Goterra’s food waste management system has arrived in Western Sydney, Australia, which uses Black Soldier Fly larvae (BSFL) to break down food waste onsite rapidly, at a large scale. The process saves up to 97% of CO2 emissions compared to food organics being disposed of in landfill, Goterra pointed out.
Goterra has opened its doors to a brand-new facility, harnessing groundbreaking technology to tackle the mounting issue of food waste at Wetherill Park, Australia. The company points out that this is a significant step towards creating a food waste circular economy.
The system uses insects called Black Soldier Fly larvae to break down food waste onsite rapidly, at a large scale. Housed in deep-tech, shipping container-sized units dubbed ‘Maggot Robots,’ the larvae can devour vast amounts of food waste, according to Goterra’s statement. The process saves up to 97% of CO2 emissions compared to food organics being disposed of in landfill.
This process yields high-value products for agriculture, including an organic fertiliser and nutrient-packed insect protein that supports a circular economy. Further Scope 3 emissions are saved by handling waste onsite at Wetherill Park, avoiding additional vehicle miles to landfills that are fast filling up and running out of space.
Woolworths is the site’s founding customer, sending food waste from its stores across the Sydney region, which isn’t suitable for hunger relief charities. Woolworths has been partnering with Goterra to process its food waste since 2020. Waste management company, Cleanaway, will be collaborating with Woolworths and Goterra to transport the food waste from Woolworths, along with other aggregated loads from its customers around the city to the new facility.
Goterra’s CEO Olympia Yarger said this decentralised model is transformative for Sydney, which produces over 500,000 tonnes of food waste annually, mostly trucked to landfills outside the metro area. “For too long, food waste has decomposed in landfills creating methane, a GHG with a global warming effect 25 times more potent than CO2. Our partnership with forward-thinking partners like Woolworths and Cleanaway will help change that,” explained Yarger.
The prominent Sydney site, processing over 100 tonnes every week, will create 10 new jobs for locals to Fairfield City Council and provide a blueprint for a system with the highest order of food waste recovery.
Goterra stated that the larvae inside its units work around the clock, enabling 24/7 waste processing. Sensors track temperature, humidity and waste levels, automatically adjusting conditions to optimise digestion.
Goterra is expanding its fleet of modular waste units across Australia, providing scalable, decentralised and emissions-reducing waste solutions.
