Frequently Asked Questions
For more information on how we can help your business or organization start managing food waste and reduce your carbon foot print, contact us today.
No, a Syker System is constantly digesting food waste. The Syker System drum (our reaction chamber) periodically mixes new food waste, old food waste, water, oxygen, and our special blend of microorganisms (Syker Solution). We’ve designed the Syker System in such a way that the motor only runs a quarter of the time to mix, or slowly stir the food waste.
No. You can add food waste at any time, day or night. A Syker System is constantly digesting waste.
All of the food waste is digested and converted to grey water. This water exits the machine through the perforated drum base and is flushed out of the machine and into your drain. The only time the machine is emptied is when the SykerStars are changed out every 24-30 months.
No. The decomposition is an aerobic process (in the presence of oxygen). In a forest, the leaves from the trees fall on the floor and decompose in an aerobic manner. The forest doesn’t smell. This same process is utilized within a Syker System, we just accelerate it significantly. If the food waste has already begun to rot, then a Syker System will digest this waste but it will not be able to remove the odor.
No. Any smells detected from a Syker System are caused by already rotten food waste being added. When operating normally, there should be no smells so there is no requirement to periodically inject a deodorizer.
Little to none. As the motor within a Syker System is only operating for roughly a quarter of the time, there is very little source of noise. We have designed a Syker System in such a way that the motor is not under any stress and is therefore very quiet. In most environments where a Syker System is installed, it will likely be the last thing you hear. When no water is being injected and the motor is not turning, the sound is zero; this is typically the case 75% of the time.
A Syker System will digest most food waste in 12 hours. Within 24 hours, you will find that about 95% of all food waste has been digested.
SykerSolution is our proprietary blend of microorganisms and enzymes, it is 100% organic and perfectly safe. We recommend adding more SykerSolution approximately every 9-12 months, though, if digestion has slowed it is recommended to do this sooner. SykerSolution has a shelf life of over 1 year and can be purchased directly from Syker Systems. Please contact our sales team for more information.
SykerStars are simply our porous medium for housing the microorganisms. They are also perfectly safe. From our experience, SykerStars will operate well for between 24-30 months of continuous usage. At this point we recommend replacement. SykerStars, like SykerSolution, can be purchased directly from Syker Systems. Please contact our sales team for more information.
There are a few ways we supply oxygen to our machine. Firstly, and most obviously, every time you add food waste you have to open the loading door and are therefore also adding oxygen to the reaction chamber. Our machine is also fitted with an air pump that injects air into the machine as required.
The digested food waste exits a Syker System as grey water. We recommend you plumb this into a sewer drain, not a storm drain. A sewer drain is usually found at floor level and is commonly found in all commercial kitchens.
We currently have 2 different size models, but our family is always evolving. Our sales and technical team will help you find the right Syker System for your business. They may ask you to keep track of the number of meals you serve daily, or the weight of the food waste produced over a short period of time in order to tailor the correct sized machine for your needs.
We understand that fluctuations happen in any business. We recommend at least 30% of the nominal capacity of your machine. Loading frequency and settings are adjustable, so if you have any questions, please contact our technical support.
The kitchen is where the majority of your food waste will be generated so it is, therefore, most convenience location. Installing in a kitchen setting also greatly reduces any transportation of your food waste, making it very easy to dispose of. However, our technical team can assess any chosen location for installation.
A Syker System should be installed on firm level ground, ideally close to a sewer drain. You will need to supply hot and cold water, and electricity. (You may select the correct electrical requirement for your region during the ordering process).
Most commercial kitchens already have a grease trap installed and we recommend the Syker System’s output is plumbed through this. If you require any assistance with sizing a grease trap, our technical team will be on hand to assist.
Provided the supplies and drain are close by, the installation will normally take no more than a few hours. If power, water, etc., have to be run installation time will increase accordingly.
Our technical team will assist you with all aspects of installing and commissioning your Syker System.
After commissioning, a Syker System is designed for ease of use. Just open the door, add the allowed amount of food waste and then close the door. It really is as simple as that.
A Syker System runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Even when the motor is not running a Syker System is still digesting food waste. As long as the machine is not overloaded in terms of weight, food waste can be added at any time.
The simple answer is no. The second you open the door, there is a safety interlock that will stop the motor and water injection. Simply add the food waste, close the door and the machine will automatically start again.
No, we don’t recommend loading the machine to more than 75% of its nominal capacity at any one time. We recommend adding food waste to a Syker System many times over the course of a day.
We recommend you add food waste to a Syker System as frequently as possible, at any time day or night. A Syker System will operate to its full potential this way. We advise adding food waste as soon as possible after discarding it, as this will reduce the potential for the waste to begin decomposing.
In an ideal world yes, however, we appreciate this is not always possible. Not feeding a Syker System every day will not have any effect on the machine. During a prolonged period of disuse, for example, 10 or more days, the microorganisms in the reaction chamber will eventually die off and the process will slow and stop. This can be easily rectified by topping the machine up with fresh SykerSolution.
