The Not So Appetising Environmental Impacts of Food Waste

Throwing food waste into landfill isn’t as harmless as it seems.

By Sammara Giles

Not many of us give a second thought to the food waste we place in the bin. “It will break down eventually” we tell ourselves, thinking that it’s not a big deal because at least its biodegradable. But unfortunately throwing food waste into landfill isn’t as harmless as it seems and there are simple alternatives that we should be adopting. 


But How Much Food Waste Do We Actually Produce?

Every year we're throwing out the equivalent volume of 13,000 Olympic swimming pools. In 2016/7 Australia produced a total of 7.3 million tonnes of food waste - but importantly of this, the bulk (2.5 million tonnes or 34%) was created in our homes. Of the rest, 31% came from primary production and 25% in the manufacturing sector. 

 

This means that individuals can have a large impact on the reduction of food waste!


Why Is Food Waste an Environmental Issue If Food Is Naturally Biodegradable?

While food waste sent to landfill will break down a lot faster than other waste such as plastic or metals, the problem is that during this degradation process it will produce copious amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas (click here for a refresher on the greenhouse effect). Methane is produced when food waste is sent to landfill because the environment is anaerobic, meaning no oxygen is present, due to the accumulation of garbage burying the food waste. So food waste contributes to climate change as well as pollution, and one study by Project Drawdown suggests that reducing food waste is the 3rd most effective way to address climate change.


What Should We Do About Our Food Waste?

The good news is that there are a lot of ways that we can reduce our food waste - and options for disposal that are more environmentally conscious than landfill. 

Working at the top of the waste hierarchy produces better outcomes.
We should focus on reducing food waste as our first priority.
Start your grocery trip with a shopping list that is aligned with a meal plan for the week to reduce the purchasing of perishable food that won’t be used.
Utilise a versatile meal such as spaghetti bolognese or stir-fry to use up any leftover vegetables before they need to be thrown away and attempt to incorporate all aspects of the vegetable such as broccoli stems.
Prioritise eating leftovers for the next day’s lunch.
Store your fruit and vegetables to promote longevity.
If we can increase the lifespan of our fruit and vegetables by improving storage conditions, we will have more time to use it before it becomes waste. A good rule of thumb is to store your groceries in a similar way to the grocery store such as if it is refrigerated or at ambient conditions.
Use it all!
The skin of many fruits and veggies are not only edible but are often jam-packed with nutrients like antioxidants, vitamins and minerals so including them in your meal plan is not only a step to cutting down your waste but has a tonne of added health benefits. If the idea of eating skin isn’t overall appealing, a cheeky hack is to chuck your excess – the stalks of greens, or the tops of carrots or strawberries or even over-ripe bananas - in a nutrient-packed smoothie, rather than in the bin.
Each week consider what you are usually throwing away and re-evaluate your shopping habits, for example if you are always throwing away vegetables consider switching to purchasing frozen instead. There's a common belief fresh is best and buying frozen vegies is a cop out but a recent study found antioxidant levels in frozen produce can actually be higher than in fresh fruit and vegetables.

Disposing of Food Waste in an Environmental Way:


Compost, Compost, Compost!

 Composting is the pinnacle of environmentally conscious disposal of food waste. Composting or worm farming creates an aerobic environment, where oxygen is present, for food waste to decompose. The presence of oxygen allows food waste to decompose to produce carbon dioxide instead of methane, thus reducing the contribution of the decomposition to the enhanced greenhouse gas effect.


Many of us wrongly assume that this solution is onerous, smelly and dirty - and that a big garden or outside space is an imperative. But the good news is that it is easy to start - and achievable for apartment dwellers! And here's a tip - check out The Compost Revolution to get up to 80% off a compost unit, worm farm, or bokashi bin - they work with councils across Australia to deliver discounted composting gear to your door.


But we get that composting isn’t for everyone. One option is utilising a sharing app such as ShareWaste where you can sign up as a donor, or someone who has food scraps to spare, and find a nearby host, someone who has a compost. Through ShareWaste you can reduce the impact of your food waste and have none of the hassle of maintaining a compost.


Do you suffer from FOGO FOMO? Contact your local council and get information regarding the green waste policy in your area.  FOGO is a kerbside collection service that allows food scraps to be added to garden waste bin so it can be recycled into top quality compost. Right now, around 30% of Australian households have access to FOGO collection services, however the Federal Government recently commited to provide FOGO services to all households by the end of 2023.

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