Food Waste Action Week 2023

Food waste is a global emergency, with food production and consumption responsible for around 30% of global carbon emissions. It also contributes to 60% – 80% biodiversity loss through the destruction of natural habitats, due to the agricultural space needed. By changing the way we produce and consume food, we are reducing greenhouse emissions, protecting natural resources and reducing costs for consumers.

1.3 billion tonnes of food is wasted each year globally – this equates to one third of all food produced for human consumption. In the UK alone, we throw away a staggering 4.5 million tonnes of edible food waste a year, costing UK households £3.5 billion each year.

There have long been calls for responsible, environmentally conscious choices to be taken at every stage of the supply chain, and of course by each of us as consumers. WRAP – a climate action NGO are leading the way in tackling food loss and waste, reducing GHG emissions and water use, working from farm to fork to transform global food systems.

The UK needs to stay on plan to dramatically halve food waste by 2035, as households account for 25 million tonnes of CO2 each year. We need to approach our food waste very differently than we have in the past, but even if all edible or avoidable food waste is reduced, we are still left with the scraps that are inedible and these need treating in a way that minimises greenhouse gas emissions – being composted or digested to generate energy and fertiliser rather than being left to decompose in a landfill and harming the environment.

This process is manageable in homes with enough space, both in the kitchen for separate food caddies and outdoors for a food bin to store the biodegradable food bags, but for those living in smaller flats this is notoriously difficult, and by the time they’ve fought their way through the debris in the communal bin store the thought of wrestling with a dirty food waste bin is not very appealing, to say the least of it.

So many Councils are installing dedicated food waste deposit points, making it as easy as possible for these households to dispose of organic material using a clean, hands-free system which isolates the user from the decomposing food, reduces odour and eliminates vermin. Recent trials indicate that Councils can expect to capture twice as much food waste from the residual waste stream than using conventional wheelie bins.

To find out more about the FX Food Waste Bin click here