Waste Minimisation
Preventing and minimising waste generated within the food chain has great potential to reduce the impacts of food production and are important at all stages of the food chain. Not only do minimisation strategies reduce the need for waste disposal but they also prevent the waste of embedded energy, water and materials. For example, by incorporating an effective waste minimisation strategy food producers can reduce their demand for energy, water, raw materials as well as reducing waste disposal and its associated costs. Waste minimisation strategies therefore usually represent a considerable opportunity to both save costs and reduce the impacts of food production.
Consumer Initiatives
WRAPs high profile campaign
"Love Food, Hate Waste" has drawn attention to the extent
of domestic food waste within the UK. On average, we waste a third of
the food we buy. This represents an enormous consumption of energy and
resource throughout the food chain in order to grow, produce, package
and transport food which is not even eaten. Although some councils are
now moving towards seperate food waste collections at the moment the
majority of this food is disposed of in the residuals bin ending up
in landfill. The uncontrolled methane emissions that result compound
the impacts.
Love Food, Hate Waste is focussed on teaching people to make better use of food through advice on food storage, portion size and recipe suggestions for leftovers.
Retailer Initiatives
There is considerable pressure on retailers to minimise waste with much of the focus relating to excessive packaging and retailer promotions (the infamous BOGOFs) which are believed to lead to increased waste. The Courtauld Commitment is a voluntary agreement between WRAP and retailers which aims to address these issues and reduce the quantity of food and packaging waste.
Retailers may also have the potential to reduce waste through improving relationships and ordering procedures with their suppliers. Some evidence suggests that volatility ordering and late changes in orders by retailers result in considerable additional waste generated by suppliers (see sustainable waste management in the Chilled Food Sector).
Food Company Initiatives
Improved food production techniques such as the application of lean
thinking can lead to significant waste reduction by food producers (see
Food Chain Reports).
The Food and Drink Federation launched their Five-Fold Environmental Ambition in October 07. This commits their membership to ambitious targets in reduction of waste to landfill (aspiring to zero by 2015), water usage, CO2 emissions, transport miles and packaging issues.
Reduction of energy usage is also a key focus for industry with numerous initiatives looking at improving energy efficiency of refrigeration, baking and cooking as well as use of trigeneration systems. The Food & Drink Federation (through a Carbon Trust funded project) have produced reports providing guidance on carbon management and more specifically on improving energy efficiency of refrigeration.
Reports
Consumer Reports - WRAP:
Wasting Food and Insistent Behaviour
Helping Consumers Reduce Food & Vegetable Waste : Interim Report
Food Waste Report v2 - "The food we waste"
DEFRA:
Chilled Food Manufacturing Waste Minimisation Study
Progress Report on Sustainable Products and Materials - July 2008
Food Production Reports:
Applying Lean Thinking to the Dairy Industry - Food Chain Centre
Applying Lean Thinking to the Fresh Produce Industry - Food Chain Centre
Applying Lean Thinking to the Red Meat Industry - Food Chain Centre
Food Chain Centre (IGD) Final Report
Energy Efficiency in food production:
Refrigeration Efficiency Guide
Chilled Food Waste Reduction - Imperial College - Presentation
Other:
The Progressive Increase of Food Waste in America and Its Environmental Impact - publication by Hall, Guo, Dore & Chow, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America (2009)
