Landfill Solutions, Compliments of the Muncher

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Aerobic process creates mulch in 15 minutes

A new rapid-mulching product may assist in prolonging the lives of municipal landfills, providing nutrient-rich composts and fertilizers in the process.

A Nevada-based company, Ecologico-Logic, is launching an aerobic machine that has been aptly named the Muncher.

The reason this is good news? A number of cities around the world now sort their municipal trash, diverting organic matter into large anaerobic composters that turn it into nutrient-rich soil. Such systems can be very expensive and the composting process is time-consuming.

Jacob Dickinson and Mohammed Memon claim to have solved the time problem and the accompanying odors that often turn people away from composting locales. The Muncher converts organic waste into mulched and liquid compost in less than an hour via aerobic digestion.

Memon says 11 years have been invested in developing this machine and the accompanying technologies. “It’s been a long road to get it to where it is today – a working prototype.”

This should be good news for the landfill and waste management industries. The two men are out presenting their prototype to interested corporate and municipal parties who they report their interest. One principal reason for garnering interest is how fast the system works. A normal mulching process might require anywhere from 30 to 365 days to convert waste into useable mulch. The Muncher can accomplish this same work within 15 minutes, Dickinson says.

This machine features a patented accelerated waste digestion process. It commences with mechanically shredding pre-separated organic garbage, followed with aerobic microbes within the system and a proprietary chemical treatment that rapidly breaks the matter down into a marketable product. For existing municipal systems the resulting compost can then be used for city projects or sold to agricultural or landscaping entities.

The results can be impressive. Not only is the organic waste kept out of the landfill, it also takes up much less space. Momin reports that one ton of garbage can be converted to about 600 pounds of solid cake mulch and liquid effluent. In addition, he says the Muncher creates no toxic gases, hazardous compounds or foul odors, that it kills pathogens in the garbage, and that the compost it produces contains no harmful chemicals.

There are also economic considerations. A big factor in the solid waste business is the cost of dumping fees. Reducing the mass that ends up in the landfill makes for a positive proposition, says Dickinson. In addition, the end products are nutrient-rich compost and fertilizers – potentially valuable commodities.

Ecologico-Logic is currently looking at building industrial Munchers that are capable of processing up to 50 tons of waste per day. Memon believes the return on investment for the Muncher is between two and five years. Down the road these men also hope to develop smaller units that might be used by restaurants or in homes.

For those people following the trail of trash that gets shipped to the landfill every day, consuming more landfill space, the Muncher may have some good solutions.

Photos:  Jacob Dickinson

Related Posts on CleanTechnica:

  1. Waste Management Anyone? Try Composting Toilets
  2. Bokashi: This is Not Your Father’s Compost

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Glenn Meyers

is a writer, producer, and director. Meyers was editor and site director of Green Building Elements, a contributing writer for CleanTechnica, and is founder of Green Streets MediaTrain, a communications connection and eLearning hub. As an independent producer, he's been involved in the development, production and distribution of television and distance learning programs for both the education industry and corporate sector. He also is an avid gardener and loves sustainable innovation.

Glenn Meyers has 449 posts and counting. See all posts by Glenn Meyers