^{Illustration by Kitty N. Wong}

From my previous post, you will have seen that the government offers few options to the public when it comes to dealing with food waste. But we can take matters into our own hands, starting in our very own kitchens.

What is Compost?

Food can be recycled into nutrient-rich compost as a soil conditioner and fertiliser, and is a potential source of biofuel. Dr. George Woodman, one of the founders of Tenghoi Conservation Organisation, under which he runs the Hong Kong Community Compost program in schools and small communities, says that food waste is a valuable resource. “You can’t buy or sell [unprocessed food waste], but treated compost is a commodity,” he explains.

Compost is the result of letting organic matter decompose, which happens through bacterial digestion. This digestion can occur with or without oxygen, known respectively as aerobic “hot” composting, and anaerobic “cool” composting. Compost is often employed in gardens and farms, particularly in growing practices that are organic or sustainable. Grace Yeung, certification officer at Hong Kong Organic Resource Centre Certification, one of the companies that issues organic certification in Hong Kong, says that “certified operations can make use of their own food waste and the compost produced,” even if the food was not grown to organic standards “as the risk factor [of contamination] is relatively low”. 

How can I compost at home?

Most people think of compost as a mound of soil, worms and fruit peels in the back of the garden that are left to decompose, and then can be put back into the garden as fertiliser. For most of us in Hong Kong, composting and gardening are idyllic fantasies, but it can be done. Here are your options:

Create a mini compost at home

If you have any sort of outdoor space, be it a balcony or a terrace, all you need is a bin, some soil and some newspaper or dried leaves. A long stick or rake that can allow you to stir the compost around would help too.

Add a layer of soil and torn up newspaper to the bottom of the bin, and start adding food waste. As the waste piles up, add more newspaper and leaves. Stir it once a day, or more, to keep it aerated, as the bacteria that breaks down the compost needs air and once they’re in action, and the mixture is kept relatively dry with newspaper and leaves, it won’t smell. In a matter of weeks, you’ll have your completed compost, ready for your herb garden or flower pots.

The bokashi method

Bokashi is a Japanese method that claims to hasten the process of decomposition by using a product that combines patented microorganisms with a carbon base (sawdust, rice bran or similar). The patented product only ‘pickles’ the food waste, so it still needs to go back into soil, to break down completely. Unless you like the idea of digging holes along your hiking trail to bury your bokashi waste, for the apartment dweller, planters are a viable option. Place a layer of soil at the bottom of the planter, add the contents of the bokashi bin, then top it with a layer of soil. Let it sit for a week or so to break down, and your planter will be ready for normal gardening. Do note, however, that while the bokashi bin itself is airtight and won’t release any smells, opening the bin is another matter altogether. Brace yourself for a stench.

Deliver your food waste to a local farm

If you know a local organic farm, and access it regularly, one of the easiest ways to compost would just be to collect food waste in airtight containers and give it to your farmer.

At Mapopo Community Farm in Fanling, multiple mounds of compost, covered with plastic sheets to protect them from the sun, can be seen maturing on the land. Twenty-something part time farmer Chi-ho tells me that they collect food waste from the local community, cha chaan teng, herbal tea shops and homes. This is combined with ‘dry’ matter, such as fallen leaves from trees, which they collect from street sweepers.

Buy a small composting machine

Small garbage-bin sized machines can be found on the market. These provide an almost effortless, odour-free way to deal with food waste at a push of a button. They usually don’t come cheap, however, and watch out for energy consumption – there’s no point in dealing with food waste if you’re adding significantly to your consumption of fossil fuels.

Have your school or local community install a larger compost machine

Dr. Woodman’s project, Hong Kong Community Compost, puts large composting machines in schools to process the food waste from canteens and the school’s families. The finished compost is used for school gardens and transported to local organic farms, and in turn the school community can order vegetables directly from the farms.

When the International Christian School moved into their new buildings in Sha Tin in 2010, Shawn Bensey, a grade three teacher at the school, together with the school community, began working with Woodman to set up the program on their campus. With 1100 students and 200 staff, the school produces around 300 litres of food waste a week. The compost, which takes about a month to complete, will go into the school’s gardens, which Bensey hopes to develop into “incredible edible landscaping”, as well as to local organic farmers. Several schools and communities are now in talks with Woodman to implement the system.

Lobby your residential building

You can also start at your own residential building or complex. In 2011, the $50 million “Food Waste Recycling Projects in Housing Estates” scheme was introduced under the Hong Kong Government’s Environment and Conservation Fund to encourage residential complexes to install their own composters. Owners’ organisations, owners’ corporations, residents’ organisations or property management companies are eligible to apply. Unfortunately, so far, there have only been eleven applications.

Even before the Government’s fund was in place, private residential complexes, like Park Island, Leighton Hill and YOHO Midtown, have started processing food waste from their residents.

Recently, in response to the Government’s plan to build the previously mentioned Shek Kwu Chau waste incinerator near their homes, residents on the island of Cheung Chau have set up a food waste processing system for their own community.

A final tip

Whichever method you choose, remember that water is not conducive to the composting process, and can lead to bad smells and other pests, so try to dry out your food waste as much as possible before processing.

Whichever way compost is created, its biological stability (Woodman says it will keep “indefinitely”) means that it can easily be transported. Even if you don’t have a garden, the plants in your public planter or park will thank you.

Traditionally, economists see increased production as a sign of prosperity, and increased waste is just a side effect, if not proof. In this post-industrial era, perhaps the indicator of advancement should be judged by how effectively society can regenerate valuable commodities from waste.