41 www.drivesncontrols.com March 2025 BUILDING SERVICES n Automation helps Nordic hotels to cut food waste The Radisson Blu Scandinavia chain of hotels has installed innovative composting machines in its hotels to turn food waste into high-quality fertiliser in just 24 hours. The technology is designed to tackle the problem of waste – in particular, food waste – which constitutes about 30% of land ll waste. The hotels are using the technology to process food waste from their restaurants, room service and other food-related operations. Every evening, several dozen kilograms of bio-waste from the hotel kitchen are fed into the composting machine and sealed with a hermetic hatch. By the next evening, several kilograms of high-quality, nutritious fertiliser are ready to be removed. The equipment has been supplied by a Swedish bio systems specialist, Solserv, and is controlled by Mitsubishi Electric automation equipment. “We invested in this solution primarily because of sustainability and the work of responsible business,” says Daniel Rodriguez, food and beverage manager at Radisson Blu Scandinavia. “We have also discovered that we reduced our food cost with waste management.” The key environmental bene ts of the composting technology include: n Reduced methane emissions By diverting organic waste from land lls, the composters help to cut methane emissions, a major contributor to climate change. Land lls are the third-largest source of methane emissions, and composting helps to mitigate this issue. n Waste reduction The composters can process 5kg to 500 tonnes of waste daily, signi cantly reducing the volume sent to land lls. n Rapid processing The technology can transform food waste into nutrient-rich compost in just 24 hours, accelerating the composting process compared to traditional methods. n Improving soil health The resulting compost enriches the soil with nutrients and organic matter, promoting sustainable agriculture and reducing the need for chemical fertilisers. n Water conservation The electricallypowered composters help to conserve water by retaining moisture within the composting system. n Year-round composting The composters allow continuous composting, regardless of the weather conditions, ensuring a consistent supply of compost throughout the year. n Odour control The composters have odour control systems, making them suitable for use in urban areas and small spaces. n Energy e ciency While the composters consume electricity, energy-saving features reduce power consumption. Additionally, using renewable energy sources to power the composters can reduce their environmental impact. n Versatility The composters can process various types of organic waste, including biodegradable bags, expanding their potential for waste reduction. “What once took a year to complete can now be achieved in just 24 hours, signi cantly improving eciency and sustainability,” says Maria Wendt from Mitsubishi Electric Scandinavia. “This solution represents a major step forward in waste management and environmental protection.”By transforming food waste into valuable fertiliser, the technology is “contributing to a more sustainable and circular economy, addressing both waste reduction and soil enrichment challenges”. The Solserv composters are available in a variety of capacities. “Mitsubishi Electric's expertise has been crucial in developing precise and ecient composting processes,” says Solserv’s CEO, Patrik Johansson. “This collaboration ensures consistent quality and performance across dierent scales of operation. By converting organic waste into nutrient-rich compost eciently, this technology promotes sustainability and signi cantly reduces waste.” n A chain of hotels in Scandinavia is using an automated composting technology to turn their food waste overnight into high-quality fertiliser. The composting process takes only 24 hours to transform organic waste into compost [Image: Mitsubishi Electric / Solserv / Radisson Blu]
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