A work towards sustainablity
My name is James Dai
Senior Highschooler from Shenzhen, Ceramic artist, sailor, aviation fanatic, and environmental activist
Scraps to Soil
Roots
How should we correctly handel kitchen waste? Along with the rise of consumerism, excess waste grew significantly, leading to the accumulation of landfills. In fact, as stated by the U.S Environmental protection agency, over 24 percent of the waste we produce come from the kitchen. Through the daily chore of taking out the trash, I took notice in the pain of disposing of kitchen waste. Not only does it produce a strong and unpleasant odor, but the mixing of wet and dry waste also makes the trash bags extra bulky and heavy. After conducting deeper research, I discovered that kitchen waste actually accounts for 24% of the total amount of garbage in landfills. And if not correctly handled, they are capable of releasing huge amounts of greenhouse gas into our atmosphere. With these insights, I carried out a market survey, studied the existing waste bins, and developed my own model for a kitchen waste bin. After three rounds of modifications, I created the final version of the bin, which I sold at the Earth Day charity sale I organized. While conducting deeper research, I came across the Black Soldier Fly, which is already being used in small scales to decompose kitchen waste. I found that this system is especially biofriendly and sustainable for rural areas, where fertilizer and animal feed are on high demand. I then incorporated this into my design, completing a self sustaining system.
Simulation of process in Unity Engine
In order to coherently show the process in which Compost waste is recycled, I learned to use Unity engine using online resources that were available to me. Learning coding in the process, I created multiple video simulations that I used to show how the user will interact with the machine. From picking up a recycling bin, putting it in the machine, to picking up fertilizer through the other end, my simulation makes clear to the all how my design functions.
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View Video in Youtube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_xh3GPolBs
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Construction process
After I had my design finalized, I contacted a factory in Dongguan, which is an hour away from where I live. After extensive coordination across multiple weeks, the factory produced the wheel component of my machine. I then purchased the grinder and pipe nozzle system, and installed them onto the machine.
Construction of mechanical wheel design
Water nozzle system for cleaning bins
Slot that holds on to the bin as the wheel is turned
I designed and coordinated the construction of a wheel sytem that could dump the kitchen waste out of my Compost bins, in the process cleaning them to be reused.
I came to realize that our actions alone cannot be enough to save our entire planet. Over 24 percent of the waste we produce comes from the kitchen, and no matter how many recycle stations I build I can’t cover everywhere in the world. However, what I can do is the spread awareness on more sustainable practices, urging all to become involved in the process. With the help of Hongli charity fund, I have given multiple speeches to primary school students on the ability of Black soldier Flies to break down kitchen waste to primary school students in Meizhou, urging them to raise these flies at home to consume kitchen waste. With the example of my own family, I perfectly believe that with the right determination, all of us can go waste free in the kitchen. Over the next three years, my program in Meizhou will cover over 30 schools and over 20,000 students, showing them in person on how my designed system works. I hold true to the idea that we as a collective can bring 24 to zero, and I am forever devoted to this effort.
Spreading the word
Implementation
Upon completing and testing my machine, I decided to try and implement the system in Fenglin village located in Wuhua, Meizhou. The village has recently been experiencing rapid urbanization, with highways and speedrails bringing infastructure such as factories. However, people in the village have not been using any forms of kitchen waste recycling, and have been dumbing their waste in landfills. Not only does this create an abhorent odor for inhabitants, it also covers huge amounts of land. I saw a huge potential in my compost waste recycling system for this particular village, as I belive it can produce fertlizer and animal feed for the villagers and at the same time restrain waste production. And the result were exactly as I had expected. As of September of 2025, over 200 households in the village are using the station, involving over 1200 people.
I continued to spread my system to schools in Meizhou. Through the Hongli charity fund, I was able to spread my system to various primary schools in Meizhou, giving lectures on the benefits of composting through black soldier flies. This project is expanding to over 30 primary schools in Guangdong, mostly around the north-eastern region where agricultural activity are primarily centered.