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Last updated: May 17, 2022
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If you have an irrational love of bananas, and you regularly indulge this love, chances are your home is regularly having a banana peel disposal problem. Many people find it relatively easy to dump these peels in the garbage disposal and leave it at that. However, the fibrous nature of the peel makes such a method potentially problematic.
Your reading this shows that you, at least, recognize the fact that banana peel garbage disposal may not be ideal, and this is the first part to making a change as regards that little hygiene choice. The problem is not only for banana peels, as many food materials shouldn’t pass through a garbage disposal.
Stay with us as we explain why banana peels are unsuitable for garbage disposal, suitable methods for the disposal of banana peels, and other classes of food that are considered to be inappropriate for disposal via garbage disposal.
Can my garbage disposal process banana peels?
Due to the fibrous nature of banana peels, they should not be passed through a garbage disposal. This is not to say that they cannot be processed by the garbage disposal
Trusted SourceSix common mistakes you make when operating your garbage disposal - The Washington PostYour garbage disposal is headed into crunchtime. The holidays, with their endless vegetable peels and plate scrapings, make this hardworking appliance, found in just over half of American homes, work overtime.
www.washingtonpost.com
, but the fibers of the peel are potentially damaging to the appliance, and chances are it won’t break down the peels sufficiently enough to be worth the risk.
The fibers of the peel can wrap around the blades of the machine and affect its performance over time. This would shorten the machine’s life span and, as such, lead to early replacement or high maintenance costs to keep it working.
In cases where the peels are not sufficiently crushed or broken down inside the garbage disposal, they could still be large enough to clog the drains, leading to one of the problems that the garbage disposal was invented to prevent. A clog like this would require effort to clear out or pay for someone to clear it out. Both ways, it is still uncomfortable.
However, if you use more powerful garbage disposal such as the InSinkErator Evolution Excel model, the effects of the peel on the function of the appliance would be limited due to its higher power and three grinding stages. This particular model may be too noisy for your taste, and as such, there are also 2-stage quieter models such as the InSinkErator Evolution Essential XTR.
Best ways to dispose of banana peels
Now that we have established why banana peels
Trusted SourceBanana peel - WikipediaA banana peel, called banana skin in British English, is the outer covering of the banana fruit. Banana peels are used as food for animals, an ingredient in cooking, in water purification, for manufacturing of several biochemical products as well as for jokes and comical situations. There are several methods to remove a peel from a banana.
en.wikipedia.org
are unsuitable for processing through garbage disposal, here are some more effective alternative means of disposal.
Trash it: This is the most straightforward means of disposal. Though doing so might leave your home vulnerable to the smells of rotten peels, trashing the peels would mean they would be sent to landfills that would serve the purpose of disposal better. To prevent them from smelling and attracting bugs into your home, you could refrigerate or freeze them until you are ready to throw away the trash.
Feed them to animals: While banana peels are not particularly edible for humans, if you possess pets or animals suitable for them, you could utilize the peels as a snack instead. This way, you get to repurpose your trash as a meal for animals. To prevent problems, wash the peels first to remove pesticide residue if there is any.
Composting: This is becoming more popular as the world grows more environmentally conscious. It is even more applicable when you or a neighbor has a garden or a lawn they are particularly passionate about. The compost formed can then be used as fertilizer in the garden or lawn. The advantage of composting is that it can serve as a means of repurposing and disposing of banana peels and most food and paper-based waste.
Things that can’t be put in a garbage disposal
Garbage disposals can be marketed according to their more unique features, just like a ‘quiet garbage disposal’ or ‘garbage disposal for deep sinks’, but standard power garbage disposals usually have one telling disadvantage more powerful models; they are unsuitable for processing many foods.
Most of the foods and materials that are best left out of the garbage disposal are so classified because of their ability to cause jamming or clogging of the appliance. This potential to clog or jam the garbage disposal is a potentially damaging one that could have pronounced effects on the longevity and maintenance costs associated with the appliance.
Some of the best left out of the garbage disposal include meat bones, greases, and oils, fibrous food, potato peels, fruit pits, etc. The list is much longer, so it’s recommended to ensure that food that absorbs and expands in water has the ability to wrap itself around the blades or get between the teeth of the grinders are left out.
If your garbage disposal is connected to your septic system, it might also be wise to avoid putting these foods in. That is, except you use a septic assist garbage disposal.
Final thoughts
Though it seems easy and straightforward to throw scrap food into the garbage disposal, what you throw into it should be given more consideration. For instance, the case of banana peel garbage disposal is problematic because the fibers can wrap the appliance’s blades and leave them less effective.
In such a situation, negligence in the monitoring of what goes into the garbage disposal would be paid for in sweat, time, money or all of these combined. To prevent this, rather than just using your garbage disposal as a trash can, employ alternative methods to dispose of banana peels and other potentially problematic foods.
You also choose to get a more powerful garbage disposal better suited to dealing with all types of scraps.
References
1.
Six common mistakes you make when operating your garbage disposal - The Washington Post
Your garbage disposal is headed into crunchtime. The holidays, with their endless vegetable peels and plate scrapings, make this hardworking appliance, found in just over half of American homes, work overtime.
A banana peel, called banana skin in British English, is the outer covering of the banana fruit. Banana peels are used as food for animals, an ingredient in cooking, in water purification, for manufacturing of several biochemical products as well as for jokes and comical situations. There are several methods to remove a peel from a banana.
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