Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has called on food sector businesses to commit to reducing food waste by signing its Food Waste Charter.
The EPA has launched a new Food Waste Charter and called on all businesses and State Agencies operating across the food supply chain to sign up and commit to reducing food waste. Signing the Food Waste Charter is a pledge to take action to reduce food waste and membership of the Charter is open to all businesses.
The first Charter was launched in 2017 and focused on the grocery retail sector, whereas the new Charter expands the call to action to every organisation in Ireland’s food supply chain. Businesses signing up to the Food Waste Charter voluntarily commit to measuring their food waste, setting targets and taking action to reduce food waste, and reporting annually on progress.
The EPA’s Director General Laura Burke, Minister Ossian Smyth (Minister of State with responsibility for Public Procurement, eGovernment and Circular Economy), Minister Charlie McConalogue (Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine), and several supporting State Agencies and food sector businesses signed the Food Waste Charter at an event in June.
Businesses will have the opportunity to support their climate action goals and reduce their costs.
Laura Burke, EPA Director General, commented: “With almost 800,000 tonnes of food waste generated in Ireland annually, meeting Ireland’s commitment to halve food waste by 2030 is very challenging, and we don’t have much time.
“We need to work together; every business along the food supply chain and in the food services sector must play their part to reduce food waste.
“Food waste is also costly, and many food and drink businesses are looking at more efficient production processes and innovation to reduce and prevent food waste. By signing up and actively engaging with the Food Waste Charter, businesses will have the opportunity to support their climate action goals and reduce their costs.”
In a wide-ranging update to its 2018 Resources and Waste Strategy, Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) announced it will not mandate waste measurement and reporting for large food businesses until 2026, despite 80% of respondents to a 2022 consultation being in favour of a mandate.
A move that prompted Too Good To Go to “urgently” call on the UK government to reconsider its decision.