Food waste under the spotlight

Food waste is taking centre stage in 2012 and this is most definitely a good thing. Important steps are being made to reduce the amount of food waste, but there is always going to be an element of such waste produced at each stage of the food chain. Whats important is that this is being diverted from landfill and used in the most valuable applications. This includes sending animal by-products to rendering and commercial food waste to anaerobic digestion

Food waste has also had its time in Parliament, following MP Kelly McCarthys recent private members bill which sought to force supermarkets and manufacturers to send all unsold food to charities.

Meanwhile, pressure group, Feeding the 5000, organised a lunch in Trafalgar Square last November highlighting the issue of fresh ingredients ending up as waste. This sought to make the point that often perfectly edible ingredients are rejected by supermarkets as they dont conform to shape and size guidelines.

Vision 2020

Furthermore, our Vision 2020 initiative, which sought to start a debate on how the UK reaches the position where it is able to eradicate food waste from landfill, has gone from strength to strength. Positively received by the industry, more than 40 companies have signed up to the Vision and well over 1,000 copies have been downloaded from PDMs website. This initiative also led to establishment of a Visionary Panel independently chaired by John Gummer, Lord Deben. The panel brings together key stakeholders from across the food chain, each bringing a unique perspective on the challenges that exist.

From legislation, planning and finance, through to education, technologies and talent, the panel has discussed the existing challenges and opportunities and hopes to develop a draft roadmap on how we can achieve the ultimate goal.

Elsewhere across the food chain influential individual companies are also putting a great deal of focus on tackling their own food waste and supporting their customers in doing the same. Unilever for instance is a member of the Visionary Panel and has also developed collaborative partnerships with around 500 companies to develop technologies and products with lower environmental impact.

Conversely, the fact we have limited food waste recycling infrastructure presents a great opportunity to strategically plan a national network of recycling solutions. This enables waste to be handled locally, minimising the carbon and financial impact of road miles and making recycling a realistic opportunity for businesses of all sizes. With the subject having so much focus from Government, manufacturers and recyclers, there is the potential to achieve the right push / pull balance that will enable us to achieve the goal of eradicating food waste from landfill.