Bardee

Bardee is a waste diversion and processing project located in the industrial suburb of Sunshine West, approximately 15km west of the Melbourne CBD. Registered in October 2022, the project is operated by Beyond Ag Pty Ltd and falls under the Source Separated Organic Waste methodology. While the surrounding Western Volcanic Plains region is historically characterized by basaltic clay soils and moderate rainfall, this project takes place within a specialized indoor facility designed for high-volume waste processing.

The project operates by collecting organic food waste, separated at the point of generation from restaurants, farms, and supermarkets, and diverting it from landfill. Under the methodology, this diversion prevents the generation of methane that would otherwise occur as the waste decomposes in a landfill. The project activities utilize "enclosed composting" as the eligible treatment technology. Uniquely, Bardee implements this through a vertical farming system that utilizes Black Soldier Fly Larvae (BSFL) to consume and bioconvert the waste.

An interesting feature of the Bardee project is its status as one of the first insect-breeding technologies to be certified for carbon credits in Australia. The larvae can consume vast quantities of food waste rapidly, converting it into high-quality insect protein for animal feed and a nutrient-rich organic fertilizer known as "frass." This circular model not only reduces emissions but also upcycles waste into valuable agricultural commodities.