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MANAGE FOOD WASTE DIRECTORY
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| A. How can I compare the electricity used by an on-site technology? |
Electricity consumed by an on-site technology for processing food waste is measured in Watts.
A Watt is the unit of electric power. 1000 Watts = 1 Kilowatt (kW)
One kWh or kilowatt hour is the amount of energy consumed by a machine that requires one kilowatt to operate if it is operated continuously for one hour.
Kilowatt-hours are the units commonly measured by the electricity meter in your home to calculate total electricity consumption per billing period (eg. per quarter).
Electricity costs money to purchase, and electricity generation emits greenhouse gas to atmosphere.
The total kWh of electricity consumed per tonne of food waste processed (as opposed to total tonnage of material processed which would also include any complementary bulking agent) provides a way of comparing the energy consumed by different machines or appliances to process the same qualtity of food waste material.
The electricity consumption may vary depending on the type and quantity of waste materials being processed. You will need to check with potential suppliers to obtain relevant energy consumption figures for your situation, ask for total kWh of electricity consumed per tonne of food waste processed.
Note that such comparisons require consideration of total electricity consumption for all required machinery, including additional or ancillary equipment per tonne of food waste processed.
Total petrol/diesel fuel consumption can be similarly considered for comparison.
Importantly, such comparison is only valid if the food waste material is being processed to an equivalent quality of output product by the different technologies being compared. A shorter residence time will allow a supplier to claim increased daily throughput and lower electricity consumption per tonne, but only at the expense of shorter processing duration and lower output product quality (see FAQ answer C below).
| B. What does additional or ancillary equipment mean? |
Most suppliers are selling a central piece of technology, but such technology often requires additional items of equipment to enable operation, such as conveyers for loading or a shredder for pre-grinding and/or mixing materials prior to loading.
Such items cost money to purchase and to operate, and require consideration in terms of available space, site arrangement and services, electricity and fuel consumption, maintenance and operator training.
Some technologies can appear to be remarkably good value until such ancillary or additional items of equipment are considered.
| C. How do I know if the machine has a large enough capacity for my business? |
The using on-site technologies page provides step-by-step guides for quantifying the amount of food waste and other organic waste your organisation produces, enabling you to work out the required processing capacity per week you require of any installation.
Asking about daily processing capacity can be problematic as this depends whether the seller is assuming a 5 day operational week or a 7 day operational week - it is preferable to communicate in terms of weekly processing capacity.
Additionally, the capacity of a unit that composts 10 tonnes per week of food waste plus additional bulking agent is significantly different to a unit that composts a total of 10 tonnes per week including bulking agent.
Lastly, you really need to compare like with like - weekly processing capacity to deliver what result? To compare like with like you need to specify a standard quality of output product to enable valid comparison of the weekly throughput or processing capacity of different technologies.
The daily throughput or loading capacity of a technology that is grinding and pasteurizing food waste (where output product is still putrescible material) is quite different to the same technology being applied with a longer processing duration required to achieve primary stabilization to reduce odour generation and pest attraction potential (requiring subsequent maturation in compost piles), which is quite different again to the longer processing duration required to achieve a mature compost product.
A shorter residence time will enable a seller to claim a higher weekly processing capacity, but this will at the expense of shorter processing duration and reduced level of stabilization of output product. You need to determine what you are trying to achieve and to ask suppliers to specify the weekly food waste processing capacity of their technology to achieve your specified product quality outcome.
| D. OH&S or occupational hygiene considerations |
Any mechanical size reduction or mixing technology will embody some form of mechanical hazards, and most technologies listed require electricity supply.
You must confirm with the supplier that the technologies you are considering satisfy your safety requirements, and comply with occupational health and safety regulations that apply in your jurisdiction and within your organisation.
Additionally it is important to ensure that technologies are compatible to operate on your available power supply, and that the Ingress Protection (IP) rating of the electrical components is suitable to your environment. IP ratings classify the degree of protection provided by electrical enclosures and fittings against ingress of water, dust, accidental contact or physical objects. IP classifications are much more specific than a vague marketing claim of being "water resistant" or "suitable for outdoor installation". An IP65/66 enclosure or connection is dust tight and provides protection from jets of water from any direction.
Detailed consideration of these issues is particularly important when considering purchase of technologies from international suppliers. Similarly important is the availability of parts, servicing, and support.
| E. NSW regulations |
The NSW EPA has gazetted a number of Resource Recovery Exemptions that apply to various waste derived materials under the Protection of the Environment Operations (Waste) Regulation 2005. These exemptions define the processing requirements and permitted range of waste derived materials that may be applied to land for raw mulches and food waste composts.
The UK Environment Agency has documented regulations for the treatment requirements for catering wastes (food wastes including and/or excluding animal by products).
| F. Submit a question? |
Please submit suggestions for additional FAQs via email to ROU.
| Disclaimer |
Inclusion in this directory does not represent endorsement or recommendation of then listed product. Refer to full disclaimer for the directory.
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