From waste to organic fertilizer

The Southern Area Well Completion Operations Department (SAWCOD) led a sequence of environmental initiatives along with new technologies to reduce and minimize its footprint associated with well completion operations, including turning food waste to organic fertilizers. 

Impact on the environment

The environment can become negatively impacted from just two small steps in the food catering chain, which is at the beginning (preparation) and at the end (uneaten). When we waste food, we waste all the energy and water it takes to grow, harvest, and transport. And if food goes to the landfill and rots, it produces methane — a greenhouse gas — which is a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.

Organic fertilizers to local community

“SAWCOD takes pride in every step we take to have a positive impact on the environment,” says Zakareya R. AlBenSaad, SAWCOD manager (A). 

SAWCOD has worked with service providers to introduce the reuse of the food waste process. The process strives to divert food waste from the landfill and generate a nutrient compost. The food waste collected is processed and bio-treated via a composting machine that uses microbial technology to compost waste and turn it into organic humus-rich material.

SAWCOD has collaborated with the Southern Area Community Services Department to deliver the generated fertilizer to be used in planting for the community landscape. 

SAWCOD delivered the first batch of food fertilizer to the ‘Udhailiyah community, a total of 90 kg, which can produce more than of 5,400 kg of humus-rich soil.