The bioresource management group at the University’s Institute of Wastewater Management & Water Protection has recently acquired a custom-made electric cargo bike which was developed and customised in cooperation with a local cargo-bike producer in order to be used in food waste collection activities.
The construction of the bike is based on an aluminium frame with all parts being screwed to it. This modularity allows broken parts to be changed and replaced in case anything breaks. When it comes to the key parts, the waste collection body is an intermediate bulk container (IBC) with a large upper lid for filling it with waste and a single flanged side valve to empty the IBC at the lower end. Excluding the bike and the driver, the bike can handle around 180 kg of food waste.
The bioresource management group will now deploy the bike in case studies in order to test the bike in full action. In any case, such a solution will further decrease the environmental impact of the biowaste collection compared to conventional collection with motorised vehicles.
