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Your most Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs

  • What can I add to the Ecobot?
    Vegetable and fruit peels Meat, poultry & fish waste Leftover food including bakery items and eggshells. Animal manure Tissue and compostable plates Flowers and plants, leaves, and garden waste.
  • What shouldn’t be processed?
    Plastic, glass, and metals Hard bones Coconut shells and branches Paper products Fat and oils, or food very high in fats and oils.
  • How much waste can I process?
    Units are available in a range of sizes from 10 kg/d thru to 1000 kg/d.
  • How long does the process take?
    A soil amendment is typically generated in 15-24 hours.
  • What is the product?
    A fine, dark brown compost-like material that can be used as a soil supplement. Crumbly, loose, humus-like material Earthy smell, almost odourless No recognisable material.
  • What can I use the product for?
    The Ecobot produces a rich soil supplement with high water retention capacity. It should be mixed with soil in 1:10 ratio for direct use in gardens or further enhanced through the addition of fertiliser and another component for use in local gardens and nurseries.
  • Do I need to have green waste or other woody materials?
    No, indeed, woody branches and similar materials should be avoided.
  • How does the Ecobot differ from food waste dehydrators that also claim to convert food waste to a product (“compost”) in 24-hours?
    ECOBOT works on a similar concept. However, due to the inbuilt shredder and design, it is significantly more power efficient than products from other companies. Ecobot also utilises a bacteria culture within the machine which continues to feed on the material even after it is unloaded and added to soil. It is important to recognise that the product is a soil amendment and not a full compost.
  • What is the power consumption?
    Power consumption is variable and dependent on the moisture and fat content of the waste. Typically, food waste consumes between 0.25-0.40 kWh per batch (each 24-hours) of waste added. The moisture sensor in the machines automatically puts the unit in power saver mode once the material has achieved the set moisture value.  A 25 kg/d machine will use approximately $1.12 to $1.80 of electricity per batch @ 18c/kWh.
  • Do I need 3-phase power?
    Yes
  • I’m a remote site and generate electricity using a generator, which is normally switched off overnight. Will an Ecobot work for me?
    Yes, Ecobots have been installed in multiple locations where this is the case, including industrial locations and mines. However, the batches will take longer to process and overall consume more power as the machine will cool down overnight and will restart in the morning.
  • We only have functions at weekends or sometimes mid-week. Can I use the Ecobot to process my waste on the day of events and then turn it off when I don’t have an event happening?
    Yes, the machine can be operated intermittently. However, since the machine stays in Power Save Mode upon process completion, it does not need to be switched off. It can remain in Power Save mode till the next batch is ready to be fed.
  • What ambient conditions (maximum and minimum temperature) can the unit operate in?
    The standard ambient range is 4 – 50oC.
  • What can I compost through a COMET?
    Kitchen waste including plate scrapes and paper napkins. Spoiled or unusable food, kitchen preparation waste and pre-harvest loss Compostable food packaging, utensils, and bags Animal manures and bedding Grass clippings Mulched/chipped green waste.
  • What shouldn’t be processed?
    Plastic, glass, and metals Larger hard bones.
  • How much waste can I process?
    The COMET can process approx. 50 - 75kg of waste per day or approximately 350 - 525 kg per week. Waste includes “brown” matter such as wood chips, bark or sawdust needed to balance wetter materials.
  • How long does the process take?
    COMET is a double barrel system. One barrel is loaded for a week or longer until 3/4 full. After this, the barrel is left to process for a week or more while the second barrel is loaded. Material is, therefore, in the unit for 10-14 days. Waste can be fed multiple times per day on an ongoing basis.
  • How is waste added to, and removed from the unit?
    Waste is loaded into the barrels through hatches and exits through the same hatches once composting is complete. The waste can be discharged into a container or straight onto the ground for further maturation.
  • What is the product?
    A fine, dark brown compost that can be used as a soil supplement. Crumbly, loose, humus like material Earthy smell, almost odourless No recognisable material.
  • What can I use the product for?
    The COMET produces a compost that is best stored for 2-4 weeks prior to use. It can then either be incorporated into the soil or used as a mulch on gardens and in nurseries.
  • Do I need to have green waste or other woody materials?
    Yes. COMET is a true composting system so moisture and porosity of the waste must be managed. Sawdust or wood pellets are also suitable.
  • Do I need to shred my waste?
    Food waste can generally be processed without shredding. Woody prunings will need to be chipped for use as a bulker and should ideally be 10-50mm in size.
  • Do I need to screen my compost?
    If the material entering the process is small (i.e., well shredded wood has been used) then screening may not be required. However, if larger particles are composted or the material is contaminated with plastic etc., then screening will be required. Screening can often allow the recovery of some woody material for reuse as a bulker.
  • Are odours generated?
    The COMET has been supplied with emissions filters, and minimal odours will be generated if the process is working correctly. The COMET should be installed in areas with good ventilation. To avoid any odours, it is IMPORTANT that the COMET is fed with the right carbon-nitrogen balance and liquids are avoided.
  • What is the power consumption?
    Approximately 2 kWh per day. At $0.18 per kWh this is $0.36 per day.
  • Do I need 3-phase power?
    No, a normal 240V 10A supply is sufficient to operate the unit.
  • What is the labour requirement?
    A COMET unit may require an operator for about 1 hour per day, mainly to prepare and feed the system. We recommend that the same person operate the unit as the more familiar with the system the better they will understand the process and be able to add the right amount of bulker.
  • What ambient conditions (maximum and minimum temperature) can the unit operate in?
    The standard ambient range is 4 – 50oC.
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