WRAP chief executive officer Dr Liz Goodwin considered that while targets would help “sweep up the laggards”, she was reluctant to back legislating on the mandatory reduction of food waste.
Dr Goodwin made her comments while delivering the keynote address at a seminar of the Westminster Energy, Environment & Transport Forum in London today.
The seminar looked at innovation, best practice and developing the Circular Economy in the wake of a new package of recycling and landfill targets floated by the European Commission last month.
On tackling food waste at an EU level, Dr Goodwin argued: “In the absence of legislation, I urge the Commission to look closely at voluntary agreements as a means of reducing food waste. Because just as voluntary agreements, such as the Courtauld Commitment, have played a role in helping reduce food waste in the UK. So too I believe they can in the EU.
“Well designed, well run voluntary agreements bring about business behaviour change through engagement – getting buy in to the change which makes it more sustainable. Reducing food waste is just one area voluntary agreements can have an impact.”
Frustration
However, many delegates at the seminar appeared unsatisfied with England’s commitment to food waste – with some voicing their “frustration” over the lack of mandatory legislation at both a domestic and EU level.
The situation in England was compared more than once to Scotland, where businesses producing more than 5kg of food waste per week are now required to present the material separately for recycling.
Responding to the criticism Dr Goodwin added: “I do think legislation does have a role to play in creating a level playing field but there is a lot we can do with a voluntary approach. But we absolutely need a legislative approach to sweep up the laggards.”
And, addressing delegates from the floor, Richard Pullen, head of policy and regulation at Defra, confirmed the government “would be pretty sceptical on imposing more mandatory targets” adding “there are no plans afoot as we speak now”.
EU
Also speaking at the event, the European Commission’s directorate-general for the environment Julian Langendorff was grilled on the lack of biowaste targets in the Circular Economy Package.
He claimed that there was already a requirement to reduce biodegradable waste, while the new landfill diversion targets would provide the incentive needed for member states to increase separate collection of food waste without imposing targets.
Mr Langendorff went on to refute suggestions by one delegate who remarked the ambition in the revised Circular Economy Package had been weakened due to “heavy lobbying” by new EU members with little recycling infrastructure,
He said: “We have been heavily lobbied on both packages. The new member states have not been lobbying more than old member states. It’s true that there has been a change in the proposed measures on the separate collection for biowaste which in the new legislation is voluntary. I don’t see that this has weakened the proposals as it will lead to increases in separate collections of biowaste.”
Bill
Scepticism over the use of voluntary initiatives to address food waste in England could spark further support for shadow environment minister Kerry McCarthy’s Food Waste (Reduction) Bill, which was introduced in the House of Commons in September (see letsrecycle.com story).
In his closing remarks, session chair Alan Whitehead – Labour MP for Southampton Test – highlighted the Bill and proposed there needed to be a “better deal” to address food waste.
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