On 7th July, England\u2019s first action plan was launched by WRAP to increase the quantity and quality of both domestic and commercial food waste recycling. This initiative was developed together with local authorities, collectors, waste treatment operators and trade bodies from across the country, The Food Waste Recycling Action Plan aims to encourage greater collaboration across the supply chain.<\/p>\n
Presented as a five-step roadmap, the document identifies common barriers to food waste recycling and details collaborative solutions to overcoming these issues. Actions are split across the supply chain, with a lead body given responsibility for the delivery of each. Commenting on the plan, Philip Simpson, commercial director at ReFood, said: \u201cForward-thinking initiatives, such as The Food Waste Action Plan, demonstrate real commitment from across the industry to help our environment and boost our economy. Despite considerable efforts, more than 14 million tonnes of food is still wasted across the UK every year \u2013 40% of which is said to be completely avoidable. This figure is one which must be lowered and any initiatives launched to tackle the issue head-on should be wholeheartedly commended.<\/p>\n
\u201cSince the launch of ReFood\u2019s Vision 2020: UK roadmap to zero food waste to landfill report, which identified the true scale of the UK\u2019s food waste crisis and provided comprehensive guidance to eliminate food waste to landfill, significant progress has already been made to minimise food waste and implement more sustainable alternatives to general waste disposal.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, for example, stringent legislation is now in place to prevent food waste from ending up in landfill, which has seen recycling rates soar and resulted in significant benefits on an economic level. What\u2019s more, numerous businesses from across the supply chain \u2013 the likes of Sainsbury\u2019s, QHotels and The Savoy, for example \u2013 have taken matters into their own hands and introduced self-policing \u2018zero waste\u2019 standards to realise the benefits of recycling food waste.<\/p>\n
\u201cFood is a highly valuable resource and one which mustn\u2019t be squandered, yet without clear guidance from a government level or legislation implemented on a national scale, we will continue to tread water and fail to realise the benefits available. \u201cIn fact, if the UK was to successfully achieve zero food waste to landfill by 2020, we could see greenhouse gases reduced by up to 27 million tonnes, with over 1.3 million tonnes of valuable nutrients returned to the earth each year and savings for the food manufacturing industry of up to \u00a32bn. This said, unless we implement firm legislation, achieving these figures will not be achievable \u2013 relying on informal guidance and optional strategies simply isn\u2019t enough.<\/p>\n