Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 5.1:
Commercial bokashi bucket.
This bucket has a flexible snap-style lid which can be removed easily, a plastic screen in the
bottomofthebucketwhichdividesthefermenting contents fromarecessatthebottomusedtocol-
lect the bokashi tea, and a spigot which can be used to access the tea. I have used it for over three
years and have never had any issues with it. It still seals fine and doesn't leak. The plastic is pretty
durable, and as long as it is kept inside and out of the sun, it should last for a long time.
This leads us into the plastic discussion. What if you don't like plastic? Then you probably
won't be fermenting food waste with bokashi, because when it comes to commercially available
bokashi buckets, there aren't any non-plastic alternatives out there. So if you want to go plastic
free, you will have to make your own or adapt some existing technology. Cutting the top of a glass
carboy might be a start. Ceramic vessels with water trough airlocks are another option; these have
been used for fermentation for thousands of years. You won't get the potential toxins that come
with plastic, but your tradeoff will be durability and weight. I have also heard of people using glass
storage jars with an airtight bail and seal to ferment their food waste. That is too small for me, but
it is an alternative to plastic.
