Rocket Composters in use

Edinburgh Green Caretakers - Scottish Pioneering Food Waste Community Composting Using Rocket In Vessel Composters

In Spring of this year, Edinburgh Community Backgreens Association (ECBA), took delivery of eight, A500 Rocket in vessel composters for a pioneering city centre based tenement housing project.

Edinburgh itself has a very high concentration of householders living in tenement blocks (55%). These blocks backing onto previously verdant and blooming, green areas that the locals shared as a communal environment, but over time and through lack of interest and willing participants these greens became over run with bushes, weeds and trees, the locals caring less and maintenance of these areas completely ceasing. Greig Robertson the founder of Re-solution a sustainability consultancy, saw an opportunity to get these individual communities working together to bring back the peaceful and once loved back greens.

ECBA working with tenement volunteers stripped and cleared 6 sites, the project aiming from the start to gain community involvement, the project aim once this initial step was completed was to then continue with environment based workshops, composting and allotment growing, allowing the householders to learn, to grow their own produce and to compost their own catering wastes in the blight of household organics collections by the council.

For this particular section of the project ECBA decided with the collaboration of Scottish Organic Services to commission 8 In vessel composters at individual sites, specially crafted composting sheds with a simple and unique waste collection method were employed.
Working and attaining the approval of the State Veterinary Service the first of these sites opened to host a visit from the Community Composting Network (CCN) , the Scottish Community Recycling Network (SCRN), SEPA (Scottish Environmental Protection Agency) WRAP (waste and resource action programmed) and the local council on the 1st of May this year.

The plan for the future? ” We have proved that it is possible to install these Rocket composters in tenement backgreens. This year, we now need to prove that we can encourage a high rate of participation amongst residents, if so I would hope to be able to role this service out to hundreds of sites throughout Edinburgh” Greig was heard to say.

	Project Description for the Edinburgh Community Backgreens Association (ECBA) project, Click here to view in PDF format
	Project Update no. 1 (September 2006) of the Edinburgh Community Backgreens Association (ECBA) project, Click here to view in PDF format
	Project Bulletin (February 2007) for the Edinburgh Community Backgreens Association (ECBA) project, Click here to view in PDF format

A Greater, Manchester University - Salford University On Site Food Waste Composting Using Rocket In Vessel Composter

	The University of Salford, already very keen recyclers  have recently had their first in vessel A500 ‘Rocket’ composter installed, this as many others, being used to compost catering waste, helping the University to further reduce the amount of waste they send to landfill. The University Estates staff along with staff from the University’s Catering partner Scholarest are working very hard to ensure that this initiative is successful. This installation is the first of what is planned to be many, individual campus based composters. The food waste is initially processed through a macerator and dewatering system situated in the kitchens  and then taken to the dedicated composting area for treatment. The pictures here show the Rocket housed in a very imaginative, specially created, ABP compliant area, Salford University working with the state veterinary service (SVS) wanted from the very start, to have an operation capable of allowing them to have as much flexibility as possible for the transport of waste and end product, whilst showing to others the exact way a city based university can implement food waste composting projects.  The end product is destined for use on and around the University campus’s grounds, another perfect example of on-site closed loop recycling.
Please see Case Study in the case study section of the website. "We are also very happy to add further news to this composting application, that the composting trials at the University of Salford proved such as success that a second larger unit has been commissioned in 2008 to increase the Universities processing capacity".

Brecon Beacons Ambassador - Powys Hotel Catering Waste Composting Using Rocket In Vessel Composter at Gliffaes Country House Hotel

By James Suter:

The Gliffaes Hotel, near Crickhowell in the Brecon Beacons National Park occupies a fantastic 30 acre site overlooking the river Usk and is a site rich in bio-diversity. The hotel has 23 rooms, a bar and restaurant open to residents and non-residents alike. The hotel employs about 35 staff, both full and part time. For 2006 the hotel achieved an occupancy level of just over 65%. The hotel is a limited company and has been owned by the same family since 1948. James & Susie Suter are the third generation of the Brabner family to run the hotel.

