When Himkaar Singh founded The Compost Kitchen with the vision of enhancing water security by putting organic matter back into the soil, he probably did not expect that it would get him on the list of Forbes Africa 30 under 30.
Back in 2017 when South Africa was experiencing major water scarcity issues, Himkaar left the country to study Masters in Water Management in Germany, Vietnam and Jordan for five months each in order to get different perspectives on what the solution could be.
He discovered that reintroducing organic matter to the soil was necessary to rebuild the damaged soil’s ability to hold water.
He then determined that the best way to do so was through a business model, so he returned to South Africa to start a food waste recycling company with a bigger vision of regenerative agriculture that would eventually lead to water security for the country.
That’s how The Compost Kitchen was born.
Recycling with a return service
With its recycling service, The Compost Kitchen gives customers an organic waste bin to store their waste, which is collected every week on collection day and returned to them once it has been turned into ‘vermicompost’ by hungry earthworms. Every month, the individuals will receive 2kg of high-quality vermicompost, in return for their waste, which they can use to re-grow food in their vegetable gardens or pot plants. The vermicompost has all of the nutrients that a plant could possibly require, so what is required is just water and seeds to produce homegrown food.
This is a revolutionary recycling model in which people get something in return.
Composting with a touch of technology
More people would compost, according to the Compost Kitchen, if it could be made even more convenient, such as by allowing it to be done at the touch of a button. Cutting-edge technology is the answer to this.
So Himkaar came up with an invention, dubbed ‘iCompost,’ which is a kitchen waste composting equipment that uses technology to convert food waste to compost at the touch of a button.
The kitchen waste collected throughout the day is put into the machine including coffee grounds, tea bags and even egg shells, and in just a few hours, its odourless and low-noise technology transforms the food waste into compost. The result of which is a dry, natural and nutrient-rich soil amendment for plants, lawns and gardens.
How it works
Drying, UV sterilisation, grinding, and cooling are the four easy steps.
iCompost contains a grinder that breaks down food waste into little bits, allowing it to compost more quickly. Then there’s a carbon filter that gets rid of any odours in the food waste, activated carbon granules and a dust filter make up this composition. The anti-odour filter in the iCompost device may be replaced, and it’s recommended to do so every 2-3 months if it is used often.
In order to avoid waste, when a new filter is purchased, the old filter is returned and the contents are refreshed for reuse.
The iCompost also uses ultraviolet light to sterilise any potentially harmful pathogens found in the food waste.
The device’s noise level is never higher than 60 decibels, which is comparable to that of a standard dishwasher.
Furthermore, the machine’s 2L bucket can be removed, allowing the compost to be dumped straight into the garden. The bucket can also be washed.
A typical cycle for 1kg of food waste uses about 0.7 kWh of electricity, which is about the same unit of energy as toasting a loaf of bread.
Doing good was once only linked with non-profits; however Himkaar is attempting to demonstrate that positive influence can be achieved while generating a profit.
As a result of his Forbes Africa 30 under 30 nomination, more people became aware of the problem of food waste ending up in landfills and its consequences. This led to individuals inquiring about iCompost and its advantages.
The company’s first batch is sold out and the second batch is available now to be delivered in September.
Read More: Saurabh Chaturvedi: On an Organic Mission
