A method and apparatus for a food waste recycling appliance comprising a housing defining an interior, a water reservoir (48) disposed in the interior of the housing for holding water used in an operation of the appliance anda plurality of scrubs (110) disposed in the water reservoir (48), each of the plurality of scrubs (110) having a matrix of members in three dimensions, each member having a surface of exposed copper, wherein the copper inhibits growth of life forms in water in the reservoir (48).
