The Green Cone is a food waste digester designed to convert food waste into nutrient-rich water that benefits garden plants and vegetables. It is a low-maintenance system that utilizes sunlight and natural processes to break down organic matter.
Function Description:
The Green Cone operates as an aerobic digestion system, meaning it requires oxygen to function effectively. It consists of a double-walled solar cone, an inner cone, a basket, and a lid. The primary function is to create a heat trap using the double-walled solar cone, which encourages bacterial growth within the digestion chamber. This heat, combined with the aerobic conditions inside the basket, facilitates the breakdown of food waste. Over 90% of the waste material is absorbed as water by the surrounding soil, which is then enriched with nutrients. The soil also acts as a filter, preventing smells and deterring flies. Natural micro-organisms and worms migrate freely in and out of the basket, contributing to the breakdown process. The system is designed to reduce methane production, a common byproduct of anaerobic decomposition.
Important Technical Specifications:
- Dimensions for Installation: The foundation hole required for installation is 70cm wide by 54cm deep.
- Basket Placement: The basket should sit 3cm (1 inch) below ground level.
- Outer Cone Placement: The bottom lip of the outer cone must also be below ground level.
- Waste Capacity: A well-positioned and fully working Green Cone can dispose of up to one kilogram of food waste per day, suitable for an average family of four.
- Components: The hardware kit includes a lid, green outer cone, black inner cone, and a basket. Fasteners include 2 studs, 1 hinge, 9 (10x5/8) screws, 1 backplate, and 2 (8x5/8) screws, and 1 twistlock.
- Tools Required: Crosshead screwdriver and Flathead screwdriver.
Usage Features:
- Ease of Assembly: The Green Cone is designed for simple assembly, taking no more than 15 minutes with just four steps.
- Placement: It requires a sunny spot in the garden with good drainage. The base of the basket must not be below the water table or in an area where water gathers. For naturally damp gardens, additional drainage can be created by placing gravel stones and broken pots underneath the unit.
- Food Waste Input: A kitchen caddy is provided to collect food waste before emptying it into the Green Cone. This caddy also serves as a measure for waste input.
- March to September: One full caddy can be emptied every 1-2 days.
- October to February: One full caddy can be emptied every 2-3 days.
- Acceptable Waste: Fish, red meat and poultry (including all bones), bread, fruit and peelings, vegetables and peelings, dairy produce, cooked scraps, crushed eggshells, teabags, and animal excrement (in moderation, not near water sources, and without cat litter).
- Unacceptable Waste: Bags or liners (even compostable/biodegradable), bulk amounts of oil and fat, shells of nuts and seafood, metal, wood, plastic, glass, paper, straw, grass cuttings, hedge clippings, disinfectant and bleaches, sanitary towels, medical waste, and all chemicals. Garden waste is also not suitable.
- No Mixing/Stirring Required: The Green Cone is designed to break down waste naturally without manual intervention.
- Year-Round Operation: It works every day of the year, though digestion may slow down in colder, darker months.
- No Chemical Activators: Artificial additives are not recommended as they can negatively affect the natural bacteria.
- Kitchen Caddy Cleaning: The kitchen caddy should be hand-washed in warm soapy water; it is not dishwasher safe.
- Pest Control: The Green Cone is a sealed unit that, when properly installed, emits no smell, thus preventing attraction of flies and vermin. Any smells are filtered by the surrounding soil. If fruit flies hatch from existing eggs in fruit skins, a small squirt of organic fly spray can resolve the issue. Keeping the kitchen caddy well-covered prevents house flies from laying eggs in the food waste.
Maintenance Features:
- Low Maintenance: The Green Cone is a very low-maintenance digester.
- Ground Level Check: Regularly check that the ground level around the Cone remains above the green lip of the unit. After heavy rain, soil levels may drop, requiring top-up with soil every few weeks.
- Digestion Process Check: Periodically check that the waste inside the basket is composting well, especially during colder months.
- Accelerator Powder: If the digestion process slows down, particularly in autumn and winter, additional use of accelerator powder is recommended. This powder contains natural bacteria on a cereal base to boost digestion. A sprinkle every few days, aiming for one sachet per month, is suggested. More may be needed in colder months.
- Emptying: With proper functioning and maintenance, the Green Cone rarely needs emptying. Very little waste residue is produced. If residue builds up to ground level and does not decrease, the Cone can be removed to access the basket, and the residue can be dug into any suitable area of ground. This might be required once every few years.
- Never Overfill: Only food waste should be in the digestion chamber, never in the solar cone.
Need help?
General
To Next Page