Virtual Booth

Globally, around 13.2 percent of food produced is lost between harvest and retail, while an estimated 
19 percent of total global food production is wasted in households, in the food service and in retail all together.  Yet many institutions still lack an effective and sustainable waste management system. When food is lost or wasted, all the resources that were used to produce this food - including water,land, energy, labour and capital - go to waste. In addition, the disposal of food loss and waste in landfills, leads to greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to climate change. This project aims to develop a composting machine that can convert food waste into useful organic fertiliser and connects to an app using IoT for easy monitoring while promoting environmental awareness and sustainability practices. 
The project was developed through a progressive prototype approach, beginning with the design of an early prototype known as MiniCompost. The prototype included a manual mixing mechanism, and compost tray. The design was then improved into a larger final product equipped with automated grinding functions, solar-powered support, smell indicator system and enhanced compost production
capability (10KG of food waste decomposed in just 1 hour). Testing and monitoring were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of food waste decomposition, observations of fertiliser texture, moisture level, colour, and odour to evaluate compost quality. The texture of the fertiliser was analysed to determine whether the compost produced was suitable for gardening purposes. The developed composting machine was capable of processing food waste into compost within a shorter and more manageable period - 1KG of food waste takes 6 minutes on average to be decomposed. The final product improved efficiency through automated grinding (with the help of biodegradable enzymes) and solar energy integration, while the smell indicator system helped monitor compost conditions. The findings show that the composting machine can serve as a practical andeco-friendly solution for sustainable waste management. By converting food waste into fertiliser, the project helps reduce environmental pollution and encourages recycling practices among students. The innovation also supports sustainability education and has the potential to contribute to school income generation through the use or sale of organic compost products