Dubai: Food waste helps school garden, community green spaces bloom with new invention

Taking a lead in sustainability initiatives, a school in Dubai has installed a cutting-edge ‘food-to-fertiliser machine’ on its premises.

The composter at Dubai American Academy (DAA) is transforming food scraps — vegetables, fruits, and other edible waste — from the school cafeteria into nutrient-rich compost, helping the school cut down on its carbon footprint and do their part in green, eco-friendly living.

The machine also aligns with Dubai Municipality’s goal of achieving a 50 per cent reduction in food waste by 2030.

Speaking to Khaleej Times, Angela Hargett, High School English Teacher and Eco Committee convener, said, “We compost various organic materials like vegetables, fruits and other edibles, without using oil. The composter transforms this waste into valuable compost, significantly reducing the amount of waste sent to landfills.

"This initiative marks us as the first GEMS school to implement composting. Additionally, we have an eco-garden managed by an eco-committee, where all the compost is utilised. We're currently experimenting to identify which vegetables thrive best in our garden. Once successful, we plan to share the product with our community of parents.”

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When enquired if the compost pile is odour-free, she added, “It’s funny, really - it’s a lovely smell! When I stepped outside the other day, it had this fruity aroma, but as it’s released, it actually leans more toward a coffee-like fragrance. Surprisingly pleasant.”

‘Engaging the school community’

The composter is just one part of a larger green initiative. The school has been on a mission to become more eco-conscious for the past three years, cutting down on plastic bottles, reducing paper usage, and also setting up an eco-garden.

"We’re really high-tech. When I came to the school, I felt there was a need for sustainability. We've been setting up to become a sustainable school over the last two to three years," said Hargett.

"This year we are applying for the green flag. We’ve had a garden for three years now and what we’re trying to do is just reduce everything. We’ve reduced our paper and we have no plastic bottles in school. So, the composter is the next thing. The canteen produces massive waste, so this is our way of not taking that to the landfill, but using it in our own community and in the school grounds. We are cutting our carbon footprint as much as we can,” explained Hargett.

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