Like all business we have a waste stream to deal with. The largest volume of waste is cardboard packaging this is followed by glass. Both of these are re-cycled at the hotel’s own expense. The hotel also generates a large amount of food waste, generated while preparing meals and also from what is left by customers on their plates. Last summer (2006) I measured the amount of this waste over an average week. The volume of un-compressed waste over one week filled one 1100 Eurobin.

Instead of putting this waste into landfill I thought that we should be able to compost it on site and use the compost on the garden and start to grow more vegetables for use in the hotel.

On investigating the composting of food waste in this volume my search led to a company called Accelerated Compost, who at the time were based in Warrington. I took the time to visit and look at their range of machinery that is built to deal with this volume and type of waste, and discussed the potential application at Gliffaes.

Several Months later I have been approached by the Centre for Environmental Studies in the Hotelier Industry (CESHI) and have become part of their pilot scheme for small businesses, this study and our co-operation will see results of my on site recycling being used in helping other businesses see the practicality of on site composting.

Lastly and most recently we have taken delivery of one of Accelerated Composts A700 Rocket Composters, which we’ve housed in existing buildings on site, this unit is now to be used for the trials with CESHI and at the end, to continue its work solely for our purposes. We are more than happy to act as “ambassadors” in this area and will be more than happy in communication with others on our progress.

www.gliffaeshotel.com

Wiltshire Wildlife Trust - Schools Composting Using Rocket In Vessel Composter in schools waste pilot

The Wiltshire Wildlife Trust (WWT) is using a total of nine A500’s in a pilot project composting schools catering and garden waste.

In addition to providing a cost-saving waste disposal solution to schools, the Schools Composting Technology Project will use the machines as an educational resource for pupils, highlighting the benefits of home composting.

Funded by DEFRA (Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs), Wiltshire County Council and CRED (Community Recycling and Economic Development Programme), this innovative project has the potential to lead the way in the use of in-vessel composting by schools at a national level.

Liz Harrop, Schools Waste Reduction Officer at WWT, said:
“Schools are increasingly making freshly prepared, healthy food for their pupils. This means there's more kitchen waste which can be composted on-site and used to enhance the school grounds.”

Wiltshire Wildlife Trust promotes a sustainable future for Wildlife and people in the Wiltshire area and works with local authorities to promote a range of sustainability and wildlife conservation projects.

www.wiltshirewildlife.org

Pictured are pupils from Sheldon School, Chippenham, with Yousaf Mirza of Wiltshire Wildlife Trust and the Rocket A500 in-vessel compost machine. Photograph copyright Kirstie Trueman / The Bath Chronicle.

5 Strong Force Sent To Take On The Scots - Remote Highland and Island Composting Using Rocket In Vessel Composter

Following a successful bid to Increase by Matt Lewis of the Group for Recycling Argyll & Bute (GRAB) Trust, five A700 Rockets (pictured) are made ready to be sent to Lochgilphead for distribution in the Argyll and Bute area of Scotland. They will be used to treat green, or green and catering waste in remote areas and on islands. The “Rockets” were supplied through Scottish agents Scottish Organic Services (SOS) who will be providing ongoing support to, and monitoring of, the GRAB project.

This is a pilot scheme to see how, in such remote areas, communities can cope with composting green and catering waste on a larger, more-mechanised scale than hitherto. Three of the A700’s are to be sent to the islands of Mull, Islay and Tiree, and in an innovative approach one, to be situated at Tighnabruaich, is to be modified to run on energy from renewable sources (solar, hydro and wind). Feedback on performance and benefits from all locations will be collated for reporting to the council.

It is hoped that this use of the Rocket In-Vessel composter will serve as a model for other such remote communities throughout the Highlands and Islands of Scotland.

Young Offenders Waste Gets The Rocket Treatment - North East England Prison Composting Using Rocket In Vessel Composter

HMYOI Deerbolt have had some fantastic success using their Rocket Composter in Barnard Castle County Durham, the recycling facility is overseen by Allan and Dean who are working with the inmates on a new government project in waste management which will see them leave with either an NVQ or similar accreditation after undertaking a 12 week course whilst at the Institute.

