The stink was reaching the high heavens.

The fruit waste had overstayed and started growing some black mold.

It wasn’t possible to compost it and apply it to my soils to grow veges.

The black mold would introduce new diseass into the soil.

Besides, there was just something ‘staggering’ about the stink – as I had mentioned above.

And I use the word ‘staggering’ deliberately.

An alcoholic stench was forming and this was not by coincidence.

ETHANOL

The kitchen waste – especially fruit remains, potatoes, vegetable scraps etc – contain considerable amounts of sugars in the form of starch or cellulose

Starch and cellulose are made up of glucose molecules joined together into a super structure.

Not much happens to these wastes if left to linger in the open.

But when they’re enclosed and nature allowed to take it’s course, the starch is broken down to simple sugars (glucose) which is then converted into ethanol.

How does this happen?

Through the power of microorganisms

MINUTE INDUSTRIES

Microorganisms contain enzymes – substances that speed up reaction.

So when these creatures come across a food source (trash), they unleash their enzyme arsenal and start breaking it up to consume it.

This is what happens to the fruit and vegetable wastes.

Over time, the cellulose and starch is converted into glucose – the microorganisms (bacteria) happily consume.

But in the whole mix of things are another brand of microorganisms which further convert the glucose into ethanol – also called fermentation.

That’s why when a kitchen rubbish heap is given time to grow, it will start having a stench – an alcoholic stench.

So why bother with ethanol from a rubbish dump?

BIO FUEL

Bioethanol is a tried and tested biofuel.

A biofuel is a fuel derived from natural sources which are not fossil in nature.

Take the example of our rubbish dump.

Ethanol is easily derived from kitchen waste through the action of microrganisms.

Such ethanol is called ‘bioethanol’ and is useful in applications such as cooking, heating etc.

Bioethanol is such a respected form of fuel that entire industries and economies are built around it.

Take for instance a nation like the United States which produced nearly 15 billion gallons of bioethanol in 2015 – without even considering other bioethanol giants like Brazil and Indonesia.

In nations like Kenya, biofuel startups have also made entry into the market.

Take for instance Koko Networks which has established a market among the bottom of the pyramid customers.

Today, there’s a need for dependable suppliers of bioethanol to meet growing market demand and this is where your kitchen waste could come in handy.

Conversion of kitchen waste to bioethanol is one thing.

Isolating the bioethanol from the rubbish mixture is another.

But the greatest of challenges concerns the conversion efficiency from waste to bioethanol.

MUNICIPAL WASTE

It has been researched that out of every 1kg of municipal waste, slightly under 400g of bioethanol could be recovered.

But this is more of a theoretical figure simply because it will depend on the quality of conversion by microorganisms

This could be subject of research and development among experts in biotechnology and microbiology.

Ways could be found to promote growth of such bacteria in a waste mound to speed up the conversion process.

BOTTOM LINE

The kitchen waste we frown upon so often is a goldmine of sorts.

It’s a raw material we could use to derive products such as compost, biogas and bioethanol.

It’s not just an opportunity to manufacture new products but one through which we could practice recycling: creating a circular economy in the process.