The Green Cone Food Digester: Long Term Use

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The Green Cone Food Digester Long Term Use
6th July 2006 A presentation by Robert Swabey
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Introduction

• The Green Cone Food Digester
• The Green Cone is a four-part injection molded
  unit
• The Green Cone takes all household food waste

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Introduction
Why use the Green Cone ?

• The Green Cone is designed to deal with BMW
• The amount of waste diverted using the Green Cone
  can be used when meeting targets
• The Green Cone can divert from 2.1kg to
  3.9kg/hhd/week BMW!
• Between 32,000 and 59,000 tonnes of waste could
  potentially be diverted annually in West Sussex
  alone!

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Introduction
Aims of Research

• To investigate whether people continue to use
  their Green Cones?
• Does the Green Cone continue to work well?
• What Problems do users encounter?
• What would make it easier for users?

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Literature Review
The Green Cone accelerate the natural
decomposition process by raising
temperatures maintaining aerobic
conditions encouraging the growth of
micro-organisms.
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Literature Review
The Green Cone Food Digester Since it formation
in 1991 Green Cone Limited has distributed over
180,000 units Relatively few research studies
have been undertaken which report on the
performance of the Green Cone
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Methodology

• Methodology
• An advice and support service was set up by WERG
  and West Sussex County Council to contact
  residents who had purchased a Green Cone.
• Names and Phone numbers were obtained from three
  previous Green Cone Campaigns
• 2002 Sainsburys Campaign
• 2004/05 West Sussex Campaign
• 2005 Horsham Pilot Scheme
• Interviews took place over the phone or at the
  doors and all household completed a short closed
  survey during the interview.

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Results
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Results
Continued use of Green Cone
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Results
Comparison of use between Campaign
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Results
Green Cone Performance
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Results
Frequency of Green Cone use
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Results
Problems experienced during use
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Results
Does the household use a composter as well?
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Conclusions

• Conclusions
• Once people start using Green Cones they tend
  continue.
• Users are predominantly satisfied with the Green
  Cone and feel that it can manage the quantities
  of waste their household produce.
• Green Cone schemes need a support system that
  offers users advice.
• More people would take up use if there was an
  installation service.
• Green Cone does have the potential to be a part
  of future waste strategies.

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Results
Uptake Vs Deprivation
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The End
Many Thanks! Enjoy the rest of your Day
www.brighton.ac.uk/werg