MILFORD, DE- On Monday, the Food Bank of Delaware introduced a new food digester, a solution it says could help tackle the state's food waste problems.
The ORCA, short for Organic Recycling Conversion Alternative, is a $35,000 machine that acts like a mechanical stomach, turning spoiled, expired, or damaged food into an environmentally safe solution.
It liquefies food waste and safely discharges the liquid into the sewer system, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional disposal.
Cathy Kanefsky, president and CEO of the Food Bank of Delaware, says the ORCA offers a much-needed way to reduce landfill waste.
"In the past, we had to throw that stuff away. And then that ends up in a landfill."
Douglas Horner, a managing partner at EarthBio Technologies, explains how technology breaks down waste.
"Inside, the waste is turned, not grinded. So you get the aeration and a mixture of water from the food and a little bit of fresh water to create the ideal environment for rapid decomposition of organic waste."
Beyond reducing landfill contributions, Horner says the ORCA could help tackle a larger environmental issue by cutting down harmful gases.
"Organics and landfill create a huge amount of methane gas. It is reported that organics in the U.S., methane is, from just landfill. Organics is 10% of all the methane in this country."
Capable of disposing of up to 1,000 pounds of food waste each day, the ORCA has the potential to make a sizable difference in the fight against climate change, a goal Kanefsky says is increasingly important.
"Making sure that food waste is also handled appropriately has become, you know, as important as making sure you drop that bottle or that can in a recyclable bin."
Horner adds that small, local efforts can build up to a major environmental impact.
"This thousand pounds and that thousand pounds over here will really start to make a dent in diverting from landfill and make a change for greenhouse gases."
This technology was made possible through a partnership with Keep Delaware Beautiful and the Delaware Solid Waste Authority.
Since installing the ORCA, the Food Bank of Delaware says it has diverted nearly 6,000 pounds of food from landfills.
Officials hope the technology can serve as a model for reducing food waste and combating climate change statewide and beyond.