City of Sydney deploys food hydrator for fertilising its green spaces

A state-of-the-art food dehydrator is being used by the City of Sydney to turn all the food waste generated in Town Hall House at 456 Kent Street into soil conditioner.

The soil will be used in city parks to help grow plants and trees, reducing the need to buy fertiliser.

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.

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 three 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.

Image: The dehydrator in Town Hall House. Credit: Abril Felman/City of Sydney