by Aakanksha Surve | DublinLive | September 7, 2019
A north Dublin restaurant has adopted an on-site aerobic food waste recycling technology- making it the first of its kind in Ireland.
The Yacht in Clontarf is using the ORCA technology which recycles food waste within 24 hours turning it into environmentally safe water that flows straight into the sewage system.
It reduces the amount of waste that ends in a landfill making it a sustainable option.
Rory Stack, head chef at the restaurant, said: “Like so many businesses in Ireland today, we were very concerned about food waste and how we were managing our own.
“We chose the model size that worked for us, it doesn’t drain our power, and it has made the world of a difference to us.”
“Sustainability is not a buzz word to us, and ORCA enables us to accurately track every kilogram of food waste we put into it. Using on-board scales, and the ORCA Portal, we can see from the information uploaded how it’s really working for our business.”
At present, in Ireland food waste is treated in composting and anaerobic digestion plants or goes into landfills.
And the biggest problem with these methods is the emission of several greenhouse gases (GHGs): Methane from the open-air decomposition of food waste in landfills and compost; and carbon dioxide from the diesel truck transport to landfills, compost, and anaerobic digestion facilities. ORCA prevents these GHG emissions.
ORCA’s effluent is made up of 75% water, 20% carbs fats and proteins and 5% minerals. It is compact, efficient, saves on labour, is remarkably clean and undeniably green.
Food waste in America is upwards of 40% of what is produced. ORCA has provided this restaurant with a way to successfully dispose of food waste so that it is not going into landfills and can properly decomposed. I found it interesting that even if something can decompose, once in a landfill it might not do so properly or with the best outcomes.
