They are small electrical appliances fitted under domestic sinks, connected to the wastewater outlet. Food waste is fed into the food waste disposer with cold water and the waste is ground down into small particles which flush easily through the wastewater system to wastewater treatment plants, where biogas and soil improvers are extracted.

In this country, according to OFWAT over 80% of sewage sludge is already treated by anaerobic digestion (AD) and this is set to rise further as recovery ambitions increase. Food waste is very rich in biogas, phosphorus, nitrates as well as other fertilisers.

A common misconception is that a food waste disposer works similar to a standard bin or composting unit. However, the reality is far different.

An InSinkErator food waste disposer breaks food waste down into very fine particles, almost liquifying them so that they can be flushed through your plumbing.

Once food waste is flushed through your plumbing, it goes to wastewater treatment where it can yield valuable biogas and fertiliser for agriculture.

Installing an InSinkErator food waste disposer is a straightforward process for any handy person or plumber. The video on our installation videos page explains exactly what you need to do from start to finish and there are also some comprehensive instructions that com in the box.

You'll need these tools:

• A phillips screwdriver
• A pipe wrench
• Pliers
• Safety goggles

Our food waste disposers can dispose of most food wast in a matter of seconds. However, certain food types are only recommended for our Evolution models.

Our Evolution models can grind most food waste, and our M-Series models cand grind any food apart from stringy and fibrous materials such as banana peel, celery and rhubarb.

An InSinkErator food waste disposer effortlessly grinds food waste into tiny particles that are flushed down the drain and to the local wastewater treatment plant - where they can be used to create biogas.

What NOT to put down your food waste disposer

There are certain things you should never put down your drain, whether you have a disposer or not.

Please avoid putting fats, oils, harsh cleaning products and other non-food products down your disposer.

Take a look at our infographic to see the difference between our M-series and Evolution food waste disposer.

Food waste disposers are very low maintenance appliances. However, if you smell any odours coming from your disposer, it's usually the sign of food build up.

Over time, food waste particles can accumulate inside the grind chamber and sink baffle.

To clean your disposer, follow these simple steps:

1. Turn off your disposer
2. Remove the sink baffle and clean the underside of the baffle with a scouring pad
3. Place the baffle back in the sinkhole
4. Turn on your disposer and run a medium stream of cold water
5. Place ice cubes mixed with lemon/lime wedges down your disposer to freshen it up

No, it is as simple as that!

InSinkErator food waste disposers are perfectly safe and don't have blades or knives. Instead, lugs are used to throw food waste against a stationary grind ring. The grind ring breaks food waste down into very fine particles, almost liquefying them, so they can flush down your plumbing.

If you don't believe us watch the video below that demonstrates the how the lugs and grind ring work together inside our food waste disposers to grind up food waste into tiny particles.

Click here for video

InSinkErator Sound Limiter™ insulation and Anti-vibration mount® technology mean Evolution disposer models can operate with very little noise versus a standard disposer. We also recommend installing a good quality sink with your food waste disposer, which can eliminate vibration and noise.

No, you do not need a special sink to install an InSinkErator food waste disposer. As standard, most sinks come with a 90mm sink hole and our disposers are designed to fit these, you just need to check that you have enough space under your sink to fit the unit.

If you have a ceramic sink, we recommend that you choose one of our Evolution models. Evolution disposers are fitted with anti-vibration technology, so this will ensure there are no strong vibrations that could damage a delicate material like ceramic sinks.

No. A food waste disposer can be installed with both a single bowl sink or a double bowl sink, this is a personal preference. Check sink and food waste disposer dimensions for details.

Potentially biogas, or renewable energy and fertilisers.

Finely ground food waste from a disposer will not block a well-maintained sewer. It is 70% water and has a very similar composition to the human waste that all sewers are designed to handle. An extensive scientific programme at the University of Sheffield is confirming that these concerns are unfounded.

Domestic composting works well in homes that know how to do it and have outside space. However, in urban homes with limited space storing food in caddies for collection is problematic and attracts low participation.

There are also a number of foods that should not be composted but can be put in a food waste disposer. These include bread, meat bones and cooked rice.

While ultimately municipal composting is not usually able to fully recover the potential energy, over 80% of WwTP now have AD , enabling them to recover biogas, phosphates, nitrates and other crucial soil improvers.

The cover control kit (batch feed kit) is simply an alternative to the air switch which is the standard for all of our food waste disposers.

Instead of turning your disposer on by pushing the air switch, you simply insert the magnetic cover start switch into the disposer and it will only run when the cover is on.

Ideal for families extra concerned with safety or for those who prefer the traditional cover control operation.