Food Waste Focus

Last week Philadelphia mayor Michael A. Nutter and the Philadelphia Streets Department announced the launch of a new program called “Clean Kitchen, Green Community,” a pilot initiative aimed to assess how food waste disposers can help the city work toward its goal of becoming the greenest city in America. The city is partnering with InSinkErator, the world’s leading manufacturer of food waste disposers.

This news brings renewed attention to the pros and cons of garbage disposers, which are very common not just in residential environments (such as those being tested in Philadelphia) but also in commercial foodservice. Some communities celebrate the benefits of disposers (e.g. Philadelphia or Milwaukie) in commercial foodservice while others restrict their use (e.g. Austin). These different approaches raise a recurring question: are disposers positive or negative for the environment? Let’s review the arguments on both side of this debate:

Disposer advocates say:

• Food waste is already 70% water. It’s natural to use the municipal sewer system to transport food waste.
• Disposers cut the GHG emissions associated with trucking food waste. They also save money by avoiding disposal costs.
• The food waste can be processed at the waste water treatment plant (WWTP) in a way that converts it into energy. The residual bio-solids can be further processed into fertilizer.
• Disposers offer better sanitation and convenience for operators and they are affordable to install and operate.

Disposer critics say:

• Disposers require water to transport food waste, and water is an increasingly scarce resource in many areas.
• Some waste water treatment plants are overburdened with organics and cannot handle the extra load, leading to water
  quality issues. Others are concerned about fats, oils and greases accumulating in sanitary sewer systems.
• About 40% of the waste water volume in the US will not flow through a plant that can convert the food waste to energy.
• Bio-solids can contain pharmaceutical waste, metals and other contaminants that make it less attractive as a fertilizer than
  straight compost.

My recommendation: I believe garbage disposers represent an environmentally responsible landfill diversion alternative for most commercial foodservice operators, assuming all of the following conditions exist:

• You have done everything possible to prevent, minimize, reuse and donate food waste.
• You operate in a region that does not restrict use of garbage disposers in commercial foodservice.
• You operate in a region with a waste water treatment plant equipped to extract energy from organic waste, and that
  operator reports the facility can handle additional organic load.
• You utilize a disposer with water control technology designed to reduce water flow dramatically when not in use.

As with most things, the analysis is not black and white. A foodservice operator needs to consider their specific goals. For example, do they rank energy production from food waste as a more attractive environmental alternative than compost production? What are their financial goals related to waste handling labor?

Whatever you decided about waste disposers, one thing is clear. Reducing waste at the source is the best thing that can be done about food waste. Learn more about getting on the path to food waste prevention at www.leanpath.com.

Stop someone on the street and ask them if our society wastes a lot of food. Be prepared for a quick “yes.” Most people see food go to waste both at home and dining out. Foodservice professionals see large volumes of it every day. Just how big of a problem is food waste? In a word: enormous.

In  the U.S., we waste 40% of the food we produce, according to a 2009 report from the National Institutes of Health. 40%! To put this in perspective, imagine wasting 40% of the gas the U.S. imports or 40% of the funds in your personal retirement account. 40% is a very substantial amount.

Before this food becomes waste, it uses a significant volume of petroleum-based farm inputs, such as fertilizers, pesticides and tractor fuel. The energy embedded in our country’s food waste accounts for 2% of total U.S. energy consumption, according to a 2010 study in the Environmental Science Technology Journal. This may sound like a modest figure until you consider that 2% of the U.S. population is 6.2 million people. Just think of the energy used each year by 6.2 million people.

What is the economic impact? The global consulting firm McKinsey & Co. concluded in late 2011 that food waste represents one of the top three worldwide opportunities to improve resource productivity, representing $252 billion in annual losses.

To summarize the numbers: 40% food waste. 2% of U.S. energy embedded in food waste. $252 billion dollars lost per year globally.

Fortunately, there are solutions. McKinsey notes: “gathering data…will be crucial to support…efforts to reduce food waste.” By tracking food waste every day, you take the first steps toward food waste reduction in  your operations—and  help to  address this global challenge. At the same time, you improve your bottom line because when you waste less, you purchase less food.

Ready to make a stand and prevent food waste? For more information on how you can automate food waste tracking in your operation, visit www.leanpath.com.

When it comes to food waste the ideal place to start is food waste prevention. When this isn’t possible another potential solution is Chickens.

Pince, a small village in France, decided to employ a “brood” of chickens to tackle their food waste problem. These little animals will be put to work collecting 150 kg of food waste each year. This material will be converted into eggs for each families table. To date 20 families have enrolled in the program.

This type of solution is an example of a closed loop process and biomimicry in action. Using processes already available in the natural environment this village is able to convert food waste into a usable food resource (eggs).

