Food waste is a significant contributor to climate change, water loss and economic costs. It is not just because of the large quantities of food that end up in landfill, but because of the wasted resources and energy that went into producing, processing, transporting and cooking it. The Path to Half is a research report commissioned by Sustainability Vitoria that understands how innovative food waste solutions could help Victoria tackle the impacts of food waste and meet its target of a 50% reduction in food waste by 2030. This reduction target is aligned with Victoria’s first circular economy policy and action plan, Recycling Victoria. This report clearly shows the actual cost of food waste in Victoria, where Victoria needs interventions and food waste solutions to get the best results.  The report helps Victoria invest time and resources in the areas that will give them the biggest impact from halving food waste.     

Vitoria is responsible for 2.4 million tonnes of food waste, about one-quarter of Australia’s food waste. The monetary value of this quantity is $6 billion each year in terms of growing, transporting, selling, buying and cooking that never end up on plates. This massive amount of food waste in Victoria is liable for about 15% of their non-energy greenhouse gas emissions and an estimated 29 billion litres of water loss. This report investigates the real impacts of food waste and spotlights the solutions to navigate Victoria that on the path to halve food waste by 2030. 

According to the foods with the highest waste volume and the impacts on climate, water and costs, six foods, such as meat, milk, cheese, apples, bread, and tomatoes, are identified as the high potential foods in terms of food waste reduction by up to 1.5 million tonnes. This report identified 25 solutions under four following themes to help Victoria on its path to half:  

1. Products, processing and packaging: Turn processing waste into other products, get more products to consumers and help consumers enjoy those products for longer. 

2. Efficient business operations and supply chain: Process foods more efficiently and keep food fresh as it moves from farm to fork. 

3. Education and behaviour change: Help households and businesses reduce food waste. 

4. Food rescue, recovery and donation: Redistribute surplus food and sell it at a discount or give it to people who are doing it tough. 

Each of the food waste solutions was primarily assessed based on climate saving (emissions reduction), water savings and cost savings. 

With this report, Sustainability Victoria recognised and showcased innovative niche and regime initiatives to address food waste within Victoria, across Australia and outside Australia.  For example, in 2019, Sustainability Victoria, RMIT and Woolworths joined up with the Fight Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) to explore the role of packaging in reducing food waste. This $300,000 collaborative project aims to identify opportunities for the industry to help eliminate food waste through updated packaging formats and messaging. Based on this report, many niche level initiatives to reduce food waste in Victoria supported by the government and private funding are now emerging every day within the four thematic solutions. 

Photo by Joshua Hoehne on Unsplash