Chichester residents urged to rethink food waste

Residents of Chichester District are being urged to rethink the impact that food waste can have on climate change as part of the UK’s first ever Food Waste Action Week.

The week will run from Monday 1 to Sunday 7 March, and is organised by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP). Each day will focus on a different way to reduce food waste, with simple tips such as:

·Writing a shopping list so that you only buy what you need

·Making sure your fridge is set below 5°C

·Using up all edible parts of your food, such as broccoli stems and potato peel, which can be added to soups

·Freezing your leftovers for another day

·Getting familiar with food labels, including used by and best before dates. 

Councillor Penny Plant, Cabinet Member for Environment and Contract Services at Chichester District Council said: “We’re really proud to be working with WRAP and the West Sussex Waste Partnership on the UK’s first ever Food Waste Action Week.

“We know that people in our district care deeply about our planet and the threat of climate change, and so you might be shocked to know that if food waste were a country, it would have the third-biggest carbon footprint after the USA and China.

“Around 70% of food waste in the UK comes from within our homes, so this highlights the role that we can all play in helping to combat this problem.

“I urge you this Food Waste Action Week to think carefully about what you can do at home to minimise your food waste. Make sure to follow us on our social media channels where we’ll be sharing more information about the campaign, including practical tips you can use to reduce your own food waste. These include simple steps such as

“Working with the West Sussex Waste Partnership, our strategy is to try and prevent food from being wasted in the first place.  Waste prevention is the preferred solution as it is more economical and sustainable.

“Alongside encouraging waste prevention, we are always exploring new ways in which we can help residents reduce their waste. We are continuing to investigate the feasibility of separate food waste collections for households and a trial will shortly be running in the Arun District.  We will be working closely with Arun District Council to monitor the results, and will share the results of the trial as soon as we can.”

Chichester District Council has recently approved the trial of 15 HOTBINs to be distributed to volunteer residents in the district, with the aim of reducing food waste entering general waste. A HOTBIN is a new product that offers a quicker alternative to the already effective traditional composting bins. HOTBINs compost at high temperatures and provide results in up to 90 days, 32 times faster than traditional compost bins.