Westin Abu Dhabi pilots food-to-fertilizer machine

The Westin Abu Dhabi Golf Resort & Spa is piloting a machine that turns daily food waste into fertilizer in 10 hours.

The Korean-developed machine, which is now in operation, is said to reduce the hotel’s food waste to a dry, high-grade fertilizer which is approximately a third of its original weight and 93% organic matter. This material is then used across the resort to feed bedding plants, grass areas, trees, and herb and vegetable gardens.

Director of engineering Sebastien Weyer pioneered the project, he said: “Since we have been in operation we strive to incorporate environmentally-friendly initiatives into our work wherever possible and this machine is testament to our efforts. This machine not only turns waste into a useful product but it could hopefully provide a platform to collaborate with our sister properties in Abu Dhabi and also local farmers in the UAE.”

Hotel staff are trained to separate all food waste from general waste resulting in the collection of approximately 225Kg of food waste from the property’s six restaurants and staff cafeteria. Each month, the waste is reduced down to (depending on occupancy) approximately 1.5 tons of fertilizer. The waste being transported offsite has been reduced by 1.1 cubic metres, impacting positively on carbon footprint and saving AED 1000 in waste management fees.

Running at full capacity the machine can take 600kg of food waste in one cycle. The 10-hour cycle will then reduce this waste product into approximately 175kg of fertiliser by rendering the moisture using heat. The machine does not use any chemicals or degrading agents.

An organic soil conditioning agent is added to the end product balancing the sodium levels making it a commercially high-grade fertilizer ideal for plant growth.

The hotel claims that this is currently the only fertiliser machine of its scale and quality in operation in Abu Dhabi, and the only machine in any Starwood EAME property.

Area director of operational innovation Rainer Wiegand commented: “Starwood is committed to sustainability. By 2020, Starwood Hotels & Resorts aim to reduce energy consumption by 30% and water consumption by 20% across the 1100+ luxury hotels worldwide. We have clear goals to achieve, and these innovations are allowing us to become greener in our operations and contribute back to our communities”.

The group is looking at rolling out the project across six other Starwood properties in Abu Dhabi.