As part of the Municipal Innovation Council (M.I.C.), the Municipality of Kincardine is participating in an in-home food waste diversion pilot project. Working together with Food Cycle Science (FCS), the collaboration makes available FoodCycler™ units at a subsidized cost for up to 180 households in the community.
The pilot project is being run with the goal of diverting food waste from landfill.
The municipality says that food waste makes up around 50% of household waste and a major portion of that waste is avoidable.
The FoodCycler can process basically anything you’d throw into your green bin or home compost pile, including fruit and veggie peels, stale bread, eggshells, paper towels or napkins, wilted flowers, coffee grounds, and more to create a ‘kitchen’ compost. It grinds up organic food waste, reducing the volume of that waste by 90% in 4-9 hours, depending on the cycle chosen and is similar in size to other countertop kitchen appliances.
Program participants will follow a three-step process with the first being to choose and purchase a subsidized unit:
The original FoodCycler FC-30 is available at a cost of $150 plus HST and features a smaller, 2.5-litre bucket capacity. The FoodCycler Maestro is likely the better choice for family households and is available at a cost of $300 plus HST.
According to the FoodCycler™site, Maestro™ can process fish, chicken, pork, lamb and other small bones, while the FoodCycler™ FC-30 can process fish and chicken bones.
The municipality says that the expected delivery for the units is later this month and participants will be able to track the amount of waste they’re diverting over a 12-week period.
“This technology reduces the amount of food waste we see in our landfill,” says Adam Weishar, Director of Infrastructure and Development. “These systems give our residents a way to reduce food waste volume directly in their own home. We’re excited to offer this opportunity as part of the M.I.C. and with the assistance of FCS.”
Program participants follow a three-step process with the first being to choose and purchase a subsidized unit.
Delivery of units is scheduled for later this month. Once participants receive their system, they will track the amount of waste they’re diverting over a 12-week period. At the end of the 12 weeks, participants will fill out a closing survey.
“Once participants have gone through the steps of purchase, tracking, and completion of the survey, the system is theirs to keep,” says Weishar.
The pilot project is limited to 180 participants, so those wishing to obtain a unit should visit https://bit.ly/FCKincardine today to register. For more information about FoodCycler, visit https://foodcycler.com.
