Food waste

The latest statistics are frightening. Dr Liz Goodwin of the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) asserts that the UK wastes £8bn worth of food each year. The average household throws away 33% of the food it purchases each week.

Whilst  this might be organic-waste and biodegradable -the food eventually rots down in the landfill site and emits gases harmful to the environment.

This one area that  local authorities will target.  So to avoid penalty charges for  excess rubbish take sensible steps  to sort and save now.

Understand ‘use-before’ dates.

Some food like fresh fish and chicken have important use-by dates and these must be observed. However, other foods such as tinned fruit and veg can almost last forever. Sell- by dates on  some products indicate a deterioration in flavour- not quality.

Check  with the manufacturer.

 

 

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Check sell-by dates

Sell-by dates. ( sort and save tip)

When you purchase your food in the shop check that it is well within its sell-by date. Remember supermarket shelves stack their freshest food at the back.  Its frustrating to dump food because it’s become out of date.

Composting at home

Cone shaped containers are available from many local authorities at discounted  rates. These  containers will take organic food waste but should be mixed with a carbon rich blend of cardboard, eggshells, and leaves. Place directly onto soil in partial shade. The composting process can take  6-9 months and produces a valuable soil enhancer.

 

 

 

Many districts offer dedicated collection facilities for food.

Districts like Bristol offer a kitchen waste caddy which takes 5ltr of waste food. This is kept in the kitchen and emptied into an outside container  with a  25 ltr capacity.  This facility will take raw or cooked, food, cheese tea-bags and peelings. They will even take  bones. The local authority collects this weekly.

DEFRA estimate that 17% of  all your rubbish is kitchen-waste.

If we composted all our food, garden waste paper and cardboard it would reduce our waste by half !