The City of Sydney has started using a state-of-the-art food dehydrator to turn all the food waste generated in Town Hall House at 456 Kent Street into soil conditioner.
The dehydrator provides a circular method to dispose of organic waste from each of the offices in the building as well as its cafe and caterers.
Around 65 tonnes of food waste is expected to be processed in the machine each year, creating 13 tonnes of high-grade soil product.
The soil will be used in city parks to help grow plants and trees, reducing the need to buy fertiliser.
Soil conditioner costs around $8 a kilogram, meaning the pilot scheme has the potential to save the City of Sydney $104,000 a year.
It will also help us with our target of diverting 90% from landfill in the next 3 years from City of Sydney properties.
The food dehydrator works by removing water from food waste, reducing its volume by 80% and turning it into a soil product similar to compost.
The project is supported by a grant from the NSW Environmental Trust.
Published 20 November 2022, updated 14 February 2024
