Composting made easier with an in-sink bin

Instead of a smelly, ungainly bin by the sink, a new product allows you to simply throw compostables down the drain

Spotted: Many consumers would like to compost more but may feel that it is too complicated to separate out the compostable food items. Now, Canada’s Anvy Technologies is streamlining the composting process with their new system, called the Sepura Home. The Sepura Home works like an in-sink rubbish disposal, but instead of grinding up food waste, it is redirected to a simple, under-sink compost bin. 

The Sepura Home uses an electromechanical auger to send food straight to the collection bin without the need for making any alterations to the sink’s plumbing. To operate the compost system, users simply scrape their food waste into the sink, including avocado pits, bones, banana peels, paper towels, etc. With a push of a button, the solids are separated into an odourless, sealed collection centre, while the liquids are sent down the drain.  

An LED informs users when the bin is full, and it can then be emptied into an outdoor compost bin or left for curbside composting pick-up. Not only is the Sepura Home easy to install, but it also comes equipped with a carbon filter in the cover, a gasketed sliding door, and air vents to keep any odours at bay.  

According to the company, the system was designed to be efficient and long-lasting. Sepura Home writes: “We didn’t want to design something that was meant to prevent food waste from going to landfills but that itself would break down and quickly end up in a landfill. That’s why we selected materials, such as ABS for the main enclosure, that could handle the harsh environment under the sink. We also didn’t want to use components or electronics that would become outdated.”

Composting is just one way of dealing with food waste. At Springwise, we have seen a number of clever innovations designed to find new uses for old food. These have ranged from wall tiles made from eggshell waste to 3D-printed lamps made from orange peel. In the future, we may be furnishing our houses entirely with products derived from food waste. 

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