The inmates are presently involved in all aspects of the composting process from separation of waste, loading and monitoring and finally collection and sieving, the compost then being put into dedicated bays for final maturation.

The results of their efforts being very positive having produced some of the best compost we have ever seen !

Cheshire County Councils Conway Centre Composter - Cheshire County Council Schools Residential Site Composting Of Food Waste Using Rocket In Vessel Composter

Our own County Council approached us earlier this year , looking for a solution to the food waste generated at the Conway Centre , instead of using traditional and perhaps "unethical" diposal methods. After several meetings , demonstrations and site visits , the County Council and members of the Conway Centre decided upon the use of our A700 Rocket Composter for their exemplar site. Pictures showing the housing chosen to hold the machine and the Rocket ready for work.

The Conway Centre is a large, short term, residential educational facility set in idyllic surroundings on the island of Anglesey North Wales.

The Centre occupies 170 acres of National Trust parkland and gardens which extend down to the Menai Strait and include a Private Dock, Adventure Playground, Tipi, Playing Fields, Natural Ponds, Sheltered Shoreline and Mature Woodlands.

The site has over 300 beds can offer groups a variety of fully catered accommodation, workspace and activity options. Whether your group is 250, 25 or even smaller we can help you design a course to fit your needs.

Qualified expertise is available for the Arts, Field Studies and Outdoor Education. All of our senior staff are qualified teachers and hold a high level of qualification in a wide variety of disciplines.

In addition, the Centre is well known for the opportunities offered for large or small groups to run their own courses completely delivered by themselves in a residential-setting with full backup from our staff for planning and organisation.

www.conwaycentre.co.uk

Aardvark's Spotted In Lambeth - Community Composting Of Household Wastes In London Using Rocket In Vessel Composter

Aardvark recycling , one of the newest projects within the London Boroughs , took delivery of two A900 Rocket Composters earlier this year , for use in treating the kitchen waste collected from their rounds in Lambeth.  The machines pictured can be clearly seen with the early stages of a barrier to separate the "dirty" waste processing area and also the "clean" finished product treatment area.  

Aardvark Recycling is a new social enterprise set up to deliver innovative and cutting-edge recycling and reuse projects to selected estates in Lambeth.

Recycling has become a part of our everyday lives. Councils all over the country provide regular kerbside collections of recyclable materials such as paper, glass and plastic to make recycling easier for everyone.

Aardvark aims to provide the same services to as many people in Lambeth as possible, by bringing doorstep collections to residents on estates. Aardvark will bring dry recyclable collections, food waste, appliance reuse, vegetable boxes and educational & community involvement projects to the residents doorsteps.

Over the coming months, Aardvark recycling  will roll out a range of reuse and recycling services to residents of estates in the Stockwell, Larkhall and Clapham Town wards. The first service collects food waste and dry recyclables, and will be followed by a furniture collection and reuse scheme, a reusable nappy laundry service and a vegetable box scheme.

Aardvark’s kitchen waste collection service operates on a weekly basis. On the designated day, Aardvark Recycling Operatives will collect kitchen waste and take it to a local processing site where it will be turned into compost. This compost will then be made available to residents and community groups that are interested in greening their area.

The Aardvark kitchen caddy and bin liners have been specially designed for this service. The kitchen caddies chosen have a special lid that can be locked when the handle is brought forwards, while the bin liners are made out of a biodegradable material which means that they can be composted along with the rest of the kitchen waste.

During the week, all residents need to do is place their kitchen waste in the kitchen caddy using the special bin liners provided. Then, on the day the Recycling Operatives are due to make the rounds on estates, residents must make sure that they put the filled bin liner, secured by a tight knot, outside their front door.

www.aardvarkrecycling.org.uk

The London Community Recycling Network: The London Community Recycling Network (London CRN) is a not-for-profit organisation that supports, promotes and represents community recyclers in London. It has a membership of nearly 150 organisations of all shapes and sizes working across the Capital with one common goal: to value the community over profit. London CRN was instrumental in helping Aardvark Recycling get off the ground.

www.lcrn.org.uk

Recycling Rates At The Tower Rocket - Scottish Hotel Composting On Site Using Rocket In Vessel Composter

Whether approaching Crieff from Madderty in the east, or from the west along South Comrie Road, the Tower Hotel, East High Street, dominates the skyline. Over the past year, under the new ownership of Gilbert Edgar, recycling rates have “Rocketed” to similar heights.

