Sustainability tech Goterra’s system eats through 90 tonnes of discarded Sydney food scraps

Sustainability technology company Goterra has helped the City of Sydney literally eat through almost 90 tonnes of discarded food scraps since January after an agreement struck by the Canberra-based company last year.

Goterra, which uses black soldier fly larvae to break down food waste rapidly onsite and at scale, has converted that food waste into about 19 tonnes of fertiliser and six tonnes of protein-rich animal feed.

The circular economy scale-up announced in June last year that it had reached a deal with the City of Sydney to trial its food waste processing technology at a new facility in Alexandria, which planned to take the food scraps from more than 22,000 households participating in an existing recycling trial and convert them into insect protein.

“Sydney’s landfill space is running out fast, making these projects vital,” says Clover Moore, the Lord Mayor of Sydney.

“Not only does this trial mean we can avoid sending food scraps to landfill, we’ve created a circular economy solution by generating valuable products such as fertiliser and animal protein that can be used to produce more food.

“Working with food waste innovators Goterra, we’ve established a processing facility in Alexandria. Waste is processed closer to where it’s collected, which cuts down on fuel costs and emissions.

“It’s an approach that is net positive, removing more carbon emissions from the environment than it generates.”

Related story: “Legacy is a collective effort”: Why agtech must persist despite VC investor mismatch

In a separate agreement announced in August last year, Goterra also teamed up with Australia’s largest hotel, the Hyatt Regency Sydney, to process hundreds of tonnes of food waste produced at the property each year.

Founded in 2014 by sheep farmer and former ACT Australian of the Year Olympia Yarger, Goterra uses waste to grow black soldier fly larvae at its Canberra headquarters which is then seeded into the company's compact Modular Infrastructure for Biological Services (MIBS) units, which can be utilised at sites where enough food waste is generated.

"This is the seventh site to officially open in our network,” says Yarger of the City of Sydney project.

“As another first in the world asset, this trial is focused on solving residential food organic waste in cities. This is a bold step forward in waste-to-value management, transforming everyday food waste from across the city into valuable inputs for agriculture.

“In partnership with the City of Sydney and Bingo, we're at the forefront of circular innovation and are preparing for the FOGO Recycling Bill, which mandates diversion of residential food waste from landfill from July 2030.

“The future of zero food waste to landfill is coming and we’re proud to be leading the way."

Inside the MIBS units, which are the size of a shipping container, fly larvae feast on food scraps, consuming twice their body weight daily. Their waste is turned into fertiliser, while the larvae become a nutrient-rich protein source for fish, poultry and even pet food.

Goterra says that unlike other insects, the black soldier fly isn’t a vector for disease and its larvae breaks down bacteria in the organic material it consumes. 

By diverting food scraps from landfill, the system prevents harmful methane emissions that are released during decay.

The City of Sydney says that more than 22,500 households are involved in its food scraps recycling service, which is expected to source up to 600 tonnes of food scraps in 12 months.