New campaign urges Irish people to reduce food waste and make use of brown bin
A gap of 400,000 tons which ends up in landfill.
Irish households must become more active in preventing food waste and managing their food waste appropriately, according to a new campaign run by the three Regional Waste Management Offices. The campaign, which will run across radio, online and in cinemas, asks householders in Ireland to consider how they can reduce their food waste and to make use of the brown bin which has been phased in across the country on a progressive basis since 2013.
Commenting on the campaign launch, Hugh Coughlan, eastern-midlands regional waste co-ordinator, said: “Irish people are throwing away one third of food purchased every week. In fact, the average family wastes €50 every month on unused food. By making some small changes to food waste habits such as writing shopping lists, meal planning, and using leftovers, householders can save money.”
In addition, the more people are using their brown bins for food waste, the less waste is going to landfill which is better for public health and the environment. If you do not have a brown bin, you could be entitled to one – the easiest way to find out is to ask your waste collection company” Mr. Coughlan added.
The brown bin is ideal for items such as fruit/vegetable peelings, plate leftovers, tea bags/coffee grounds and inedible bread. Some operators also accept light garden waste. Once collected, brown bin material is delivered from homes once a fortnight to a dedicated composting plant where it is specially treated and turned into high quality compost. Ensuring only the right materials go in your brown bin prevents contamination and results in high quality compost for use across Ireland.
Speaking on Thursday at a Forum on Food Waste organised by the EPA, Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment Dennis Naughten said, “Food waste is a major national and global problem and we have an environmental and moral obligation to tackle this epidemic now.
“According to the World Health Organisation each year an estimated one third of all food produced – 1.3 billion tonnes worth approximately $1 trillion – ends up rotting in the bins of consumers and retailers, or spoiling due to poor transportation and harvesting practices. This waste continues as one billion people go undernourished and another one billion go hungry,” he added. The Minister announced a series of measures he is taking to boost Ireland’s response to the problem of wasted food, including setting up an Action Group on Wasted Food in the Supply Chain. The Group brings together the major national retailers to agree actions to reduce food waste.
For more information on Food Waste Reduction, composting and how best to use your Brown Bin see www.emwr.ie, www.brownbin.ie or local authority websites. There is also a facebook page Back to Basics.
For More Information:
DCC Media Relations 01 2222170
Joanne Rourke, Waste Prevention Officer 01 2224806/087 1745477
Notes to Editor:
The EPA is leading the way in drafting a Food Waste Charter as well as organising a national forum on this issue.
The EU and the Irish Government has committed to halting this wastage and have signed up to the (WHO) Sustainable Development Goal. Among the targets set out by this plan is a commitment that by 2030, food waste at the retail and consumer levels will be halved and food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses will be reduced.
The EU Landfill Directive[1] sets down targets to reduce the amount of Biodegradable Municipal Waste. Achieving the current target requires both increasing brown bin usage by householders in Ireland and reducing the volume of biodegradable waste being generated in the first instance.
50% of households in eastern-midlands region on a kerbside service have a brown bin (2015 data)
68,000 tonnes of brown material collected in eastern-midlands region in 2015
[1]2016 BMW target is a maximum of 35% of the total BMW generated in 1995 or 427,000 tonn