UK research group WRAP has released some incredibly useful research for cities and towns hoping to both reduce and recycle food waste, those that have implemented food waste collection already and those that plan to do so. You can see the full report here or view the easily-digested, data-heavy slides.
The study stemmed from this problem: implementing composting problems doesn’t usually lead to minimized food waste and in some ways it creates a barrier. To maximize that all-important food waste prevention, WRAP studied attitudes and made recommendations.
The key message: citizens want the messages of reducing food waste and recycling it linked. In other words, trimming food waste is part of an overall approach that includes composting one’s minimized waste. Hence, this all-encompassing graphic fared better than ones focused on prevention:
Overall, the majority of those polled wanted tips on how to reduce food waste–88% said they’d find that info useful. And 96% of respondents agreed with this statement: “Recycling food waste is good, preventing it is better.”
Despite the increased focus on food waste in Britain, 40% of respondents said that food waste isn’t a problem because it breaks down in landfills. On the plus side, though, the majority of those polled have access to a food waste collection service (95% of Welsh respondents and 58% of Scottish respondents).
And this report can only help matters by empowering municipalities in the UK (and hopefully elsewhere) to trim their wasted food, whether they already have food waste collection or plan to offer it in due time.