Calgary: Canada

In Canada, food waste disposers were installed in 50 households in a multi-residential building in Calgary, Alberta to assess the impact on residual waste of using a food waste disposer. Between 2014-2015 a pre and post installation solid (residual) waste composition audit was carried out.

A full report will be published shortly but initial results show a 60% reduction in discarded soft food waste for those households using a food waste disposer. Food waste of all types (soft, hard, liquid, packaged) decreased in weight on average by 18.9% in the post installation audit samples compared to the pre-installation audit samples.

The results of this study form part of a consultative process initiated by the city of Calgary’s waste/recycling services with regard to the city’s Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional (ICI) Organics Waste Diversion Strategy which aims to send 80% less waste to landfill per person by 2020.

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