England鈥檚 first action plan designed to increase the quantity and quality of household and commercial food waste collected and recycled, is launched at the ADBA Conference in Birmingham.
The Food Waste Recycling Action Plan developed by industry 鈥� including local authorities, waste treatment operators, 聽private sector waste collectors and industry bodies 鈥� will increase the amount of food waste collected and recycled by promoting greater collaboration across the food waste recycling supply chain. Presented as a five-point plan, it highlights the current barriers to food waste recycling and practical solutions to overcome them as cost effectively as possible.
Food waste prevention and redistribution will remain a priority, but despite the UK鈥檚 best efforts, there is still 10 million tonnes of 鈥榩ost-farm gate鈥� food wasted across the UK every year, 40% of which is unavoidable. However, just 1.8 million tonnes is recycled. Increasing the volume recycled brings significant economic and environmental benefits. 聽For example, by maximizing available anaerobic digestion and composting capacity to produce valuable energy and renewable fertilisers, as well as reduce the 20 million tonnes of carbon produced annually by this food waste. Recycling more food waste could also boost England鈥檚 plateauing recycling rate.
The action plan supports local authorities already active in food waste recycling – helping them to cost effectively maximise their food waste collections, and local authorities thinking about adding a collection. 聽It also helps operators of food waste treatment plants play their part in securing the long term supply of food waste, at a quality required for their operations.
Rory Stewart, Defra Resources Minister, said: 鈥淎 staggering 10 million tonnes of food waste is thrown out every year. Not all of this food waste can be prevented or redistributed and this is where the food waste recycling sector has an important role to play in reducing the amount that goes to landfill.
鈥淭he growth of the food waste recycling in the UK is a real success story, but more can be done. 聽I welcome the Action Plan, showing how by working together, industry, government, businesses and local authorities can drive up the amount of unavoidable, inedible food waste that is recycled, helping our environment and boosting our economy.鈥�
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