New Kitchen Gadget Can Turn Food Waste Into Fertilizer in 24 Hours

A new kitchen appliance called the Zera Food Recycler promises to turn food scraps into fertilizer in just 24 hours, eliminating the need for composting, worm bins and landfills.

According to a report from Treehugger, the Zera Food Recycler is a freestanding appliance that could be placed in any kitchen as it only measures 11" x 22" x 33.75" and weighs 118.6 pounds. The new kitchen gadget is produced by Whirlpool Corporation's WLabs.

The Zera Food Recycler aims to turn recycling into a simpler process. All you have to do is scrape a plate or pan into its opening. Inside, the food scraps will be mixed and aerated with a plant-based additive, resulting to usable fertilizer that could be collected in its bottom tray after 24 hours. The fast process is partly due to the addition of coir (coconut husk) and baking soda that speeds up the process.

The company says that through this new technology, the volume of the food scraps will be lessen by two-thirds, making food recycling more convenient and accessible to household owners.

"With an estimated 40% of food in the United States wasted every year, the Zera™ system ensures that food waste can be converted into a homemade fertilizer, as opposed to being disposed into a landfill," said Brett Dibkey, VP of Integrated Business Units at Whirlpool Corporation. "We're thrilled to be introducing this latest offering for home kitchens, which delivers on Whirlpool Corporation's promise of purposeful innovation."

Food waste is currently a major problem worldwide. In fact, according to a report from EPA, 20 percent of greenhouse gas emissions come from landfills where food waste and other organic materials are sent.

Whirlpool's new Zera Food Recycler aims to reduce this number by letting consumers convert their food waste into reusable fertilizer at the comforts of their own homes.