The collaboration between (AEL) and Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) began in 2011 on the sole manufacturer and sales partner on food waste composting systems. In 2015, AEL was invited to take part in the construction of HKPC’s FTR “Total Food Waste Recycling System” with a capacity of 50 kg per day at Hong Kong, receiving excellent results and winning multiple awards.

With the success achieved, AEL and HKPC further designed and constructed a pilot plant in Zhuhai, China with a capacity of 1 tonne per day in 2017. Operation commenced in mid-2018 where on-site food waste collection and treatment were conducted to test and demonstrate the commercial operation of the food waste recycling system.

With the system, food waste is converted into biogas with high methane content, fish/animal feed materials rich in protein and floatable oil for biodiesel production. The total conversion of waste into products with high market values demonstrates complete resource utilization. The system also utilized a patented automatic pre-treatment unit where non-biodegradable items are sorted out. A subsequent 2-stage anaerobic digestion system separates food waste decomposition and methanogensis into two bioreactors, effectively treating food waste with high oil content and producing an increased biogas yield.

The waste entrapment prevention system is a buffering system that is able to compact waste under a consistent and efficient manner. An elevation component is located between the compactor and the container to monitor the angle between the compaction head and the container door. When the compaction head is at its full compaction range, the system will be able to detect and complete the process, preventing improper compaction of waste. This innovative design can be used in designing refuse transfer systems.

The rolling compaction head design is an improvement of similar existing designs on service life and maintenance cost. There are supporting rollers on the compaction head, as well as a filling board on the bottom of it. This improved design can be used for future waste compactor designs. 

The inclined refuse transfer station includes a compactor and a container that are inter-connected. The waste container is placed parallel to the ground while the compactor is placed at a slightly inclined angle. There are also sealed strips installed in the gaps between the two components, along with a wastewater collection device located at the end of the compactor. This environmentally innovative design can significantly increase the efficiency of transporting waste along slopes as well as collecting the polluted wastewater for disposal.