Quebec-based startup Tero is digging into how consumers can take on more sustainable habits, inspired by the absence of an organised compost collection system in the capital. Tero was designed as a sleek, functional household appliance: a device that turns one kilogram of food waste into a powder weighing just 100 grams—a 90% reduction in weight—through a quick, odorless dehydration process. The powder—rich in nutrients—can then immediately be used as a garden fertiliser: turning waste into a resource.

Product designers Elizabeth Coulombe and Valérie Laliberté, while working toward a degree in product design, recognised a problem in Quebec City, the province’s capital: the city has no formal compost collection system. Residents that would rather recycle their food scraps—instead of throwing them in the general waste–have to do it themselves, which usually necessitates abundant garden space. With this in mind, the women created a product that would make composting a simple, accessible activity.

From this, Tero was born: inspired by Korean product Food Cycler, the machine grinds up food waste in a quick and odourless dehydration process—transforming scraps into a fertiliser powder which can then be applied to plants or outdoor garden beds. The process means all the foods’ original nutrients are retained, while weight is cut by as much as 90%: one kilogram of food can be transformed to just 100 grams of powder. 

The device is an efficient recycler, and can successfully recycle leftover fruits and vegetables, cereals and legumes, coffee grounds, eggshells, meat and small bones and non-liquid dairy products—all amounting to more than 95% of our food waste. However, the device does not work for liquid, hard/large bones, pits of shell fruit, hard shells of nuts/shellfish or compostable bioplastic. The material that results from the dehydration process is nutrient-rich and can be used in a variety of ways—from plants to the lawn—a last for several months if stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. While the device certainly provides a solution for Quebecers wishing to compost, it is not accessible to all, ringing in at about €400 for the basic model.