A modular insect food waste management concept

Over 1.3bn tonnes of food waste are produced globally each year, amounting to over $1tn in lost value and producing >3GtCO2-eq in greenhouse gas emissions. Current valorisation technologies are out-dated, in particular throughout urban environments, where space comes at a premium, and odour production is strongly discouraged. Insect biocatalysis represents a new alternative to organic waste valorisation. By using insects to convert wasted biomass into proteins and fats, food waste can be ‘upcycled’ into valuable resources, such as animal feeds and biological fertilizers. Through this project, Entomics will develop an innovative insect rearing concept, capable of cutting waste-associated costs across the stakeholder spectrum. By offering an alternative to current waste management services, we hope to utilize this project’s outputs in bringing a disruptive product and accompanying support service into the organic waste management sector.