No, please leave a Syker System switched on at all times, even if you’re away for a prolonged period of time. If you need to switch off your machine for a prolonged time, please contact our technical support for guidance.
A Syker System can literally digest anything we as humans can. Our SykerSolution has been designed to digest a mixture of food waste such as fruit, vegetables, cheese, bread, rice, noodles, fish, and meat.
In terms of organic items, a Syker System cannot digest coffee grounds, shells, corn husks, large fruit stones and pits, large bones, and any liquid or oils. Liquids and oils will simply not remain in the reaction chamber but will pass straight through the machine, and may lead to clogging of your grease trap. Highly fibrous items like lemon grass should also be limited. In terms of inorganic materials, nothing should be added to the machine.
Firstly, don’t panic, it happens. We recommend every few days, or at least once a week, putting the machine in manual mode, rotating the arms, and checking for any foreign objects. This operation is simple and safe to do and is described in the manual.
No, you can simply lift the lid and add whatever food waste you have at that time.
Ideally, the food waste should be between 20℃ and 45℃ (68℉ to 113℉). If the food waste is too hot, allow it to cool for a short while. Food waste that is too hot can kill the microorganisms. Likewise, don’t add any frozen food. This will cause the temperature inside the reaction chamber to drop and the process to slow significantly. If you have frozen food waste, food then allow it to thaw to room temperature before adding to the Syker System.
A Syker System has a touch screen with a modern user interface. We find that after installation and commissioning, most customers do not need to enter this interface in terms of configuration. Through the screen, an operator could access data including control, status, usage, statistics, and diagnostics.
A Syker System uses very little electricity, the motor only turns 25% of the time and the control system uses very little power. Our Stratus model uses about 500L (132 US Gallons) of water per day and our larger Nimbus model uses about 1000L (264 US Gallons) per day.
Ideally, the water input temperature should be between 35-45℃ (95-113℉). We have installed a mixing valve within the internal plumbing to easily achieve this.
A Syker System uses water to maintain a proper environment within the reaction chamber. Washout water is also supplied to the trough at the base of the machine where the drain connection is situated. Together with the digested food waste, you can expect to produce approximately 500L (132 US Gallons) on our Stratus model, and 1000L (264 US Gallons) on our larger Nimbus model over 24 hours.
Food waste sent to landfill is continuously dumped on top of other food waste. It begins to decompose anaerobically, as there is no way to get fresh oxygen into the pile. This creates methane (CH₄). The EPA states that methane is more than 25 times as potent as carbon dioxide. It’s for this reason that many authorities are now banning the use of landfills for the disposal of organic waste.
As food is created it uses photosynthesis and CO₂ from the atmosphere to grow. A Syker System releases this back into the environment as part of the carbon cycle. This process is perfectly natural.
No, because the process within the reaction chamber is aerobic (in the presence of oxygen), no methane is produced by a Syker System.
No, we use no chemicals. Our SykerSolution is a proprietary blend of microorganisms and enzymes and is 100% organic.
Syker Systems are designed in British Columbia, Canada, through a collaborative effort between the Syker System team and IEM (Industrial Equipment Manufacturing Ltd).
Syker Systems are built to the highest standard at IEM’s Canadian or Indonesian manufacturing sites.
We offer 3 years parts, and 1 year labour on all Syker Systems.
Quite simply, we feel we offer the best biodigester on the market. We know the digestion process works, but have watched as competitors have failed due to inferior machines, resulting in numerous failures. At Syker, we focus heavily on building reliable, robust systems. All of our machines have been over-engineered, they’ve been designed and built to operate above and beyond, rather than just to a minimum specification where they are constantly reaching their limit.
Our Syker Technical Team will be happy to assist you with any required servicing. Please contact the team directly for more information
A Syker System is designed to operate in the remotest of locations and therefore we have kept servicing to a minimum. Along with the very basic checks mentioned above, we recommend an annual minor service and a major service every 3 years. Please contact our technical team for more information.
The only time you need to empty a Syker System is when it’s time to replace the SykerStars. For this process, stop adding food waste to the reaction chamber 48-72 hours before the planned change, empty the machine, add the new SykerStars, top up with SykerSolution, and you’re back online.
A Syker System will inform you of any need for servicing through notifications on the built-in touch screen.
This will be dependent on the type of maintenance. The weekly reaction chamber inspection should take no more than a few minutes. Our annual service requires just a few hours. We also recommend a major service every 3 years which requires up to a full day.
Please contact our sales team directly for the latest pricing information.
No, a Syker System will be delivered complete with the correct amount of SykerStars and SykerSolution. SykerSolution should last between 6-9 months, and for SykerStars between 24-30 months.
Please contact our sales team directly for the latest lead time information.
Sales: Toby Zambetti
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 877.713.3363
General Inquiries:
Email: [email protected]
