Monica Kotwani, Channel NewsAsia 11 Mar 15;
SINGAPORE: Waste not, want not - the saying goes. Some Singaporeans are going green by turning food waste into compost – through traditional and sometimes innovative means.
FROM FOOD WASTE TO COMPOST
From potato skins to leftover vegetables and fruit, the Gonzalez family collects its food waste and chucks it into a drum containing organic material such as dried leaves and shredded paper. They are mixed in.
Three months later, the waste becomes compost the family uses for its garden and plants.
Environmental engineer Patricio Gonzalez says composting has saved him money as he does not have to buy top soil and fertiliser.
With a majority of Singaporeans living in HDB flats, space could discourage the composting culture from taking root – but Mr Gonzalez believes there are ways to make it happen.
"I do know of people who grow quite a bit of stuff in their terraces or in the common corridors. If I lived in a smaller space, maybe I would use a smaller drum. You don't have to compost everything but if you can compost even half of what you produce, it's already good,” he said.
Mr Gonzalez said HDB dwellers could also contribute their compost to community gardens that have sprouted up in the heartlands.
NON-TRADITIONAL COMPOSTING: BOONS AND BANES
If traditional composting does not work, some innovative contraptions in the market claim to be the answer.
The Smart Cara was developed to help South Koreans reduce the amount of food waste disposed. The machine is small enough to fit on a table-top, and is filled with food waste – including chicken and fish bones.
Over four hours, it uses heat and air to reduce the content by about 90 per cent to a powdery by-product.
Its distributors in Singapore claim the by-product can be used as animal feed and compost for landscaping. They also said the product is energy efficient, using about 1 kilowatt of electricity each time – that costs about S$0.25.
But at S$450 a pop, only 60 units have been sold in three months.
Said Mr Charlie Choi, Smart Cara’s Singapore distributor: “People's response has been: ‘Why do we need this machine? It's easy to throw away (food waste) in Singapore. We don't need this machine.’ It's more expensive than a TV; more expensive than washing machine. But some people that are open minded say, 'This machine is very innovative. I want to buy this machine. It can reduce food waste and I can use in my garden'.”
The Singapore Environment Council (SEC), a non-governmental organisation, said Singaporeans are asking more questions about food waste in Singapore. The SEC said it is also aware of composting activities among community groups and in schools.
Currently, waste in Singapore is incinerated to produce energy, but food waste, which is essentially water, could reduce the amount of energy generated. So advocates say – composting removes food waste from the equation, and will allow these plants to operate more efficiently.
- CNA/dl