When it comes to food waste there are many solutions. Recently Kansas State University launched a simple print campaign to reduce plate waste. Throughout the cafeteria they posted signs that read “Eat what you take. Don’t waste food.” This awareness campaign resulted in a 15% reduction in plate waste. The KSU program is a great example of how awareness can have huge impacts on post-consumer food waste (plate waste).

Another significant part of the food waste universe that is sometimes overlooked is pre-consumer food waste. This is kitchen and serving line waste, basically anything that is disposed of prior to the plate. Typically pre-consumer food waste accounts for 4-10% of food purchases.

Both pre and post-consumer food waste end up in the landfill at the end of the day but they have very different dynamics that influence the ideal prevention strategy. Most notable is the fact that the operator has more control over the pre-consumer waste stream. Changes to behaviors and practices within the kitchen can lead to significant reduction.

The best food waste prevention plan is one that combines strategies for both post and pre-consumer food waste. For post-consumer food waste awareness campaigns, trayless dining, and smaller portion sizes go a long way. For pre-consumer food waste  continuous improvement and measurement lead to a significant reduction.

Pre and Post Consumer Waste Dynamics

McKinsey & Company recently published a report that identified opportunities in the area of resource productivity. They discovered 130 areas that when combined lead to 3.7 trillion dollars in savings. Some of the top areas include buildings (energy efficiency), farm yields, and food waste.  McKinsey suggests that there is a 252 billion (2010 dollars) opportunity in the area of food waste.

Some of the issues contributing to food waste in developed nations included a lack of storage facilities and infrastructure. Between 20 and 30 percent of food waste occurs before it ever reaches the consumer. Cutting food waste upstream would have significant impacts on both energy use and food security.

McKinsey identified a lack of information as a significant barrier when it comes to food waste.  Without proper tracking and monitoring mechanisms there is no way to properly account for food waste at each stage in the supply chain. “Gathering data within and across countries will be crucial to support concerted efforts to reduce food waste.” Measuring food waste is important to ensure technologies are applied in the right way.

Another important issue to resolve is that we don’t price goods at the appropriate level. The McKinsey report explains that “removing agriculture, energy, and waste subsidies and putting the price of $30 per tonne on carbon emissions would significantly improve the attractiveness of productivity opportunities to private-sector invenstors.” This is important for the consumer as well. We would treat food resources differently if they reflected the true cost.

The take away message is that food waste is a huge opportunity– a 252 billion dollar opportunity to be exact. Forward thinking operators and executives, especially in the foodservice realm, can achieve significant savings by using food resources more efficiently and cutting waste out of the picture.

This fall Cal Dining launched a food waste prevention project in conjunction with Stop Waste. Using LeanPath systems Cal Dining has seen a significant reduction in waste. By the end of fall semester they achieved a 35% reduction in pre-consumer (kitchen) food waste

According to Associate Director of Residential Dining, Chuck Davies “Once you pay close attention to your food prep routines and which ones result in the largest amounts of kitchen waste, it’s pretty easy to make changes that really affect the bottom line. Since the program started last August, we have reduced kitchen waste by over a third.” A one third savings in food waste translates to cost savings. To date Cal Dining has avoided $1,600 in food purchases every week by literally keeping dollars out of the trash can.

When the spring semester starts later this month Cal Dining will continue to fine-tune their operations to further prevent pre-consumer food waste.

Click here to learn more about the Cal Dining- Stop Waste partnership.

When we think about food waste we often reflect on the food that goes in the trash can directly from our plates. As it turns out the food waste problem starts much further up the chain at the farm. Each year millions of tons of food go in the trash because these items are misshapen. Supermarkets simply won’t sell “ugly” produce.

A group in the UK called Feeding the 5,000 is bringing awareness to this issue. In November they hosted the first public free meal made entirely of misshapen ingredients. The end product was a delicious curry, with ingredients donated directly by local farmers.

Due to current regulations in the UK consumers can’t access these unsightly goods. However, Feeding the 5,000 hopes that this event will inspire the public. As one participant stated, “Children aren’t getting enough quality food and obesity is a major issue. If the government cannot afford to provide free school meals for everyone, then why not find a way to get all this healthy food that’s being wasted delivered to schools and help cut down the nation’s obesity rate? If all the food that’s here today was destined for landfill, something is seriously wrong with our society.”

The same policies and issues surrounding food exist in the U.S. as well. Across the country there are small efforts being made but at the end of the day we need a coordinated effort to make sure food resources are managed effectively. From the farm to preparation and finally disposal we need a comprehensive food waste management system.

