Waste not, want not

First there was the Marie Kondo craze for organising our household stuff. Now, we have an innovative new Kiwi-made solution for recycling kitchen waste and storing dirty laundry.

Anyone who is upgrading or building a new kitchen or laundry should consider the Tanova Designer Series of space-efficient storage and waste solutions, created by New Zealand company FIT in response to Kiwi consumers’ and manufacturers’ feedback.

The Tanova Designer Series was created to suit even the most challenging kitchen and laundry designs, with space-saving products available in a wide range of size options, as well as being easy to install and adjust to fit. But, perhaps, the most exciting design feature is the option of an integrated Bokashi composting system.

Bokashi composting is currently known among green-fingered gardeners and environmentalists, but it is now becoming more popular – due to its ease of use and the growing environmental concern about reducing the waste we humans produce.

While many people are keen to recycle organic kitchen food waste to help reduce waste to landfill, they are often put off by the ‘hassle’ aspects of composting, such as dealing with worms, bad smells, traipsing into the garden in the dark or when it’s raining. Fortunately, the Bokashi composting system is an easier alternative.

“The Bokashi system is incredible,” says FIT director Marty Boakes. “There is really no other system you can bring indoors and effectively manage organic food waste. It also handles proteins, such as meat and dairy, and carbs, like rice and bread, that worms can’t cope with. When developing our Tanova product, we did a lot of research and it was the only system we could find that you can use effectively without unwanted smells or insects, and without any drama.”

The Bokashi composting system, when integrated into the Tanova Designer Series, uses the bucket’s usual method of construction and design. “The Bokashi bucket is special in that it features a proper sealed lid, utensils for handling food waste, a drain plate at the bottom to separate the solids from the liquids, a tap on the bottom to release the fluids and at the back of the unit, it has a

compartment that contains the Bokashi bran mixture. This is like a grain/fibre that carries the effective micro- organism, which is a special bacteria that breaks the food down using fermentation.”

“You can even go away on holiday and leave it,” he explains, “You just add a bit more of the activating Bokashi bran on the top, make sure it has some room in the fluid reservoir and the system can go for two or three weeks. The fluid drains out similar to the fluid that comes out of a wormery, you dilute it with water and use it as a fertiliser on plants. It’s bacteria rich and you can also use it to cure smelly drains.”

When doing his research, Marty experimented to see if the Bokashi compost bin would work with raw chicken breast, which he sat on top of the waste, added some bran and left for two weeks in a warm atmosphere before popping the lid off. “It didn’t decompose or rot – the cells just broke down the structure of the food waste. When it’s introduced to soil, it breaks down really fast. It’s a seriously cool system for anyone who cares about the environment and enjoys a garden. The trick is to leave the lid on as much as possible because it’s an anaerobic system so the process of Bokashi happens without oxygen.”

Beautiful design is a key aspect of FIT’s company philosophy, coupled with consumer considerations. The Tanova Designer Series is rooted in feedback received from our customers, suggests Marty. “We needed to make sure it was easy to install, and wanted to maximise the use of space. We have added to the capacity within the constraints of standard cabinetry, as well as increasing its strength and rigidity, and extended the runner system to give more clearance behind the back bin.”

“Compared with other bins on the market, our kitchen bins and laundry hampers are designed with clean lines and are really easy to clean,” says Marty. “There are very few nooks and crannies to trap dirt, and all services are easy to wipe down. The bins are also really easy to remove as the handle grips are easy to access and lift out, then carrying them to the waste and recycling bins.”

The Tanova Designer Series is just another of FIT’s drives to develop some of the most innovative storage and waste solutions for the home, combining both practicality and aesthetics.

Click here for more information about the Tanova Designer Series and here to read about FIT's Tanova Bokashi Home Composting System.