Full report, Draft #1

BACKGROUND

This proposal has been developed in response to combat the food waste by food consumers so as to convert the disposal into by-products that benefits the environment.

Singapore is faced with an ongoing situation where vasts amounts of energy and manpower has been used to deal with food waste. Starting from vehicles needed to transport to incineration plants, to the energy used in the boilers to incinerate food waste down to ten percent of its original size. Furthermore, the incineration of food waste comes with the imminent cause of air pollution which negatively degrades the environment.

As Singapore’s population continues to grow, the amount of food disposal has been ever increasing at the incineration site. To counter the issue on the rapid growth in food disposal, my team proposed an idea to improve the situation of food disposal conservation. Since the recycling rate has increased gradually to 14% during the last ten years (NEA, 2016), our goal is to implement food recycling machines in SIT Punggol will efficiently add value to the effort of recycling food waste in Singapore.

Singapore’s current application into incorporating food waste recycling is by using food waste on-site waste treatment systems. Currently, in the market, there are various machines such as Westcom, BioHitech and Eco-Wiz. All these machines have the same purpose into recycling food waste into reusable products.

As of now, two waste recycling technologies are being used to produce two different byproducts. However, the organisation is required decide to between the two technologies to implement in their premises. Hence, our solution is to incorporate two of these technologies into a single machine whereby the operator will select the preferred mode for the output of the byproducts. This way, it will generate the flexibility of installing the machine in a variety of facilities.

Evaluating the current technologies of recycling food wastage, would help the planning community of SIT to understand that there are such machines in the current market.Through the implementation of a food waste recycling machine that decompose into two different by-products, it would increase efficiency and flexibility. Finally, food waste can both be recycled into fertilizers and black water.

2.     PROBLEM STATEMENT

Canteens at SIT Punggol campus should implement food waste recycling machines to produce high quality fertilizers/wastewater as byproducts instead of disposing food waste into incineration. However, amongst all the approaches in which food waste is decomposed, there has not been an integration of technology that incorporates producing fertiliser and reusable water as byproducts in a single machine. By incorporating both technologies into a single system, it will benefit the new SIT campus in adapting a food waste recycling habit that makes full use of the reusable byproducts.

3.     PURPOSE STATEMENT

This report proposes to the planning committee of SIT Punggol an integration of waste recycling technologies into one machine that can be implemented into SIT Punggol university campus through the analysis of both technologies that are currently existing in the market.

4.     CURRENT IMPLEMENTATION

In the last 10 years, NEA (2016) stated that food waste has been increasing from about 500,000 tonnes to close to 700,000 tonnes in 2016. This increment of food waste is due to two main factors. The increase in population and commercial activity. Efforts has been taken place to reduce food waste. Starting from the source, food wastage efforts has been carried out in terms of posters to encourage buying what is only needed as food wastage due to expired foods were the main contributors to food wastage. The next effort was to redistribute excess food to food organisations through donations to reduce the need to throw food waste when it passes the date of expiry. The last and least recommended effort would be to dispose waste to waste-to-energy (WTE) plants to recover energy from waste and to reduce them down to 10 percent from its original size to be disposed into incineration plants (NEA, 2018). Our team feels the need to encourage and focus into recycling food waste as it has not yet been well-established enough in the current market due to certain factors. We believe that through the integration and improvement of existing technology can we only be able to further recycle food waste into reusable products.

Food waste machines are implemented with the main purpose to reduce the dependency of incineration plants and landfills. Currently, there are two different types of food disposal technology that breaks down food waste. One of which, breaks down the food waste into fertilizers which can be used for agriculture and the other produces reusable water which can then be used for watering plants or cleaning of premises.

According to BioHiTech entitled “The Science of Digestion” (2015), these machines operate through the breakdown of food waste by micro-organism in the system. As waste is introduced into the system, micro-organisms start to feed and break down on food particles, ultimately reducing its size. In the chambers, rotating shafts would mix the bio media (which houses micro-organism) as well as the food waste to ensure homogeneous mix of materials. There is a heating element to provide warm conditions for micro-organism to thrive.

To produce waste water as a by-product, micro-organisms need an aerobic condition and hence, air is introduced through inlets (BioHiTech entitled “The Science of Digestion,” 2015) . Food waste would then be broken down till it would be small enough to pass through digester screens. According to Joe Liu entailed “Eco-Wiz Coporate Video,” (2016), A 2-step filtration system will then be used to remove grease and certain microbials which may cause diseases or fermentation before it is passed off as reusable water.  

4.1  Waste to liquid recycling technology

On the other hand, fertiliser is produced as a by-product through anaerobic conditions. As the chamber is closed and sealed off, waste will first get its water vapour evaporated off which passes through vents. According to Ecoman FOODIE entailed “How FOODIE works? Waste decomposing process!” (2014), waste is reduced by 70 percent. Ecoman FOODIE further stated that Micro-organisms will further reduce the volume of the waste to 10 percent of its original volume, turning it into useful fertiliser compost which can be used on green spaces.

