The Opposition has given notice of a Private Member's Bill intended to reduce food wastage at every stage, from its production to processing, distribution and handling.

Ivan Bartolo, the Nationalist MP responsible for the fight against poverty, said around 20 per cent of the population was at risk of poverty and social exclusion. 

According to official figures, he said, every person generated 135kg of food waste.

It was therefore important to ensured that food, as an essential resource, was distributed sustainably, to all the population, with the least possible waste and that nobody was denied because of his social position or low income.

The bill provides that the Malta Food Agency shall seek to reduce food waste at every stage of production, processing, distribution and handling by:

"(a) encouraging the recovery and donation of excess food for the purpose of social solidarity among humans;

"(b) by curbing the negative impacts on the environment and the natural resources by carrying out actions that reduce food wastage and the generation of waste from food;

"(c) by promoting the reuse and recycling of food with the aim of lengthening (sic) the life cycle of food; and

"(d) by promoting research and the knowledge of information among consumers on all matters that are necessary to reduce food wastage and the generation of waste from food."

See the bill in full on pdf below.