A giant waste composter at Dizengoff Center was christened in a celebratory ceremony on Tuesday that included Environment Protection Minister Tamar Zandberg (Meretz).
The composter, named an Ecodrum, is unique in that it allows for a private business to turn its own organic waste into compost. A pilot run at Dizengoff Center ended successfully recently, and the machine will now be stationed there permanently.
The project was carried out jointly by the Mega supermarket chain, the Tel Aviv Municipality, environmental NGO Zalul (clear), and the Ecocity Green Company.
The composter is 10 meters long, holds 22,000 liters and weighs four tons. It can recycle from a half-ton to a ton of organic waste every day. The waste for the Dizengoff machine is being provided by the Mega supermarket and restaurants on its premises, while the Tel Aviv Municipality will supply wood trimmings. The two ingredients create quality compost when mixed, which will then be used by the Tel Aviv Municipality and its residents.
The localized waste-to-compost process renders waste transport to burial sites unnecessary and lowers methane gas emissions, both of which are dangerous for the environment.
"The State of Israel today buries 80% of its waste, and I intend to introduce legislation and facilities to change this," Zandberg said.
Dizengoff Center aims to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero by 2028, according to CEO and part-owner Dan Filtz. The Ecodrum will save the public between NIS 200,000 - 300,000 a year, he said.
"We believe that Dizengoff Center's groundbreaking move will prove that responsible climate action is good not only for human and nature's health but is also economically efficient and saves a large amount of resources," according toZalul head Maya Jacobs.