Child-safe composting system in development

A new motorised, child-safe composting system is in development for Papatoetoe East School, led by University of Auckland Professor Saeid Baroutian and Paul Dickson from Oke Charity.

Designed as a rotating drum that turns food scraps, garden waste and paper into fresh compost right on school grounds, the system is low-maintenance and easy for small hands to use.

It will take the kinds of things that usually end up in a school bin – banana peels, sandwich crusts, shredded classroom paper – and turn them into nutrient-rich soil for the school’s māra kai and gardens.

Students will be able to add their own scraps and watch the drum slowly transform their leftovers.

"If we want sustainability to be second nature for the next generation, we need to give them more experiences like this," says Baroutian.

"Composting is the circular economy in action – students see their apple cores go in and a few weeks later they’re holding soil that can grow new plants."

The Child-Safe Smart Composting pilot is funded by Auckland Council’s Waste Minimisation Innovation Fund and delivered in partnership with the University of Auckland, UniServices, Oke Charity and Papatoetoe East School. The team also includes University researcher Anne-Marie Coleman.

The project comes in light of International Compost Awareness Week (May 3-9). But it’s about more than just waste reduction, says Baroutian.

"This is not just a compost bin. We are designing a child-safe, engineered composting system that can work in a real school setting while also becoming part of how students learn about sustainability, materials, food systems and care for the environment."

The insulated in-vessel composting system will have guarded parts and controlled access so students can get involved safely. It will also have basic sensors to monitor conditions such as temperature and moisture.

The pilot will track how much waste is diverted, how easy the system is to run and the quality of the compost it produces.

The project also includes curriculum‑linked activities, student "green team" leadership, and integration of mātauranga Māori and kaitiakitanga practices. 

The project is currently in the design phase, with development, installation, training, monitoring and evaluation continuing through 2026 and early 2027.

The results will help shape a replicable design and guidance for wider rollout across Auckland schools.