5.2  Waste to fertilizer recycling technology

The main variance in technology would come between the process and by products they produce but they all originate from a single idea; to reduce the size of food waste through micro-organisms. Clients would have to decide between which machine works best on which specific environment or work place they are in. Most commercial companies prefer the food waste machine to produce reusable water as they do not have green spaces and would prefer to have a full reduction of waste to ultimately reduce manpower. Educational, eco-friendly parties may choose a food waste machine to produce fertilisers as the compost produced would save the company money. The compost is able to be applied on most soil media and hence its versatility encourages more to use the product.

Both of these technologies used do have their pros and cons as well. The benefit of compost food waste machines would be the flexibility to install them at almost any place that have a power socket as they do not require drainage. However, these machines will produce compost as a by-product and manpower is still needed to handle them. The main benefit of reusable water food waste machines is the ability to reduce food waste so small that it is able to pass through filter screens. This leaves waste water that can either be reused or discharged into public sewers while passing the trade effluent limits imposed by PUB, ultimately reducing overall manpower. The downside to this machine is that it has to be placed in a vicinity that has an outlet to the sewers, limiting the flexibility of the machine placement.

5.     PROPOSED SOLUTION

By combining the two respective technologies together, it will be an integration of technologies into one single system. The whole point of this is to ease the workload of the worker. With that being said, it will be a lot more convenient for the worker as the number of trips needed to attend to the machine is lesser. In turn, will reduce the complication or rather the concern that the worker has to do. Being reliant on the integrated waste recycling machine, the worker’s daily tasking to throw into general waste will be less taxing. With the flexibility functions of the system, allowing the worker to have the ability to select the amount of fertiliser or reusable water produced from the food waste. Selection of the mode for output depending on the needs. Loading the waste into the respective input of the machine, fertilizer or liquid. Estimated time will be show on the digital panel of the machine. Overtime, the byproducts will be churned into bits and fine particles. Hence, both byproducts will be ready after 24 hours. Leaving it untouch for a prolonged time, the system will be smart to self initiate a system shut down. This is to greatly save the electricity cost from the power supply.

6. BENEFITS

The main benefit for implementing the dual digestion system is to fully expand the possibilities and further enhance the versatility of the machine. Selecting the amount of by-products needed would further prompt the user to utilise the machine as it prevents an overproduction of by-products which may be thrown due to its lack of use.

These machines will also encourage savings in the long run. According to Violia (2016), the cost of disposing a large waste bin that is between 660 to 1100 litres, which carries a maximum capacity of about 440 kg is $720.82. This would in turn provide savings of $8,649.84 a year. Working out the initial costs of the machine, the turn over of the cost of the machine will take roughly 4 years. Manpower will also be reduced in the effort and need to dispose the waste, further saving costs for the user.

We wish to further implement this system to more universities and institutions as the race to efficiently recycle food waste continues and improved throughout the years. Our team sees the viable opportunity to create possibilities of reducing food waste through the new Punggol campus.

7. EVALUATION

However, with potential benefits present, there ought to be challenges as well. With the incorporation of both te

8.     METHODOLOGY (Jean)

Before implementing a new type of technology, our team had to fully understand the current efforts Singapore is practising to tackle food waste. According to the National Environmental Agency (NEA) webpage, titled ‘Food Distribution Organisation, Local Recycling facilities and suppliers,’ it shows a table on various suppliers on-site food waste treatment systems that organisations could place in their premises, food distribution organisations and recycling facilities. Our team decided to focus on the food waste treatment system that organisations around the nation may have adopted and further narrow down to the various technologies the system uses for food waste to be broken down for recycling and also the by-products produced after the process.

8.1 Primary Research

Apart from conducting research to determine the different types of waste recycling methods there are available, Dr. Ng, who has a major in civil engineering and a ph.D. in water microbiology studies. He agreed that having a waste recycling system that produces fertilisers not only helps in reducing overall food waste but justifies that the compost would be able to be stored and used for a later date, increasing the flexibility in using the output.

8.2 Secondary Research

Based on our observations, a food waste treatment system under Westcom Solution is placed at the back of our school’s canteen. According to Westcom Solutions webpage, it states that the system converts the food waste to soil fertiliser. Our team further researched on possible by-products that may be produced by the treatment systems supplied by the other suppliers. According to Eco-wiz, one of the suppliers, its webpage mentioned that its product, ecoDigester, could convert solid food waste to reusable water. After further discussion among our team, we conclude that these fertilisers and reusable water could be used around the school premises itself. Following that, our team also carried out a detailed research on the mechanism of both technologies.

9.     CONCLUSION

In conclusion, our team proposes to implement a technology which integrates two different types of technology that produces soil fertilizers and reusable water into a single system or machine. By having two different form of by-products, the school can be reassured that there will not be an overproduction of a certain type of by-product. Moreover, the operator assigned to operate the machine will be given the choice of choosing on which particular type of by-product is needed. These by-products can be used around the school’s premises. For example, the soil fertiliser can be used any agriculture around the vicinity and the reusable water can be used to wash the canteen floors or toilets. Based on our team’s research, we will say for a technology such as we proposed, will have an estimated cost of 30,000 to 50,000 dollars. This may be a huge sum, however, statistics have shown that the amount of food waste recycled which are then used on the premises itself, will compensate for the estimated cost of the proposed system.