A new iPad and iPhone app called “Food Scrap Recycling Truck,” which helps teach kids how to sort food waste and to value the environmental benefits of food scrap recycling and composting, has been introduced by Novamont, a bioplastics manufacturer. Young users can drive a recycling truck as it passes through the neighborhood to collect food scraps for composting. Along the way, an organics bin with a question mark appears, an indicator that the bin contains contaminants. Click the bin and it takes you into the kitchen to sort food waste from trash and recycling items as they move across a kitchen top conveyor. Kids also can customize their truck and driver choosing the same colors as their municipality, operate the heavy loader and windrow turner to help make the compost rows, and visit the Compost Activity Lab to learn about composting, vermicomposting and more.

Novamont’s Materi-Bi resin is used to make compostable shopping and produce bags. The app includes a segment on their value in residential composting programs and information on how they break down during composting. Developed by Goodglue Studios in the USA, “Food Scrap Recycling Truck” is a valuable teaching tool and is available for free download on iPads and iPhones.