Immediately on taking over the hotel last October Gilbert, aided by partner Fiona Clark (Community Waste Advisor with Perth & Kinross Council), targeted wastes for separate collection and recycling:

• glass bottles, cardboard & paper (uplifted by Perth & Kinross Council)
• cans (Can-Able free uplift)
• organic kitchen waste and garden waste (composted)
• vegetable oil (private collection)
• plastic milk bottles (Recycling Centre)

Within 3 months the hotel was able to replace the 1,100 litre Eurobin collected twice weekly with a 360 litre bin collected once a week. 

Under previous ownership, vegetable waste was composted along with weeds, grass and bush trimmings in three New Zealand boxes at the base of the garden. The resulting compost, maturing after 12 to 18 months was, historically, dug into the vegetable plot at the beginning of each year.  Now, aiming yet higher with their recycling efforts, Fiona and Gilbert have in conjunction with Scottish Organic Services, installed a Rocket^® (an enclosed in-vessel composter) to accelerate, and sanitise, this composting process.

Vegetable residuals from food preparation in the kitchen are carefully separated and collected in small (6 litre) kitchen caddies lined with BioBags  (100% biodegradable liners made from corn starch) that are removed at the end of each shift and placed in the Rocket^® along with an equal volume of garden wastes.  A small quantity of enzymatic “Rocket Fuel” from GOC Technologies is then sprayed onto the food residuals to ensure optimal microbial performance.

Since installation at the beginning of July the Rocket^® has composted some 700 litres (weighing approximately 400kg) of vegetable kitchen residues; including garden wastes, a total of 5.3m³ weighing 1.4 tonnes has been processed (food wastes therefore constitute 13% by volume and 30% by weight).

Tower Rocket Produce Pictured

Food wastes composted at the tower are recycled using a Rocket composter, the resultant material reused in growing vegetables in a gardening area at the rear,  the vegetables form part of the daily menu, what food waste there is from plate scrapings ( not an awful lot as it's fantastic trust me ! ) is then composted using a Rocket Composter , the resultant material....... 

A true, on site, cyclical approach, exactly the way we should all look at composting and growing. 

Offshoots a Rocket - Groundwork's East Lancs Community Composting Of Food Waste Using Rocket In Vessel Composter

Offshoots permaculture in North Lancashire, using Rocket In Vessel Composters, to treat kitchen waste from collections and a latest and most surprising project :-

Spring 2006 has heralded the beginning of our unique, scientific research trial into the possibility of 'In-vessel' composting of Japanese Knotweed (Fallopia japonica) Groundwork East Lancashire through the Offshoots Permaculture project is the only organisation in the country to have been given support by the Environment Agency and DEFRA to attempt this.

This groundbreaking research work has generated a lot of interest and as a consequence we have already been interviewed on Radio 4 and appeared on local TV news explaining our plan to design an environmentally safe way of dealing with this £1.56 billion national problem (DEFRA esti2mate 2005). We have also just secured the our first tranche of funding for this (many thanks to Andrew at Lancashire County Developments Ltd) and we are investigating obtaining a patent for this innovative project.

Japanese knotweed is a non-native, invasive plant which grows just about anywhere and is wreaking havoc in the British countryside. It is a huge environmental problem which is usually dealt with by spraying with herbicides over three years or digging the plant and the surrounding soil up and then putting into landfill sites.

We cannot discuss our detailed future plans, as we are now subject to confidentiality agreements. We believe, however, that with the assistance of our academic partner ('Myerscough college') and our technical partner ('Accelerated compost') we may be able to not only find away of solving the this big eco problem but also provide ourselves with a sustainable income.

www.offshoots.org.uk