Food waste is a growing problem in Australia. It currently costs the Australian economy $36.6 billion annually and accounts for roughly 3% of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions – 15 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year.
From food that never leaves the farm to food lost in transport, food that doesn’t meet supermarket standards, to food wasted by households, Australia wastes an enormous 7.6 million tonnes of food each year. Around the world, if food waste were a country, it would be the third-highest emitter of greenhouse gases, behind China and the USA.
Wasting food isn’t only a disaster for the climate. Food requires resources, like fresh water, land, and labour, to produce. Agriculture is the leading cause of deforestation worldwide, especially for popular products like beef, soy, and palm oil. With a growing global population to feed, wasting food is inefficient and strains these finite natural resources. Aside from the environmental burden, food waste also exacerbates human suffering.
According to the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), reversing global food waste would save sufficient food to feed 2 billion people. That’s double the number of undernourished people around the world.
Why Does Australia Waste So Much Food?
Food waste takes place throughout the food value chain in Australia, but roughly two-thirds of it is generated in consumer-facing businesses like restaurants and retail outlets or the home. Consumer behaviour and issues within the supply chain contribute to high levels of food waste. Regulations on how food should look prevent it from reaching supermarket shelves; overestimating the amount of food needed for a meal or a catered event results in the food not being consumed; food labelling confuses use-by dates meaning food prematurely ends up in the bin – to name a few examples.
The good news is that Australia aims to halve its food waste by 2030 in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12.3. The Australian Government have laid out their plans to reduce food waste in the National Food Waste Strategy, Roadmap and the National Waste Policy Action Plan.
As well as lowering greenhouse gases and conserving the environment, avoiding and minimising food waste helps us feed the world’s growing population and contribute toward a sustainable agricultural future for us all.
We must all play our part to make this a reality, and thanks to cutting-edge technology, action is becoming easier.
Biofeed: An Innovative Solution to Australia’s Food Waste
Biofeed enables you to reduce food waste and cut your carbon footprint. Installing a Biofeed machine at your business location will streamline your ability to reduce food waste. This innovative solution allows you and your staff to transform food waste into a semi-solid liquid solution before its transported offsite by waste service providers. Food waste is prevented from entering landfills. The circular economy – an economic model whereby resources are recycled and reused – is the future of a sustainable planet.
It’s time for your business to fight back against food waste and join the circular movement with Biofeed.