Five Newfoundland towns join FoodCycler program to turn household food waste into fertilizer, aiming to cut landfill use and emissions across the province.
Five Municipalities Launch Food Waste Solution
Five municipalities in Newfoundland and Labrador—Gander, Corner Brook, Pasadena, Conception Bay South, and Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s—have joined forces to launch a new home composting initiative using the FoodCycler. The program, introduced in July 2025, aims to combat rising landfill volumes and the province’s lack of a compostable waste system by turning household scraps into usable fertilizer.
How the FoodCycler Works
The FoodCycler, developed by Food Cycle Science, is a compact kitchen appliance that transforms a variety of food waste—including meat, dairy, bones, fruit pits, shells, napkins, and coffee grinds—into nutrient-rich fertilizer.
“It looks like an air fryer, but it’s much more than that,” said Christina Zardo, Director of Municipal Programs at Food Cycle Science. “You load the bucket, press a button, and in six to eight hours, you get a small amount of odorless, ready-to-use fertilizer.”
The machine heats and grinds waste, using a filtered aluminum bucket that contains smells and prevents fruit flies.
Why Municipal Support Matters
Newfoundland and Labrador currently has no active provincial composting system, prompting local governments to step up. The participating towns are cost-sharing the program with Food Cycle Science, allowing residents to purchase subsidized FoodCycler units at $200 to $300, depending on the model.
Zardo emphasized that the program is designed to make composting accessible: “Food waste is smelly, it attracts pests, and it clogs our landfills. This tool helps people turn waste into something valuable—right from their kitchen.”
Environmental and Economic Impact
The program is designed not just to reduce household waste, but also to curb methane emissions from landfills that contribute to climate change. According to Zardo, each cycle costs only five to ten cents in electricity, depending on the location’s energy grid.
“It’s a low-cost, energy-efficient way to recycle nutrients back into the earth without the need for a curbside program,” she said. “It’s a small machine, but it can have a big impact on how we manage waste.”
What’s Next for Waste Diversion
The municipalities hope this initiative will inspire broader adoption of decentralized composting solutions across Atlantic Canada. With no curbside compost collection in place, the FoodCycler program provides a practical and immediate alternative.
As residents begin integrating the devices into daily use, officials will monitor participation rates and environmental outcomes to determine if the model could be scaled further.
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