quantifying commercial food waste in ireland · 2019. 9. 27. · estimate total food waste in...

Quantifying Commercial Food Waste in IrelandInsights from the EPA Research Project

Sarah Broderick

Clean Technology Centre

Cork Institute of Technology

About the projectFunded through EPA Research Programme2014-2020

• Project aimed to:

• identify food waste-generating sectors

• investigate the quantity, character and

sources of food waste

• compile best practice

• develop sectoral benchmarks.

Aimed to identify the main sectors for study

&

Estimate total food waste in Ireland

Combined data from EPA Waste

Characterisation and other national sources0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000A

ccom

mo

da

tion

Food

Reta

il

Food

Serv

ice

Offic

e

He

alth

care

Edu

cation

Food

Whole

sale

Tra

nsport

and

Co

mm

un

icatio

ns

Oth

er

Reta

il

Tonnes

Sectoral Profile Method Sectoral Factor Method

Food Waste Mapping

Updated Sectoral Mapping

-

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

Accom

od

atio

n

Food

Re

tail

Food

Se

rvic

e

Off

ice

Healthcare

Ed

uca

tion

Food

Whole

sa

le

Tra

nsp

ort

and

Communicati…

Oth

er

Reta

il

Oth

er

Se

cto

rs

Ton

nes

250,000 tonnesof food waste in commercial sector per annum

Choosing Sub-sectors

Food Service Food Retail

Hotels – Daily Service– Functions/Events

Supermarkets

Full-service Restaurants Convenience

Quick-service Restaurants

Workplace Canteens

Food Service Food Retail

Hotels – Daily Service– Functions/Events

Supermarkets

Full-service Restaurants Convenience

Quick-service Restaurants With Serve-over

Workplace Canteens Without Serve-over

How to classify the commercial food

industry?

Combined relevant industry convention

with on-the-ground insight

Post-disposal

Waste collected over several days

GSFA classification

Compared to store size

Pre-disposal

1 full day of operation

Custom classification

Compared to covers

Methodology: Waste Composition Analysis

Food Service Food Retail

Food Service Results

41%41%

28%

41%

27%

14%

26%

40%

0.383 kg

0.263 kg

0.146 kg

0.079 kg

0.00

0.05

0.10

0.15

0.20

0.25

0.30

0.35

0.40

Hotel Full-serviceRestaurant

Quick-serviceRestaurant

Canteen

Avera

ge food w

aste

per

cover

(kg)

Food Service Results

30% 44%45%

19%

41%41%

28%

41%

27%

14%

26%

40%

0.383 kg

0.263 kg

0.146 kg

0.079 kg

0.00

0.05

0.10

0.15

0.20

0.25

0.30

0.35

0.40

Hotel Full-serviceRestaurant

Quick-serviceRestaurant

Canteen

Avera

ge food w

aste

per

cover

(kg)

Preparation Plate Unserved Residual

What can we do about it?

Avoidable and Unavoidable Food Waste

85%

63%

62%

87%

66%

15%

37%

38%

13%

34%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Canteen

Quick-service Restaurant

Full-service Restaurant

Hotel Function

Hotel Daily Service

Avoidable Unavoidable

Cost of food waste

Hotel Full-service

Restaurant

Quick-service

Restaurant

CanteenQuick-service

Restaurant

Cost of food waste

Hotel

€3.38 /kg

Full-service

Restaurant

€2.90 /kg

Quick-service

Restaurant

€2.73 /kg

Canteen

€3.50 /kg

> €300 millionTotal cost of food waste in food service per annum

Food Retail Results

34% 40%

14%31%

6%

21%21%

7%5%

20%

23 kg/m2 /year19 kg/m2 /year

0

5

10

15

20

25

With serve-over No serve-over

kg o

f fo

od

was

te p

er m

2p

er y

ear

Food Retail Results

34% 40%

14%31%

6%

21%21%

7%

<1%

5%

20%

23 kg/m2 /year19 kg/m2 /year

0

5

10

15

20

25

With serve-over No serve-over

kg o

f fo

od

was

te p

er m

2p

er y

ear

Fruit & Veg Chilled Ambient Bakery Frozen Butcher Deli

Food Retail Results

Serve-over is an important place to start

Conclusions from the research• Hotels have the highest rate of food waste

• Plate waste is the largest contributor

• Food waste is costing €2.73 - €3.50 per kg

• Fruit and veg most wasted food in retail

• Serve-over offerings increase food waste benchmark

Conclusions from the research

• Measurement is a critical first step to food waste prevention

• No one set of solutions for businesses

• Communication is key

• Consumer awareness is increasing

• We can and need to do better

Project Materials

For full report see http://erc.epa.ie/safer/reports

Thank you!

Sarah Broderick

Clean Technology Centre

Cork Institute of Technology

Email: sarah.broderick@ctc-cork.ie