Food waste pretreatment systems were installed in +WOO and Laguna Plaza during the Reporting Year as part of an innovative solution designed to tackle food waste while generating renewable energy.

The process begins with the collection of food waste from restaurants, food courts and wet markets in the mall. The collected waste is then converted into a slurry—a semi-liquid mixture—through mechanical and, in some cases, biological processes. This pre-treatment stage significantly reduces the volume of the waste and facilitates easier transportation and digestion.

After pre-treatment, the slurry is pumped into a sealed suction truck, where it can be stored for several days. This storage capability reduces the frequency of collection trips, thereby enhancing logistical efficiency.

In the final stage, the slurry is transported to O·PARK1, where it undergoes anaerobic digestion —a biological process that breaks down organic material in the absence of oxygen. This results in the production of biogas, a renewable energy source that can be used to generate electricity or heat and digestate that can be reused as compost or soil amendment.

The food waste pretreatment system is a smart, scalable and circular solution for sustainable waste management. Combined with ongoing food waste collection efforts, these initiatives are expected to divert waste from landfill and recirculates organic material into energy and soil resources.