Food waste: an unnecessary consumption of resources
Anyone who wastes food is also throwing away valuable resources: water, energy, labour and fertile soil. Reducing food waste therefore makes a decisive contribution to protecting the environment and climate - and is an important component of a sustainable lifestyle.
KLAV: Central point of contact for the food industry
To support companies in the fight against food waste, the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) has set up the Competence Centre for the Prevention of Food Waste and Losses (KLAV). It is to become the central point of contact for companies and associations in order to effectively reduce food waste.
The aim is to strengthen networking within the food industry and identify practical solutions. To this end, KLAV offers practical information and training programmes and networks companies in primary production, processing, retail and out-of-home catering. The aim is to jointly identify reduction potential and develop effective measures.
In focus: the 2030 Agenda
The initiative follows the goal of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the revised EU Waste Framework Directive: by 2030, global food waste per capita is to be halved and post-harvest losses are to be significantly reduced.
What does this include? Not only leftovers or unsold products, but also supposedly "unusable" components such as coffee grounds, fruit peelings or bones. Primary production accounts for two per cent of this, while 15 per cent is generated in processing, seven per cent in retail and a further 18 per cent in out-of-home catering. However, by far the largest proportion of food waste, 58 per cent or 6.3 million tonnes, is generated in private households.
Throwing away less - here's how:
A lot can be achieved with small changes in everyday life. Here are some simple but effective tips:
- Keep an eye on supplies: Store food clearly and check it regularly
- Plan your shopping: Write a shopping list, plan meals in advance
- Use leftovers creatively: overripe bananas can be turned into banana bread, soft tomatoes into fresh sauce - many things can be transformed into something delicious
- Don't shy away from flaws: Even crooked cucumbers or spotty apples taste wonderful
- Adjust your stock: Only buy large packs when they will be used up
- Best-before date vs. use-by date: check the best-before date yourself - with fish and meat, however, the use-by date = safety limit!
- Saving food: platforms and apps such as "Too Good To Go" or "Foodsharing" help to pass on surplus food instead of throwing it away
Dispose of correctly - protect the environment
Disposal also plays a crucial role: inedible food waste - without packaging - should be disposed of in the organic waste bin. Under no circumstances should they be disposed of in the toilet or sink! This can lead to pipe blockages, attracts rats and makes wastewater treatment more difficult. Cooked food waste and animal waste should also not be disposed of in your home compost bin, as they attract unwanted animals.
You can find more information on preventing food waste on the website of the Federal Environment Agency or by contacting us. We can help you with all your questions about recycling and waste separation.
