National Food Waste Recycling Week to take place this June

This year, National Food Waste Recycling Week will take place from 5th until the 11th June 2023.

The aim of this national campaign is to encourage people to continue to recycle their food waste, providing them with practical advice, and tips on how easy it is to get involved and correctly separate food waste.

Nationwide, this campaign is funded by the Department of Environment, Communications and Climate Action, is organised by the regional waste planning offices and is supported by all local authorities.

The central aim is to show people what can be put into their food waste recycling bin, the importance of separating waste food from its packaging, and the reasons why doing so is good for the Irish environment. 

Key campaign messages include the fact that all food waste collected from our kerbsides is processed here on the island. Recycling our food waste will have a lasting impact through job creation in waste management, composting & anaerobic digestion facilities.  

Environmentally, recycling food waste diverts this important waste stream from landfill and allows it to be transformed into renewable energy and bio-fertilisers for horticulture and agriculture use. 

Organic waste collected in the food waste bin accounted for 11% of all household waste managed in 2020 (199,823 t). When properly segregated, this organic waste gets composted or anaerobically digested to make biogas. However, previous EPA studies have shown that most household organic waste (over 60%) continues to be placed in the residual (black) or recycling bins and therefore not recycled. From EPA website see link HERE

At a local level, this campaign helps increase understanding and awareness of the role the public can play in Ireland’s circular and green economy. Environmental Awareness Officers nationwide are engaging with the campaign. Their work will help raise awareness among householders by informing them about the importance of correctly separating food waste. 

Environmental Awareness Officers will also promote some forthcoming regulation changes:

• From January 1st 2024, all households regardless of geographical location will be eligible for a food & bio-waste service from their waste collector.
• From July 1st 2023. All commercial waste management companies will be obliged to provide bins for compostable material from commercial sources.
• Both of these regulatory changes will radically improve Ireland’s management of food waste.

Aside from the local authorities, a range of other stakeholders are engaging with National Food Waste Recycling Week such as community groups, Tidy Towns Associations, Schools and industry stakeholders such as the Composting and Anaerobic Digestion Association of Ireland (Cré) and the Irish Waste Management Association (IWMA).

The distribution of food waste caddy packs is integral to this campaign and from numerous trials, we know that a kitchen caddy makes the action of food waste separation much easier by acting as a visual reminder to separate food waste in the kitchen. Using a caddy liner – takes the “mess out of the stress” as it aids in keeping both the caddy and the external food waste bin clean. A starter pack of liners is included in each food waste separation pack being distributed as part of this initiative.

People attending this year’s Bloom Festival will be able to check out popular TV gardener and MyWaste ambassador Marie Staunton who will be speaking at Bloom Festival’s Sustainable Living Stage. Other National Food Waste Recycling Week speakers will include Pauline McDonogh, Southern Waste Region and Mary Coughlan of Cré, the Composting & Anaerobic Association of Ireland.

A full list of all activities and all the resources associated with food waste recycling are available HERE

*SPONSORED CONTENT