It is common practice to throw away our meals after cooking and eating them and then wait for the garbage trucks to pick them up. Are you really aware of where it goes and what happens to it? Our trash is picked up by garbage trucks and taken to the landfill, out of sight and out of mind. Despite not being able to see or smell decomposing food waste, this waste still affects us.
Rotting food waste releases methane, which is one of the greenhouse gasses that contributes to global warming. Every day, humans produce food waste, and it takes time for the waste to decompose naturally. Rotting food waste smells and attracts scavengers and pests such as flies, cockroaches and rats, which are carriers of many deadly diseases.
There are many solutions available to help manage food waste. Among the solutions is Composter, a machine that turns food waste into organic compost for gardens and agriculture. It may not be feasible to produce organic compost every day in places with limited green spaces, such as cities.
Chomp Magazine had the opportunity to meet the young Co-Founder of NOW End of Waste Co., Ltd., Porpong Shinawatra, at The Strand Thonglor Ultra Luxury Condominium to get to know about his company’s new solution to manage food waste in Bangkok.
“Firstly, we are a food waste management company.” Porpong said, “We don’t sell machines that come in sizes, or one machine fits all. Based on the amount of food waste a premise produces per day, we determine the perfect way to manage food waste suitable for that premise.”
“Using microbes to digest and compost organic waste isn’t new.” He continued, “I believe some people in Thailand have heard about Composter, but a few have heard about Digester. If I’m not wrong, we are Thailand's only company with this technology. How does it work? Like the Composter, the Digester is filled with microbes, but these microbes were designed to be more efficient. Food waste such as vegetables, meat, fish bones, and small chicken bones will be turned into grey water within 24 hours. Gray water will go to the city's sewage and water treatment systems. However, if a premise wants to treat its grey water itself, we are more than happy to oblige.”
Porpong showed us their NOW Digester machine at The Strand Thonglor so we could see how the machine works. The machine contains microbes designed to digest and deodorise organic wastes.
We asked if the machine at The Strand Thonglor is the only NOW Digester machine in Thailand. Porpong replied, “The Strand Thonglor isn’t our only client. Central Pattana Public Company Limited is our client. We have our machine installed at Central Westgate. The Food School, Thailand's first international multi-brand culinary school, has our Composter.” Additionally, NOW Digester isn’t the only technology of NOW End of Waste Co., Ltd. They also have NOW Composters for establishments that need it and In-Sink Grinder, the food waste disposer for individual units.
Porpong also told us that the company was interested in working with hotels and the public sectors and has had meetings with some organisations that share the same vision. From what Propong told us, this is a good sign that the number of organisations in Thailand that care about the environment and support sustainability are growing.
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