In December 2020, NuPlanet installed a Harp CX2 Bio-Digester at Aramark Properties in the Dublin Docklands. Aramark were searching for a solution to process food waste in a sustainable way, subsequently reducing their food waste bin charges and associated transportation emissions.
Harp Renewables design and manufacture thermophilic aerobic digestion systems that transform organic waste into high-value soil products. The Harp Bio-Digesters™ use a combination of biological and mechanical processes that reduce organic waste volume and weight by up to eighty percent, over a twenty-four hour period. The resultant matter, ‘Infusion’, will play a major part in fertilizing soil in an environmentally friendly manner. Infusion has been proven to stimulate growth by over 400%, with no methane pollution to the atmosphere. This soil enhancer is a nutrient rich ‘super fuel’ for plants. The bio digesting process locks in carbon, so that it can be reintroduced back into the soil, where it belongs! The Harp digesting process leads to reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions compared to traditional composting, synthetic fertilizer production and anaerobic digestion (AD). Aramark use the organic fertilizer produced by the CX2 onsite to promote soil health. The Harp technology in the CX2 provides Aramark with a ‘fully circular’ solution to their food waste process.
Michael Farrell, Estate Manager at Capital Dock Aramark Properties shares, “We haven’t sent any waste to landfill since we installed the digester in December. The digester makes people think a bit more about what they are doing and keeps everyone focused on ‘greener’ ways to process waste.
The process has been embraced by our tenants. It has got them thinking more about waste segregation. They now unpackage their spent produce. This allows us to segregate and bale plastic product. As a result, not only are there no contaminated bins coming through, but we are creating added revenue by baling our plastic.
In preparation for a return to normal operations, we look forward to installing a second Harp bio-digester. We are delighted with this initiative which directly feeds into our ‘People Planet’ Sustainable Strategy.