Composter consumes scraps, cups and cutlery at this local school

The challenge

“When the school made the move from SUPs to non-plastic alternatives, we discussed how we could deal with the new waste product. Even if they’re not plastic, they’re still single-use items and most of them – like wooden and bamboo products - can’t be put in the standard recycling bin” said Megan Matthews, horticulture teacher at Hawker College.

“The ACT Government asked if we would be interested in trialling an in-vessel composter and school was very supportive of the opportunity – maybe we could compost some of our SUP alternatives!

“There are different types of composting system, and in-vessel systems are those that confine the composting materials within a building, container, or vessel. In-vessel systems make it easier to control temperature, moisture, and airflow, and minimise odours.

The action

“Once we got to know our new composter, we were able to start composting food waste and biodegradable cutlery and cups from the canteen and hospitality classes.

“Now, I feed the composter 40 to 60 litres of food waste plus an equal quantity of wood chips and green waste about three to four times a week. Amazingly, the composter could handle up to 100 litres a day – enough to two-thirds fill your red-lidded wheelie bin at home.

“We’ve partnered with a local café to get their food scraps, which is good for their business, good for the environment and great for my horticulture courses.

“The raw waste is transformed it into compost in around three weeks. I use the compost in our horticulture gardens and have also experimented with growing seed in small pots of compost. The seedlings really thrive in the nutrient-rich soil.

The benefit

“Since installing the composter last year, the school has reduced the amount of food waste being sent to landfill. We are planning to place bins for biodegradable waste around the school to make more compost and reduce food waste even further.

“We have created a sustainable system that feeds back into the soil biome and gives back to the school. It’s a kind of small-scale circular economy, really!

“I’d love to see other local schools and businesses using our composter for their food waste in the future. The composter is great at making treasure from trash, but it also has the potential to build a sense of community.

“The composter is a fantastic teaching resource to encourage students in the horticulture and STEM space. Having seen how effective the composter is, and how much the compost helps our gardens grow, I would definitely encourage other schools to investigate if a composter would be a good fit for them.”