Got a digester? Here is the manual: Green Cone Digester Manual
Available for purchase at the Pleasantview Road Drop-off Center
Green Cone Digester $89 (including sales tax)
Is a backyard digester for you?

A food and pet waste digester is unremarkable looking–or smelling–in your yard.
Interest in food-waste digesters is growing rapidly. But what is one, exactly? And would it be a good fit for your household?
Think:
- food and pet waste only
- simple
- low maintenance
- environmentally friendly!
What is a digester?

A backyard digester, assembled but not installed in the ground.
A backyard digester is often called “a green cone.” It consists of two nesting plastic cones (what you see above ground) attached to a plastic basket which is buried underground.

Installing a backyard digester involves digging a large hole. If your soil does not drain well, you may need to make the hole larger and put some gravel underneath.
How will a digester help me manage my garbage?
Compared to landfilling food and pet wastes, a digester
- greatly reduces odors in and around your garbage cart or bags
- can save you up to 33% of what you are paying to landfill garbage
- eliminates much of the methane your garbage releases when landfilled
- is highly resistant to interference from pets or wild animals
What is required for good digester functioning?
For proper functioning, the following are essential:
- a location with full sun
- good drainage, taking into account that the basket extends two feet into the ground
- the feedstock cannot be exclusively pet waste: add some food waste for balance.
How does using a digester compare to composting?
Compared to backyard composting, a digester
- is for disposing of food and pet wastes only, not yard wastes like weeds, trimmings, leaves, or grass clippings
- works well to dispose of dairy products, plate scraps, meat trimmings and bones. Raccoons and other animals may interfere with traditional compost piles if these are included in the pile.
- requires even less effort to maintain than a compost pile–almost none!
- takes longer to install
- does not produce compost
How does a digester work? Where does the waste go?
Want to learn more? Here’s the manual!
Green Cone Digester Manual
It includes
- background information
- assembly instructions
- installation instructions
- instructions for using your digester.