A key part of the holiday season is good food, lots of it. As you gear up for your winter festivities consider some of the following food waste prevention tips from the World Watch Institute:

• Serve the right portions. It can be tempting to overproduce for fear of running out. A way around this is to calculate the portion size for each guest and then make the recipe accordingly. Love Food Hate Waste has a portion planner that can be used to determine the appropriate quantity
• Create a shopping list before heading to the grocery store. This will prevent unnecessary purchases.
• Provide guests with smaller plates to reduce the amount they serve themselves.
• Encourage self-serve so guests can select the appropriate portion for their appetites.
• Store leftovers properly to keep these items fresh for future meals.
• Compost food scraps that can’t be used for another meal.
• Consider ways to use leftovers for other meals throughout the holiday season. For example leftover chicken can be used as a stock for a delicious soup.
• Donate excess food to food banks. Feeding America has a list of food banks throughout the country.
• Consider food gifts carefully. Steer clear of perishable items and keep the taste preferences of the other individual in mind.

The Grocery Manufacture’s Association has turned its attention to the topic of food waste in the United States. In a joint partnership with the Food Marketing Institute the GMA has formed an industry-wide committee and is in the process of developing a strategic plan to tackle food waste.

According to committee member Erik Olson, Senior Vice President of Government Relations at Feed America, “We’re facing a perfect storm in terms of food security and hunger, where we’re looking at a sustained high need at the same time we’re seeing a decline in major food streams.” Essentially the macro economy is pushing food waste to the forefront. With food cost inflation and population growth, it is becoming essential to manage food resources efficiently.

Michael Hewett with Publix Super Markets states that “Simply raising awareness will help lower waste…When you raise awareness at the store level, you will see you generation of this kind of waste (household waste) go down significantly. If we could raise awareness and address just 15 percent of that 34 million, we could erase 5,100,000 tons of food waste that we could capture, reduce or reuse with very little effort.” The grocery store is a perfect place to educate consumers about designing menus and saving money in the process.

This same approach has been adopted in the UK with great success. Approximately 50 UK grocery chains have signed onto the Courtlauld Commitment Phase 2. This agreement sets a variety of waste reduction goals, including food waste. The grocers in the UK are focused on consumer food waste. They take responsibility for building awareness and prompting home food waste reduction. Accordingly to WRAP, since 2006 there has been a 13% reduction in home food waste, largely due to awareness campaigns.

It appears that the GMA is on the right track by focusing on the various pieces of the food waste equation. From awareness to manufacturing and retail efficiencies, grocery stores are an excellent avenue for tackling food waste.

Most people are aware of food waste on some level. As young children you may have heard the phrase “clean your plate.” This awareness, though, doesn’t necessarily translate into action. Leakages occur throughout the lifecycle from production to preparation and finally consumption. In 2011 food waste has become a topic of increasing importance for three reasons: food cost inflation, global food shortages, and the environment.

Year to date food costs have increased by 4.5% in the United States. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), global food costs have gone up by 15%. The effects of food cost inflation are especially severe for countries that rely more heavily on food imports. For the majority of the world’s population, even a moderate increase in prices can have a huge impact on total earnings. For example in the Asia-Pacific region higher food costs have kept 19 million people in a state of poverty. In some regions this had led to political unrest.

So what are the driving forces behind food cost inflation? On the demand side there is population growth, higher standards of living globally, and biofuels. On the supply side the major drivers are climate change, the cost of petroleum farm inputs, slower crop yields, soil erosion, and aquifer depletion. Simply put we have more mouths to feed, and we have to contend with environmental degradation and higher marginal costs of production.

The ten year trend line shows no end in sight. Food costs will increase exponentially as the pressures listed above continue to unfold. Even when adjusted for inflation, the nominal prices will be still higher. Due to these inflationary pressures food waste has entered the spotlight.

We now have a more complete understanding of the connection between food waste and the environment. Not only does food waste contribute to 14% of total municipal solid waste but it also uses energy and resources throughout the lifecycle. According to CleanMetrics, the majority of the impact actually occurs at the beginning of the lifecycle during production and preparation, implying that source reduction is the place to start.

Just last week the European Commission announced that tackling food waste is a priority. In a recent report they targeted a 50% reduction in food waste by 2020. To achieve this goal the European Commission cited the importance of engagement at all stages of food production, from manufacturing to the consumer.

So what can be done about food waste? Technology can be a tool to assist in some of these areas. Commercial operations can install production automation systems and other technology solutions to manage food resources. Food donation is also an option. Gundersen Lutheran Health System employed both of these strategies in 2010. This led to a 50% reduction in food waste and a savings of $25,000.

For individuals the EPA suggests taking a look at the opportunities listed below:

• Evaluate the contents of the fridge and cupboard before purchasing more food
• Focus on simple recipes to avoid ingredients (such as spices) that are only used once
• Buy more fresh products, especially fruit and vegetables
• Use proper food storage techniques
• Prepare the appropriate quantity
• Eat food while it is still fresh
• Consume leftovers first
• Purchase foods that maintain their freshness and taste

Food waste represents an untapped opportunity. Although we may not be able to mitigate all of the driving forces behind food cost inflation, we can take steps to use food resources more efficiently, thereby reducing our environmental impact and keeping our dollars out of the trash can.