Here at Rubbish Please we’ve been reading a new report written by WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme) which assesses how food waste levels have changed over recent years and how these can be influenced in the future. We thought you might be interested in some of the information so we’ve decided to share them with you in our blog.
Since 2005 there have been extensive interventions in place throughout the UK with the aim to reduce food waste. Since then and up until 2012 reductions have been made to the tune of 1.6 million tonnes, around 12%. It’s been estimated that future reductions could bring this figure up to £4 billion, by 2015. Saving around 7 million tonnes of CO2e. Add the figures together and around £24 billion, 12 million tonnes and 40 million tonnes of CO2e will have been prevented from being wasted between 2007 and 2015.
It is thought that the UK could achieve a reduction of 25% by 2025 but it will mean big challenges ahead for consumers and supply chains. A lot of external factors come into play such as food prices, population levels and economic conditions across the world. But that won’t mean it’s not worth trying to achieve.
It’s difficult to accurately estimate the full costs and benefits but there is evidence available to suggest that 20 million tonnes of food waste could be prevented from entering the waste stream, at a cost of between £200 and £500 million over the ten year period.
WRAP has a inspiring vision that includes a world where resources are used sustainably. They work together with Government, businesses, communities and other like minded people to help the UK use its resources more efficiently and produce less waste. By looking at ways we can improve how products are designed, produced and sold and by looking at how consumers can be helped to recycle and reuse much more.
We’re all behind their vision and look forward to keeping our finger on the pulse in the future. And helping all our clients, both old and new, do their bit for the environment and bring about an overall reduction in the amount of waste that ends up in our limited landfill sites.
