A group of researchers from the Faculty of Science at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) has developed a food waste grinder that can transform food scraps into compost fertilizer to enrich plant soil. The initiative, under the Green Neighborhood Project in Iskandar Puteri sponsored by the Iskandar Puteri City Council, has successfully implemented the grinder in over 25 community garden projects in the local authority-managed areas.
Dr. Huszalina Hussin, the head of the Iskandar Puteri Community Garden Project, mentioned that they received RM78,000.00 in funding from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for the development of this machine from 2018 to 2019. The primary goal of the grinder is to produce organic fertilizer from food and agricultural waste, contributing to environmental conservation by reducing domestic waste. Additionally, the project aims to assist the B40 group in cutting kitchen expenses through the cultivation of cash crops such as vegetables.
Dr. Huszalina emphasized the machine’s potential to transfer knowledge on fertilizer production to the general community for their future use. The project encourages individuals to reconsider excessive food waste, highlighting the possibility of recycling it to create organic compost, thus reducing the burden on landfill sites.
