SIP Organic Waste Disposal Plant partly came into service on Feb 18, with a designed capacity of dealing with 90,000-ton kitchen waste, 30,000-ton filtrate and 30,000-ton landscape waste per year.

The about-60-mu (4-hectare) plant, located to the east of Jinyan Road and south of Dongfang Avenue, boasts advanced equipment and technologies to break down and recycle biodegradable waste such as expired and spoiled food, leaves and plant trimmings.

"The plant has been working well since the pilot operation started last November," said Chen Ling, deputy operation director at Huayan Environmental Development (Suzhou) Co Ltd, operator of the plant.

According to Chen, the plant each day deals with about 160 tons of kitchen waste collected from over 1,500 restaurants and canteens across SIP. Its services are expected to cover all catering service suppliers in SIP by the end of June before being extended to residents' homes.

Moreover, the project runs in tandem with existing local organic waste, sewage and sludge disposal projects to produce biogas, organic fertilizers and other eco-friendly materials that can help greatly reduce carbon emission and save energy.