline’s Waste 2-0 system is a compact unit designed to digest up to 180kgs of food waste, digesting the waste to grey water for easy elimination via the operator’s foul water line. It is an on-site, affordable food waste management system that is sustainable, eco-friendly and commercially viable.
The Waste 2-0 system is manufactured by Mechline Developments Limited in Milton Keynes and all the key components are sourced from local suppliers.
This ensures that the product is designed to meet UK food waste disposal requirements for commercial foodservice operations and its carbon footprint is low.
“Our desire was to have a UK-made system that
would provide an on-site, eco-friendly, viable and sustainable solution forfood waste in commercial foodservice outlets to address upcoming law.
Mechline has staked its reputation on providing innovative products to help the foodservice professional improve his/her working environmental Waste 2-0 is an effective solution to food waste issues and is eco friendly, hygienic and cost effective.
Waste 2-0 is not to be confused with a composter. It does not rely on composting to decompose food waste. It is essentially a high-speed, high-volume system, which uses naturally occurring micro-organisms to digest food. Once the waste has been added to the system, the micro-organisms reduce the food waste to grey water in 24 hours. The process also starts the breakdown of fats, oils and grease (FOGs), to help minimize the chances of blockages further down the drain. The end product is safe for drains and sewage systems, and can be returned to the ecosystem once it has been treated by the local waste water treatment facility.
Waste 2-0 was initially designed for commercial foodservice operations due to its ability to dispose of large amounts of food waste, onsite, in a short period of time. The system is able to break down up to 180kgs of organic materials including cooked and raw meats, fish and vegetables, noodles, bread, rice and all kinds of fruit. The only elements that cannot be broken down by the Waste 2-0 are animal bones, raw dough, large fruit stones, and all inorganic materials. Also, heavily fibrous waste should be avoided, like pineapple tops, coconut husks, and the like.
“Not only were we concerned about making a system that was efficient and affordable, we wanted a system that addressed a commercial kitchen’s need to maintain good standards for hygiene and best practice. A compact, centralised waste storage unit can be installed in a safe area of the kitchen where waste does not have to be transported through sensitive areas. Also, it is hoped that using Waste 2-0 will make caterers more willing to engage in recycling, rather than treating all waste as the same. Many recyclable items such as plastic, paper and packaging cannot be broken down by Waste 2-0, so caterers are being encouraged to recycle these items, as theyhave already taken the time to separate them from the food waste. The benefits of this will hopefully in turn create greater staff responsibility to be eco-friendly”, states Blakeman.
Because Waste 2-0 is compact and installed within the catering facility, on site, it takes up minimal room, therefore eliminating the need for extra waste storage costs, such as waste disposal units, de-watering systems, storage equipment and containers, transportation equipment, refrigerated storage facilities, etc. “In some cases the food waste containers that are left outside can attract vermin, which of course can lead to a major health and safety risk,” added Blakeman.
Traditional food waste management methods require waste collection vehicles to transport the food waste, which adds to road traffic and pollution. Also, commercial foodservice outlets incur disposal costs, based on weight. Even if food waste bins are half empty, the customer is still charged the full rate for collection. Smells, rats and vermin can also be a problem for stored food waste. Refrigerated containers brought in to eliminate smell are expensive to run and environmentally unsound. Beeping noises of the trucks picking up food waste can be a problem for some customers, such as high-endhotels or areas near residential communities. As well as costs to the operations, traditional disposal methods affect the carbon footprint of the operation. Foodservice operations are faced with a multitude of choices to try to manage food waste in an affordable and sustainable manner.
Composting is an option. However, it has significant drawbacks. Composting, dependent on volume, can take anywhere from 24 hours to weeks to compost. The higher the volume, the longer it takes. Composters rely on adding wood (or “woody” carbon elements) to be mixed into the load, so that the end result is not too runny. These materials needed to manage compost are most likely delivered/picked up, which, for both the dropping off of the wood and picking up of the compost, could be deemed a less environmentally friendly option.
Also, efficient composting needs the right mix of nitrogen (such as food waste) and carbon (“woody” material or cardboard); so operator input/monitoring is required to produce better quality compost. Delivering wood and picking up compost add to vehicular traffic in the area. Large volumes of compost require a large composting plant. For a composter to produce good quality compost, a balance of food waste going in needs to be achieved, and as this cannot be guaranteed, the quality of output will be mixed. And for composters to produce “high-quality” compost, it is generally accepted that it is better for it to stand for a number of weeks, which must be managed/controlled, using space and providing inconsistent results.
If the compost is not compliant with ABPR guidelines, it is not allowed to be sent for third-party sale or spread on the operator’s grounds; this is due to the foot & mouth crisis. Therefore, it has to be disposed of through to landfill or recycled within the confines of the producing operation. Composting still needs to send “grey water” to go to drain and remain APBR-compliant. To do so, composting requires heating to kill bugs—and organizations must convincingly prove that pathogens have been eliminated—potentially a costly exercise.
Alternatively, there is a number of transportation systems aimed to centralise food waste. Typically, they are positioned in key areassuch as dish wash, food prep areas, etc. The user throws the food waste down the “macerator” and the food is sent/transported through a complex system of welded pipes (about 100mm dia). The food waste is then sent to a large holding tank which begins a process of dewatering. Trucks come periodically to empty the holding tank. Ultimately,these systems are outsourced and do not provide the operator with an on-site solution for food waste. The process for preparing the food for collection is expensive to buy, very expensive to install and still requires transport to remove the waste, which is less earth friendly and less attractive, as the food waste still requires treatment and collection.
With so much attention being focused on the environment,hygiene and the need to save money, Waste 2-0’s affordable and eco-friendly food waste solution can become an essential part of the commercial kitchen’s waste management regime.
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MGK Electromechanical Works LLC
Regional Office Middle East & Africa
Mirco Beutler
Managing Partner
Direct Dial: +971 4 320 0924
Direct Fax: +971 4 320 3282
Mobile: +971 50 8525900
web: www.mgk.ae
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