Composting kitchen scraps reduces material waste, but this way of collecting the scraps also reduces time and energy waste. With a built-in receptacle flush with the countertop, it's so easy to just sweep kitchen scraps right in.
We read about this idea at a discussion on GardenWeb and then went looking for examples. Above are a few of the installations we found.
Do you have a built-in compost receptacle? Or even just one for garbage? We're loving the idea of simply pushing kitchen waste across the counter to a chute where it's all collected.
Related: Do You Compost Your Kitchen Waste?
(Images: Freelance Kitchen Design, CasaSugar, Domino July/August 2006, Greenopolis)
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I WANT ONE! My only concern is with how it works underneath-- I wouldn't want to attract critters.
I would worry about smell and creatures. How do these work to prevent those issues?
I get the impression that it doesn't actually compost under the counter, but rather collects things to go out to the compost later... I am imagining that a small garbage can that slides on rails being flush to the underside of the counter with the lid on the counter top would be enough to keep most of the bad smells at bay, until its time to take it out to your regular outdoor composting unit.
Anyway, that's a super idea, I really like the one that is integrated into the cutting board. *added to list of things to have in dream kitchen* :)
After another read of the post I see where it says "Composting kitchen scraps reduces material waste, but this way of collecting the scraps also reduces time and energy waste. With a built-in receptacle flush with the countertop, it's so easy to just sweep kitchen scraps right in."
for one that actually composts in the kitchen, the only thing i've found is this, and i doubt that it would work through a hole in the counter. (link is to NatureMill composters.)
It is just a catch for the food wasted from cutting, to be taken to the compost pile outside.
Seems unhygienic and a pain to clean. I couldn't imagine having to scrub that every night to prevent a rotting smell.
you could potentially have a worm composting bin under a kitchen counter and it would be smell free and would compost "on demand". I dont think that is what you see here, but I have seen examples of it elsewhere.
If it's simply to collect stuff to dump immediately, it seems unnecessarily complicated to me. Is sweeping it into a hole so much easier than into a receptacle at the edge of the counter? I mean, cut-a-hole-in-your-counter and install-a-sliding-receptacle easier? If so, then more power to you.