Environmentally friendly Green Cone will eat into London homes' food waste

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The Green Cone, being promoted by Islington, is said to cut a household's landfill waste by up to 30per cent. Using the heat of the sun, it turns all types of food - including meat, a change from normal composters - into water, carbon dioxide and a small, soil-boosting residue.

The translucent cone, made from recycled plastic, uses solar energy to create a heat trap of circulating air that encourages the growth of natural bacteria which break down the food. The cone is just over a metre high, but almost half is dug into the ground. It can take up to one full caddy of food waste every one to two days in summer and every two to three days in winter.

Islington council is promoting the opt-for Green Cone, charging residents £30 to buy one - lower than the recommended retail price of £68.07 plus £9.74 delivery.

Users must also buy "accelerator powder" which contains the bacteria that keep the cone working. About 90per cent of the food waste becomes water and carbon dioxide, with a residue left in a basket which only needs to be emptied, say the manufacturers, once every two years.

Katharine Robinson, 44, an environmental consultant from Barnes, has used a cone since 2002. She said it was especially useful when children Zoe, 12, and Max, 14, were young. "Anybody can use it, as long as they have a garden or an allotment. It's very low maintenance," she added.

Green charity Wrap said 30per cent of bought food is thrown away. In London 400,000 untouched apples, 750,000 slices of bread and 125,000 slices of ham are binned daily.