Food Waste Management & Prevention

Pauline McDonoghLimerick Clare KerryRegional Waste Management Office

Why an interest in Biodegradable Waste?

In 2008 37% of municipal waste was biodegradable

57% of this fraction consigned to landfill (EPA National Waste Report)

EU Legislation: Waste Framework Directive & Landfill Directive - desire to be proactive in our approach

Waste Arisings in the Region

166,627 tonnes of commercial & industrial waste generated within the region in 2009

If 30% is biodegradable: 50,000 tonnes of biodegradable waste are being landfilled

Priority waste stream

Background to our Prevention Projects

From field to fork significant energy & resources are used to produce, transform and transport food.

Lost resources & lost opportunities.

LAPD & LAPN Projects

Funded through the EPA’s National Waste Prevention Programme

Demonstration nature of Projects Data gathering, emphasis on sharing

information

Project 1: Managing & preventing retail food waste

Regional Shopping Centre - Shannon Footfall = 3 million per annum Strong food retailing to service

industrial hinterland

SkyCourt Food Producing Retailers

SkyCourt Shannon

38%31%

13%9%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

Cardboard Organic Paper Plastic

Composition of Mixed Waste November 2006

Segregation

Compliance by tenants

Results

15% diversion from landfill to compost, subsequently risen to 22%.

Significant cost savings: reduced need for compactors & better rate for collection of brown bins.

Lessons Learnt

Listen to tenants, work practices vary between retailers

Design a system that suits both facilities management & retailers

Keep it simple Communicate Persistence

Project 2: Preventing Food Waste

Commenced new projects 2009 with focus on event & tourism destinations

Segregation in place – shift in emphasis to encourage prevention

Cliffs of Moher, UL Arena, Killarney National Park and Thomond Park.

Combined visitors = 3 million in 2009

Heineken Cup Waste Audit

0.0%5.0%

10.0%15.0%20.0%25.0%30.0%35.0%40.0%

Organic

Plastic

Paper

Cardboard

Comp

osites

Glass

Metal

Other

Textiles

Wood

Liquid

Segregated

Mixed

Killarney National Park Visitor Centre Audit May 2010

Composition of Mixed Waste Fraction

Landfill45%

Dry Recyclables

31%

Organic24%

Barriers to Prevention

Prevention Opportunities

Compostable Products Trial

Consistent approach

Advocates

Significant Findings

Before brown bin introduced, limited information on food waste generated

Lack of ideas to prevent waste Unnecessary concerns create

barriers Time constraints – kitchen staff in

particular

Future Projects & Targets

Since January 2010, the major waste collectors had to ensure diversion 100% of commercial organic waste from landfill.

The collectors have a target of 40% of households to have an organic collection by the end of 2010.

Need to continue work within the sector to promote food waste prevention & promote local case studies on food waste prevention & segregation

Thank You for listening

For further information, please contact me at: rwmo@limerickcoco.ie or log onto www.managewaste.ie